Israeli conductor withdraws at BBC
NewsThe BBC Symphony Orchestra has lost its conductor for the Rites Remade concert at the Barbican next Sunday.
Ilan Volkov ‘has had to withdraw’ is all the BBC are saying. The likelihood is that the situation in Israel, and the lack of flights, may have something to do with his withdrawal. Volkov is a former chief conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony.
Ryan Wigglesworth will take over an unchanged programme.
There are frequent El Al flights to London. There’s more to this story than meets the eye? Did Volkov (an amazingly creative conductor btw) withdraw or was he made to withdraw by the BBC?
What clear minded Israeli will cooperate now with the organization which reject to call murder of 1000 innocent citizens from age of 0 to 90 as a terror?
You obviously don’t understand the remit BBC works under. It has to remain neutral which is why it is regarded with trust, world wide. The BBC news is now referring to Hamas”which some governments such as UK call terrorist.” Look on Google for statements from the Director if you are still unconvinced.
I don’t understand and I don’t want to understand, because it happens only when it comes to Israel. And I personally will never trust this broadcaster which speaks about proportional answer for this barbaric act, performed by the government, I stay on this – GOVERMENT of Gaza strip, which is supported by most its population.
I am aware of the BBC’s neutrality stance. I do not see how describing an organisation proscribed and declared illegal by the UK government (and most civilised western nations) as the terrorist organisation that it is goes against it. It is interesting that, I think, only Clive Myrie is describing Hamas in this way and appears to be doing so, with official approval. I have not seen or heard any representative from the muslim community acknowledge the Hamas attack at all. It is this keeping silent that allows extremism to flourish.
You obviously don’t understand what the BBC has become. It is totally partial in favour of Palestine and its news reports have been unbelievably partial and anti Israel over this latest response to the Hammas terrorist attack. The government and all political parties and other countries accept Hammas is a terrorist organisation. .it seems to me that you are the one here who doesn’t understand the situation.
My comnent was a reply to Elizabeth Owen.
It took them a week to come up with an excuse, and only an hour to call the gunman in Brussels a terrorist. I don’t mind their excuses, but only if they use the same standards for everyone, rather than just Israel. It really is pathetic.
Yet in their writings the Israelis are “killed” and the Palestinians “die” (naturally, the reader presumes).
It’s not a question of ‘neutrality’ it’s one of ‘fact’ and ‘truth’. Hamad openly commits terrorist acts in the same was as ISIS or any other terrorist organisation. Hamad glorifies such acts. That is quite different from recognised warfare where there are rules of engagement between warring States Therefore the BBC is being dishonest and deliberately disingenuous under the false guise of ‘neutrality’. Accordingly it can no longer be trusted to provide viewers and listeners with simple fact and unvarnished truth.
The murderers did not install ‘terror’ in the minds and hearts of their victims. They are better described as savages and/or barbarians.
Terror? Israel has so far killed 3000 civilians in its air strikes on Gaza. Fully one third of these deaths are children, another third women. Israel maintains a total siege on Gaza, cutting off food, water, fuel, electricity and the internet. News is coming in of an Israeli air strike on the Baptist Ahli hospital in Gaza, with casualties estimated at more than 800, at least 500 of them deaths. Earlier in the week, a school was bombed by the Israeli air force, killing 6 children. With these facts and numbers, who is the real terrorist in this conflict? For Israel and its Zionist supporters to know the answer to that question, let them have a good look at the nearest mirror.
It appears the the hospital was struck by a stray Hamas missille. Obviously that’s Israel’s fault.
All wars are terible. However, what the ears are aimed at makes a difference. Hitler and Churchill were hardly “the smae” just because they “shared” the same war.
Look at the war aims of both sides. Israel wants to survive.
Hamas calles for genocide of all Jews in Israel.
The palestinians have rejected all and every compromise. Time and time again they put the dispute to the test of the sword – and when lost requested a re-match.
As for “free palestine” – isn’t it supposed to be free from the river to the see, that is instead of Israel? What is supposed to happen to milions of Jews? They are expected to trust Arab mercy.
No thanks.
I’ve never seen a more jaded and disillusioned argument.
So if I come into your house, seize a bedroom, I then should expect you to make compromises in the name of peace so you don’t fight me to get back what’s rightfully yours?
That’s just plain braindead thinking.
The whole existence of the state of Israel is a stain in the history of humankind. was, has been, and will ever be… Otherwise, it’s all just fake ideals and morals from the countries and people who claim to be free and enlightened but in reality not
Let’s not forget that all that western ‘democracy, enlightenment, freedom,… etc. BS’ was built on 100s of years of colonization, plundering, mass murder, and blood spell on what we now call 3rd world and ‘savages’.
When I put that into prospective I am never surprised that someone like you could always justify Israel
or the BBC’s inabilty to call a spade a spade.
I just watched a report by Jeremy Bowen from a house in Israel that was vacated after the initial Hamas attack. He was practically in tears, and yet kept it together, and reporting like this is part of the important work the BBC does.
I think people wasting time dumping on a broadcaster are aiming at the wrong target here. IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT THE BBC CALLS HAMAS. It matters that they report what they are DOING.
If only we saw more of Ilan Volkov at home! He’s terrific.
As for the BBC, I respect their tempered language. In Israel everything is called terror, we see terrorists in every Palestinian NGO, it’s ridiculous. Israeli self-sabotage, in the end. It’s not so easy to find neutral, reliable reporting. My heart breaks for Israelis and Palestinians alike.
In Hebrew, civil war is מלחמת אחים, a war of brothers, and that’s what this is. It’s horrendous.
BTW the BBC owes something to reporters in the field and their safety. You can’t have them in Gaza and also rile Hamas.
Date: 17th October 2023.
Despite the escalating carnage, I’ll continue to support music making in Israel, Gaza and Palestine. Doubtless, the vast majority of artists in all disciplines are despairing of their respective regimes’ “inhumanity to man.”
Music is THE international language and, ideally, should transcend politics of division and, here, revenge for revenge’s sake.
Daniel Barenboim and his East-West Divan Orchestra and, before him, the conductors Karel Ancerl (a Holocaust survivor) and Zubin Mehta – to name only two – have demonstrated music’s healing and reconciliation powers.
The UK should be at the forefront in welcoming these people to its shores – including Ivan Volkov.Both Judaism and Islam have rich musical heritages which are equally deserving of exposure, appreciation and appraisal.
Shame on you! You claim that both regims are inhuman: Hamas that attempts genocide and Israel who attempts to avert it.
Music will not heal the father who was forced to watch his children burned alive, nor will it heal the woman that was gangraped and and had her limbs cut off. Nor will it heal milions who rediscovered that mankind doesn’t realy give a damn.
Date: 18th October 2023.
In response to Yaron, I really do not require lessons and examples of “man’s inhumanity to man.” In my view (however unwelcome to some contributors), neither side in this dreadful conflict can claim the moral high ground.
As a composer who – yes – does inhabit the real world, I stand by every single word of my initial posting. How Yaron chooses to interpret it is, of course, his entitlement.
Can you really not see the difference between those who’s war air aim is survival and those who’s war aim is genocide, and war method is mass cruelty?
Can you really see no difference between those who keep offering compromises and those who keep rejecting them?
You must belong to the lucky ones who never had to face physical extermination. We do, for generations. It does change ones perspective and priorities.
As for your music, I hope it’s better than your moral reasoning.
No conspiracy. Brilliant Ilan a bit busy at the moment finding a new base for family.
Maybe he decided not to work with the terrorist organization called the BBC!
Whomever is responsible for whatever lies behind this – and noone really knows who did what when where. The tragedy is that the utter joy in this man’s face which he clearly derived from his music will forever be wiped from his life. So incredibly sad and unnecessary.
He is good, particularly with modern music. I worked with him once and I wouldn’t mind having him again for a program.