London orchestra loses half its opening stars
NewsYou need luck as an orchestra in a competitive city and the Philharmonia is not getting much at the moment.
Its season opens tonight with Verdi’s Requiem.
This morning it became known that two soloists have pulled out.
This performance was originally advertised with Natalya Romaniw as the soprano soloist. We’re delighted that she is expecting a baby later in the autumn. For reasons relating to her pregnancy she has reluctantly had to withdraw. We are extremely grateful to Susannne Bernhard for stepping (sic) at short notice. Due to ill-health, Christoph Fischesser is also unable to perform. We are extremely grateful to Tariq Nazmi for stepping in at short notice.
(Natalya says: ‘Unfortunately I have had to withdraw from what would’ve been my last concert pre Motherhood. I’m very sad not to be participating in tonight’s Verdi Requiem… but breathing at 36 weeks pregnant has become somewhat challenging!’)
The Philharmonia has recently lost a princpal horn to the LSO and is coming to terms with the career pause of its Principal Guest Conductor Emeritus, John Eliot Gardiner.
Not a lot of luck going its way.
The Philharmonia hasn’t any work in the book, or at least only having had a hundred or so days since January. Shame on the management, who continue to take their salaries, yet the Philharmonia Members are struggling beyond belief.
Several have sold instruments, other orchestras employ them as extras. (And in some cases, new jobs.) Cruel, considering this orchestra has such an illustrious history.
About time management took a long hard look at the situation, or resign.
Too many orchestras in London?
I’ve said that for years
It’s a small part of the problem.
1) Too many orchestras
+
2) All orchestra musicians are employed as freelance contractors
=
3) The musicians have no bargaining power collectively and have to suck up to the fees that they are offered (which at a full time equivalent pay scale add up to below the poverty line in London).
AND
4) They’re simply told “Ok, if you don’t like it here go and play for another group”
ERGO
5) Musicians leaving for the LSO, which pays the same base rate except offers more possible services to take.
It’s disgusting how we have 3 of the world’s best orchestras and they still live in these conditions!
Shame hey Anon. Walter Legge- who founded The Philharmonia & transformed them into one of the world’s greatest ensembles- would be turning in his grave at the thought of declining performances & gifted players moving to other orchestras, selling their instruments & tragically (no lesser word for it) having to seek other lines of work. A dictator yes- but the Philharmonia need another Legge to get them back on track quickly.
The simple fact is that no London orchestra would accept a Walter Legge today, still less a Fritz Reiner or George Szell. The power resides in the hands of a player collective who ultimately decide on the fate of any chief executive. The really outstanding managers with artistic vision would never consider a job in charge of the Philharmonia because their hands would be constantly tied. Those who end up in that job basically have to do the bidding of the individual players. Having spoken to many musicians over the years, I know that they are no different from the rest of us. They prefer a quiet life to anything too unsettling. A respected UK music critic recently confided in his blog that a member of the Philharmonia had explained to him why they had not chosen Jakub Hrusa as a successor to Salonen. “Too challenging” was the verdict. When players settle for what they think is going to be a good life, they also condemn themselves to continuing in an easy, steady rut. However, players in BBC orchestras find they have relatively little say. There’s not much talk there of player power. So the independent London orchestras are really caught between a rock and a hard place. Damned if they do, damned if they don’t.
Is that why the repertoire choices in London orchestras has grown really stale?
Yes Alexander- good comments. But is an ‘easy life’ necessarily the best life- which often results, artistically, in declining standards.
So the Philharmonia players would prefer mediocrity to excellence just to give them an easier life? In that case I’ve little sympathy for them. Jakub Hrusa is unquestionably one of the finest conductors around today.
To the Philharmonia’s credit, they take A-listers with them when performing in the Regions. In October in Bedford, they have Renaud Capuçon as the soloist in Barber’s Violin Concerto with Santtu-Matias Rouvali conducting the concert.
Other London orchestras tend not to take the big names to provincial towns in England.
The concerts I’ve heard recently with other conductors than Rouvali have generally been better so I’m not sure it’s a benefit to have to have him bring the orchestra to the regions.
Yes, but I find it slightly disturbing that they are taking programmes to Basingstoke (concert 28 Sept, rehearsal 1 Oct) and Leicester (concert 8 Nov, further rehearsal 9 Nov) and then doing a full rehearsal (open to Friends) before the London concert. This implies the out of London concert is a run-through on little or no rehearsal and then they will iron out flaws for the London critics…To be fair 2 other similar sequences involve a somewhat different programme in London so rehearsal is needed.
Unfair on LPO: this season, Melnikov in Brighton, Francesca Dego, Tetzlaff in Saff Walden, Randall Goosby in Eastbourne where last season I saw Tom Borrow (phenomenal artist)
The announcement concerning tonights soloists was made to ticket holders on the afternoon of Monday 18 September, not this morning.
“Half its stars” – a bit of an overstatement! Two soloists in a concert, neither huge or well-known names among the concert-going public.
Tariq Nazmi is very good, no loss there.
They have also lost their Principle Viola player
Do viola players have principles?
How are LPO and RPO doing these days, I would have bet Philarmonia and LSO were not at risk, but I was obviously wrong…
The amount of misinformation being spread on this blog is outrageous.
1) The Philharmonia have lost some principals but have also recently appointed a Principal Clarinet, Principal Piccolo and 3rd Horn
2) The current management is miles better than any previous they had over the years and the diary is not any emptier than LPO or LSO
3) LSO pays at least 40% extra
4) Hrusa didn’t get the job because he is a child with anger management issues.
The speculation in the comments any time the Philharmonia is mentioned is embarrassingly inaccurate. The current management have barely been in place a season and the upcoming schedule is extremely healthy, with exciting new engagements and strengthening of existing relationships, as well some fantastic appointments.