Mark Elder: I’m leaving the Halle
OrchestrasIn an interview shown at intermission of his Finnish Radio Symphony concert last night, Sir Mark Elder said he’d be stepping down as music director of the Halle Orchestra in 18 months.
Elder, 75, will have been in charge for quarter of a century. He said: ‘I think aftr 24-25 years it’s a good moment for someone new to come.’
There has been no confirmation from UK sources.
Oh, no….
The Halle and Elder have long been my favourite team of orchestra and music director/principal conductor in Britain. But yes, 25 years is long enough for anyone.
The end of a golden era for the Hallé. Sir Mark’s Verdi Requiem in Manchester last year was magnificent, profound and thrilling.
Someone else will be picking up one heck of a good Music Director.
He has a job in Bergen with Ed Gardner, his pupil, doubt he will want another number one job: perhaps more opera?
I thought this was already common knowledge
When I started my adult concert life seriously about 25 years ago he had just started there, and seemed somehow slightly uncomfortable in his skin – just not yet fully ripened. Shift forward to today and he is a different conductor, and musician. He seems more relaxed, more comfortable, like he has less to prove, and the music is better. Fine musician who I have enjoyed hearing many times.
this was made clear in the brochure for this season’s Halle concerts published May 2022
Oh Mark, are you making way for a five-year-old Wunderkind? Please stay on.
Elder will join Sir Alexander Gibson after his time with the Scottish National Orchestra as the MD of one orchestra for a quarter of a century. The days when conductors devoted anything like that amount of time with one orchestra now seem over.
What about Elder’s predecessor (conducted the first Halle concert I ever went to, in 1958) Sir John Barbirolli (1943-1968)?
I believe you answered your own question when you typed 1968. Between Barbirolli and Mark Elder, there were James Loughran, S. Skrowaczewski and Kent Nagano. No will deny that Barbirolli was a very great conductor, although his time in N.Y. certainly didn’t go well. I like Nagano, but I understand his tenure in Manchester was rather rugged.
This is old news. Hallé musicians could have confirmed this for you quite some time ago.
Sir Mark Elder must be given much credit for revitalising the Halle- an orchestra in a total mess, both financially & artistically, before he took over as MD. Some great performances of English music during his time with them but I, for one, always found him, despite his considerable gifts & empathy in this repertoire, something of an over inflated pomposity on/off the podium. Bergen are welcome to him & his golden boy, Gardner.
Sir Mark has brought stability back to the Hallé and eventually elevating musical standards considerably after Negano and the real threat of the orchestra being put into administration amid serious funding issues. If he is to stand down – I say, thank you Sir Mark for a glorious 25 years in Manchester.