Andrew Davis jumps in for Barenboim Berlin tour
NewsThe Staatskapelle Berlin has named two substitute conductors for its tour of Denmark, South Korea and Japan, starting tomorrow.
The British conductor will cover dates in Aarhus and Aalborg, while the Asian leg will be taken over by Christian Thielemann.
They are replacing Daniel Barenboim, who is receiving prolonged medical treatment for a difficult neurological condition.
Despite flying under the radar, there is no finer conductor working today than Andrew Davis.
Don’t know why you think Sir Andrew Davis has been flying under the radar – he’s had a significant profile in the UK, US and elsewhere for decades across both orchestral and opera repertoire.
He’s a far less flashy person – probably that’s why.
Maybe not “under the radar,” so much as “underrated.” I think Sir Andrew is a tremendous talent, he just doesn’t command the press attention of so many contemporaries.
I was simply speaking in terms of flashy headlines, and behaviour! His career speaks for itself, of course.
And Andrew is nearly 79 so pushing 80 too. Just happens to be in good health inspite of losing his lively wofe. A fine conductor, a charming man, and in his true British way, very unassuming, always been collaborative and never self-obsessed. Andrew’s Tippett No 4 at this year’s Proms at such short notice, was second to none. Wish him all the very best in Berlin.
He lost ANOTHER wife? That would be careless if it was not so tragic for him personally.
If you’ve ever lost a wife or someone as close as Andrew has done, you wouldn’t be quite so flippant. Andrew lost his wife in June 2021, and it’s very, very short time in the long process of grief when you lose someone who matters. It changes your own life and your outlook on life.
Being available is perhaps his best asset. The times I have performed for him have been boring. But he’s friendly and gets along. But not in DB’s league unfortunately.
Andrew Davis is a wonderful musician. Based on the boisterous bonhomie of his appearances at the Last Night of the Proms, I had him down as a lightweight. Then I listened more closely, in particular to his wonderful film, with performance, about Elgar’s Enigma Variations. It’s affectionate, insightful and profound. Highly recommended.
Takes more than a ‘lightweight’ to control the Last Night of the Proms! So British verging on English that he succeeded by knowing the culture itself and out humour, but it didn’t take away from his wonderful work in other areas of complex music. His Tippett Fourth this summer gone, stepping in for a Covid-ridden conductor at very short notice, was just phenomenal. Not exactly bread and butter repertoire, with Vaughan Williams’s Fourth.
I saw him once and thought he did very well. I can’t remember what was on the program, though. I like his recordings just fine. Good for A. Davis.
Andrew Davis divides me. By all reports- he made a terrific start to his career in Toronto- where he was regarded as some kind of whizz kid. He’s a rather uneven conductor- sometimes inspired- sometimes deadly dull. A good musician no doubt- his better work is in the opera house with a story to go on- rather than in the more abstract symphonic sphere. I, for one, found his faux deranged Major- General Act- beloved of Prommers in the Albert Hall- to be rather insincere & irritating.
I worked with him at the BBC and he’s just terrific. Very collaborative and a great sense of British humour too.
He actually made his start as Assistant at the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra – as several major conductors had/have also done. His selection to take over Toronto was something of a surprise given his relative lack of experience at that stage in his career. There were strong rumours at the time that the Toronto Board had approached Alexander Gibson, who had been Assistant at the BBCSSO in the early 1950s before he took over at Sadlers Wells, eventually becoming its youngest-ever Music Director and before he took over as MD of the Scottish National (before it took on the silly Royal title) and his stunning success after he founded Scottish Opera.
Gibson’s agent at the time confirmed the Toronto Board’s interest. Whether any other orchestra could have wooed him away from Scotland when both the orchestra and opera company were enjoying what were termed as Golden Years is probably unlikely. But if Gibson was in the frame, the chances are that other more experienced conductors than Davis were also approached.
Still, much credit to Davis for the success he went on to achieve throughout his career.
http://www.bruceduffie.com/davis.html
A lovely interview that Bruce Duffie conducted for WNIB in Chicago with Andrew, and now been transcribed.