Cello turmoil in Rattle’s new orchestra
NewsAmid the fanfares and the bratwurst, there are rumblings of discontent in the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra as it welcomes its new music dirctor.
Two of the three principal cello seats are suddenly vacant.
One had been occupied until lately by the young Swiss Lionel Cottet (pictured), who joined in 2017. For the past year he has reverted to |his hometown orchestra, the OSR in Geneva.
Another recent solo cellist failed to obtain tenure at BR.
Sebastian Klinger now holds the front line alone, with Hanno Simmons as stand-in.
Lionel Cottet has already been 1st solo cellist (also) in the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in Geneva, the place where he was also born, for a year. In the 2022/23 season he played in both orchestras, and after passing the probationary period in Geneva, he is now exclusively there.
Great move !
check his insta…
https://www.instagram.com/lionel_cottet/
1st Solo Cello at Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
Lionel Cottet is now principal cello in the OSR in Geneva.
Swiss orchestras are very dangerous orchestras because so many top level (Swiss) players from world’s Top15 orchestras are moving back and setting in local bands. Great examples e.g. Giuliano Sommerhalder and his brother Simon + Leonard Frey-Maybach – all new OSR members.
And one CM who comes OSR from Paris – only to leave to solo career. And there’s more examples in other orchestras. I love Switzerland mut not it’s orchestras.
And why does that make Swiss orchestras “dangerous” ???
Because no one of Swiss orchestras are not in world’s top class orchestras. They are great but not as great and famous like Vienna Phil, Concertgebouw, Berlin Phil, Munich Phil, BRSO, Gewandhaus, London Symphony, Chicago Symphony and so on.
So if you are a truly world class musician and you are enough lucky that you will offering a position (+ you have passed trial) with one these, then you should stay there and being thankful.
Ok stay where you are
Cottet left already last season for Suisse Romande. The BRSO kept him on its roster until the OSR granted him tenure….No discontent,just a cheap clickbait.
Another refreshing example of contemporary ” musical chairs cello-style”! Sooner or later, someone fills them! Good luck and great dancing to one and all!
Seems business as usual.
Maybe their particularly high fluctuation on that seat could be improved, if auditions were open also to older musicians.
They’ve been advertising principal cello jobs for nearly 10years, inviting almost nobody to the auditions, and appointing almost nobody. They really need to get over themselves. Hornung left in 2008, and they will NEVER find anybody to replace a cellist of that calibre. They’re waiting for the second coming, it seems.
Seems from the roster that there are two top viola chairs open as well.
Yes, 1st Principal viola Wen Xiao Zeng returned few years ago back to Bamberg and Principal viola (No 2) Tobias Reifland moved last to Berlin Phil. The after case is a bit sad because that No 2nd position was vacant by 8 years!!
Hermann Menninghaus and Ben Hames (No 3) should give a medal because they have been “loyal lead viola soldiers” for BRSO
No different to the LSO where both the principal violas were give mandatory retirement….. now both positions are vacant.
You made it sound like if they were protesting against Rattle or something more dramatic….
I can totally understand them!
I would also run for my life if I would get a rattle as my chef conductor or Ticciati…