Cleveland books three new British batons
NewsThe orchestra announced its 2022-23 season this morning, the 21st under Music Director Franz Welser-Möst.
Among the debut artists announced are: conductors Daniel Harding (pic), Edward Gardner, Thomas Søndergård, and Thomas Adès; violist Antoine Tamestit; violinist Vilde Frang and pianist Behzod Abduraimov.
I’m not sure it if it is cause and effect but since Mr. Ades began his association with the BSO, including conducting, he seems to be in demand in both Europe and the US. As for Mr. Harding, is this another unanticipated consequence of rising fuel prices?
Perhaps Ades is in demand because he’s has developed into a very fine conductor indeed in recent years. Surely that has something to do with his success…?
It wasn’t intended as a criticism merely an observation!
Between Schuller, Boulez, Wuorinen, Williams, Knudsen and Adés, there’s a number of ’em in the last decades. We’ll never know about Beethoven or Mozart. Somehow, I trust Wagner and Mahler….
I wonder if Harding makes conducting engagements according to his piloting schedule…
Oh I see I have a 6 hour layover in Cleveland, enough time to switch out uniforms and back…
Harding’s personal slogan should be “Catch me if you can” (for my concert or my flight or both), he can create his own world tour, transporting his own groupies
Air France doesn’t fly to CLE; Harding is coming for his musical job.
The only foreign airline that flies to Cleveland is Air Canada from Toronto.
Hmmm, no Thielemann (even though he’ll be visiting Chicago right next door) but plenty of Alan Gilbert, as usual.
FWM afraid of direct comparison in his core repertoire?
Conductors don’t necessarily come for a week in Chicago then a week in Cleveland. And the CSO is surely trying to recruit Thielemann.
Makela gets 2 weeks, which is unusual in the US these days. The season does seem full of potential FWM successors.
Surprised that you left out that Klaus Mäkelä is conducting two programs, one of which includes the Mahler 5. With FWM’s tenure likely ending with the ’26-’27 season, it sure seems like this is an audition for Mäkelä.
Makela is coming to Cleveland on April 21 for a series of three concerts: Sibelius Violin Concerto, Shostakovich 10.
I was at the Friday night performance, Makela was fantastic! TCO loved him, because they refused to stand after the Shostakovich 10th Symphony at first. He has a bright future. I would imagine another Orchestra (Chicago) would snap him up first, since Muti’s contract expires before Franz’s.
I was there on Saturday. One of the best concerts of the season. And, yes, the musicians loved him.
Well earned, all the way around.
We are all still looking for the great conductor, the one who can do something astounding with the music. A Tennstedt, a Kleiber, a Benjamin Britten. Where are our great conductors??? I would not attend any concerts based on the names you have mentioned. Just listen to the new Sibelius symphonies release from Klaus Mäkelä, that Decca are pushing so hard. It’s awful. Try the finale of the 5th where the double basses are encouraged to make a weird slapstick effect during the famous swan theme. You’re really going to want to hear that on repetition!
I didn’t like the Sibelius set either, but there are a number of fine performances on YouTube conducted by Makela, including the 6th symphonies of Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky, Dvorak 9, Shostakovich 14, and others.
Susanna Malkki did the same slapstick effect with the NYPO recently. I don’t get it. That’s in the score? Don’t think so.