Yuri Temirkanov ends his career
NewsThe great Russian maestro has stepped down as music director and chief conductor of the St Petersburg Philharmonic, a post he held for a third of a century, since 1988.
Most musicians in St Petersburg have known no other symphonic leader and their regret at his retirement is being voiced on social media.
Temirkanov, who is 83, negotiated Soviet and post-Soviet realities with great adroitness. He avoided joining the Communist Party while head of the Kirov (now Mariinsky) Theatre from 1976 and he never became an acolyte of either Yeltsin or Putin, though the latter showered him with offers and honours.
Abroad, he headed the Baltimore Symphony from 2000 to 2006 and held an honorary position with the Royal Philharmonic in London. In recent years he has lived mostly in Britain. His son Vladimir was a violinist in the St Petersburg Philharmonic.
Temirkanov has been replaced at the St Petersburg Philharmonic by his deputy Nikolai Alekseev, who has held that post since 2000. Alekseev is practically unknown outside Russia. He holds an obscure post as Chief Conductor of the Ulsan Philharmonic in South Korea.
It will take St Petersburg years to regain the world reputation it held under Temirkanov.
Is he totally retiring or just as music director ?
Temirkanov promised much when he first appeared in this country, however his repertoire was limited to a relatively small number of works. He was obsessed with his own personality and wanted to destroy the legacy of Mravinsky (who he personally detested) by removing the long-standing musicians who worked with Mravinsky including sacking his wife the flautist Alexandra Vavilina. True he never joined the Party, but he had a mistress who was head of the Party cultural department for many years, and she helped him build his career. He was a pretty obnoxious man who also was prone to terrible explosions of anger, in the years when he was away on tour, he would have awful drinking sessions in St Petersburg and could not work for weeks. Interestingly his father was head of culture in the South Ossetian republic and helped Prokofiev, Myaskovsky find local folk music for their music when in exile in 1941/1942. Sadly, Temirkanov leaves no significant musical legacy, unlike his predecessor, or even his rival Mariss Jansons.
Can concur about his personality. Saw him perform with St. Petersburg Philharmonic on tour. It was really a terrific performance, so uncharacteristically I waited for him in the receiving line backstage for an autograph. When he arrived, he looked down the line, grimaced, very clearly looked at his watch and then motioned for his driver. Made no time for anyone. I don’t think I was the only one appalled. As a result, my lasting memory isn’t his performance that night, only his bad behavior.
I also met him backstage. He wasn’t unpleasant, but clearly would have preferred to be left alone. Still, some wonderful memories from his concerts.
About backstage behaviour, I heart a slightly different story: I am from Taiwan, and he used to tour in Asia quite a lot. At early 90s nobody knows who he was, my friend went for a concert from him and afterward saw him smoking alone outside the palace-looking National Concert Hall Taiwan. They shared a brief one-to-one chat. Maybe he just didn‘t like those signing programme thing. Why should any musician do?
He also guest-conducted Taipei Phil Orch a couple times. This is not the top orchestra in Taiwan and the performance can be up and down. I was there when he conducted Tchaikovsky no. 5, and it was the best sound I‘ve ever heard from this orchestra. Almost like a different orchestra.
Well, I also met him backstage after a concert in St Petersburg and he was very pleasant and friendly, and even joked about maybe coming back to Birmingham one day.
Interestingly, I had completely different experiences of him after concerts. He and St. Petersburg PO visited Taiwan in September 25 and 26, 1994 and performed Shostakovich’s Festive Overture, Symphony #7 (09/25), #6 and Tchaikovsky Symphony #6 (09/26). The second date was also Shostakovich’s birthday, so I brought Volkov’s Testimony for him to sign.
Maestro Temirkanov was very gracious. Not only did he sign the book but he also drew a funny picture on it. He also graciously posed with me in a photo. I would remember those concerts till my last day.
I have no intention to invalidate others experiences but to contribute mine.
Oh you, with all of your details and facts and subtleties. No place for that here on a click bait site like slippedisc…..
…..not a fan then Gregor……….
Thanks for sharing that perspective, Gregor. I can only speak to what I heard in two live concerts, and they were both excellent! An outstanding Sibelius 2 at Tanglewood, and a very good (though not outstanding) Tchaikovsky 6. And his vanity came across as well as his excellent music-making.
You would have loved Fritz Reiner.
Quite.
A great monsieur of the classical music. I remember a very touching concert for him for his brithday few years ago in his concert hall with Jansons. it was few months before Mariss left us.
There were some pretty amazing concerts in Baltimore. It’s a shame there is no recorded legacy of from those years.
He was associated with the Philadelphia Orchestra in the 80’s. Attended a concert he gave with them on tour in California with Dvorak 8th/Prokofiev 5th; a great orchestra led by an indifferent conductor.
This text, although true in substance, contains at least two factual mistakes. First, Maestro’s son passed away. Second, Maestro always lived and lives in Saint-Petersburg
He does have a house in London but rarely goes there. Probably never at this point.
A huge loss. I hope there will be a search for his permanent replacement that will involve the orchestra, but it’s unlikely. Wish he’d groomed a successor. Sad.
He left two very great recordings of Rachmaninoff’s 2nd Symphony!
I can vouch for the first one, with the Royal PO, still my favorite recording of the work.
Had the enormous pleasure of working with Maestro Termikanov twice, both times in the United States and both times as a debut. Rachmaninoff concerto no.2 with the L.A. Phil. at the Hollywood Bowl and later Schumann Concerto with the Philadelphia Orchestra. A true gentleman and a wonderful musician. Very grateful for his musicianship and generosity!
Absolutely spot on, Artur.
Upsetting reading these Victor Meldrew whingers running Yura down.
Great musician of the highest calibre. Great man. I worked with him many times in St. Petersburg and UK and he was consistently of the highest quality and geniality.
A real pity!! Temrikanov is a great conductor and a great musician!!! I wish this money monster Gergiev gives up.
When born an idiot, then a lifetime idiot and he is, a political puppet.
How would insiders characterize his time in Baltimore?
We found him extremely inspiring, and personally warm and sincerely charming. I think it’s fair to say the entire orchestra loved him.
One of the most amusing and bizarre concert experiences was when he was conducting…and it had nothing to do with the music. He was conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic at their old home, the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. I had a seat a few rows from the front and on the end. Whenever Temirkanov looked over at the cellos, he often didn’t look at them but at the audience at the edge of the rows, where I was seated. After several times doing this, he unnervingly made eye contact with me. To test this to see if I was correct, I nodded at him. He immediately shoved his nose into the air with great flourish and went on to actually give his attention to the orchestra. He didn’t look out again for the rest of the concert.
He was more than associated with Philadelphia in the 80s (and 90s). When I moved here in 1988 people were still talking about a performance he’d led of the Manfred several years earlier. He played an important role during the Muti years of preserving the orchestra’s sound, which Muti had been wrecking steadily. I heard some truly great Shostakovich under his baton. He also worked with Curtis regularly, including an insanely exciting Prokofiev 5 wherein, I was told, the students were on the edge of their seats because he’d been so erratic during rehearsals. Erratic because he’d been drinking, a habit which I would guess accounts for the behavior several have noted. It was extraordinary watching him work through Shostakovich with Curtis students while not speaking any English. After the Baltimore appointment was announced, Naomi Graffman told me that she was surprised and asked him why there. He replied, “To be close to Philadelphia,” which suggests he’d been hoping to become Muti’s successor.
A bit like our Sir Alex Gibson at times at Scottish Opera – erratic but great performances as there was no room for complacency with us taking part! You had to keep your wits about you, and no two performances the same with nothing just ‘routine’.
Worked with him several times in US and have nothing but positive memories of every occasion. Wishing him the very best, whatever he decides to do now.
I had the pleasure of attending his last two Philadelphia Orchestra programs, one at the Academy of Music and one at the Kimmel Center. He led performances of Shostakovich’s 7th and Brahms’ 2nd symphonies that were both brilliant and left me holding him in the highest regard. I had hoped for years that they’d bring him back to Philly to conduct, but eventually gave up. This makes it official.
One of the finest Rachmaninoff 2nd Symphony performances you are ever likely to see/hear. Notice how unforced the opening is taken and how he carefully balances the orchestra so we can hear that delicious modulation at 08:59 in the 1st movement
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-ywFXdeI_w
Give the unknown person a chance, everyone old, retiring, and approved by the world was once obscure and unexpected. An orchestra doesn’t lose prominence when an old man retires.
Here is an interview I typed up recently for Bruce Duffie, the musicologist and radio presenter of the former WNIB Classical 97 in Chicago. Worth a read as I found it very enjoyable to transcribe!
http://www.bruceduffie.com/temirkanov.html
Having attended several concerts led by Ms. Alsop, my view is that she is certainly a very competent and efficient conductor but not one I would travel any distance to hear. Her Mahler 3 was ok but not special as was an Alpine symphony. She does do well in the 20th Century American repertoire but not so much in the central repertoire, although her recordings of the Brahms and Dvorak Symphonies are very good in my opinion. In contrast, I have great memories of Temirkanov’s Shosty 10 and Mahler 2. Honeck would be a far better choice. We have heard some great concerts with his very fine Pittsburgh Orchestra, a very much underrated group.
I have fantastic memories playing under his direction at the Aspen Music Festival. A true Maestro. May he enjoy his retirement!
The performance of Alexandr Nevsky at Carnegie Hall was absolutely incredible. Never will forget it.
Personally, he’s an odd duck. But he’s a man of great integrity who despised the Soviet Union. He creates magic with an orchestra, as he is a spontaneous musician and a genius. He’s incomparable in his ability to make music.
Grazie, Maestro.
I remember a tour to USSR with him and BBCSO in 1980s . Natalia Gutman played Prokofiev Sinfonia Concertante and Barry Douglas Prokofiev 3 piano concerto. We also took Holst planets and Petrushka. Rehearsals were always short with a mid morning “cigarette break” for Maestro, where he returned always smelling very strongly of after shave.
He had the some of the best hands of any conductor who didn’t use a baton , and was brilliant at communicating what he wanted without actually having a command of the English language. The orchestra loved him ( despite missing a5/8 bar in Petrushka in concert in Moscow) .
To this day , I have treasured memories of his musicianship and very few conductors around today could get near his expertise , in my opinion.
Watching him on video, I can’t figure out WHAT he does with his hands. Unlike any ‘technique’ I’ve seen.
The members of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic consistently leave the country as soon as possible, so its roster is forever composed of recent graduates from conservatories. Temirkanov was a principal guest conductor in Philadelphia in the 1990s and did many wonderful concerts, and should have been made music director.
He was a much.better candidate but, unfortunately, Eschenbach got the job….very sad….
Gregor repeats vile gossip without caring about the truth at all. The audience and the orchestra are very sad because of Temirkanov’s resignation
RIP. Nice to see he maintained his artistic powers to the end. His videos and recordings remain – listen and watch them!