Human rights prize for Gidon Kremer
NewsThe 2023 Beethoven Prize for human rights has been awarded to the Latvian violinist and ensemble leader Gidon Kremer.
Kremer, 76, has been outspoken in his opposition to Russia’s wars of aggression in Chechniya and Ukraine. He has also played nin jai;ls and other places of despair.
The award, worth 10,000 Euros, is given by the Beethoven Academy in Bad Honnef.
Past winners include Maria João Pires (2021), Igor Levit (2019) and Gabriela Montero (2018).
Pires was awarded too? For what? Seems to me that these awards always seem to go to the same predictable clan over and over. Are Universal and Sony funding it behind the scenes? Expect next more human rights awards for the likes of Domingo and Netrebko and Argerich (though I’m sure the latter is a more admirable human being).
Was told that Pires was awarded the prize for “growing veggies in her yard” (-:
Her work with children is pretty well-known, especially after she moved to Brazil over politics surrounding her project back in 2006. You might not have known, but you could have easily looked it up
http://www.beethovenacademy.org/beethovenpreis2021_eng/
Well…I still remember the surprise to see posters with his name for a tour in China in June this year. Business is business, right?
“Russia’s wars of aggression in Chechniya…”
Somehow musicians always know which war to oppose to earn their rewards, and those who write about musicians always know which war must be called “a war of aggression”.
And how could you skip mentioning Patti Smith who was awarded in 2020?! She’s the greatest of them all, no doubt.