Semyon Bychkov: What I have learned
OrchestrasIn an extensive interview with our Prague partners Opera Plus, the chief conductor of the Czech Philharmonic reveals how his approach to musicians has evolved in recent years.
He says: ‘The most important thing for every colleague playing in an orchestra is to have a feeling that when they play this or that they play it the way they want to. Whereas, of course, they have to play what you want. But they have to be so convinced and to feel so natural that there is no question: it’s mine. I want to play it like that.’
Watch.
All conductors say the same thing. This phrase goes back to late Rozhdestvensky. “You have to make them think that it’s their ideas , not yours, whilst the idea is yours only”
So true!
Though it is the OPPOSITE of the method used by this famous Italian conductor.
See minute 7:55 of this video:
https://youtu.be/vKZriN5_LpU?si=wDvmO2yRrUg5QHRG
I have three take aways from your TEDx Talks link. The talk of Gergiev’s ability to bring the orchestra members out of their comfort zone when playing Stravinsky makes the orchestra Gergiev’s puppet. The use of Kleiber’s beautiful woman metaphor is failproof and should be used in any profession to achieve positive results. Leonard Bernstein is always with us thanks to visual and audio media recordings and the world is a better place for it.
Just last night I heard him conducting the Israel PO in Haifa (Mendelssohn’s 4th, Dvorak 8th) – the beautiful interpratations really sounded very natural and the mutual respect between conductor and orchestra was obvious.
Bychkov is probably living now the best moments of his career with his works with the Czech Philharmonic and at Bayreuth. But the best of him for me was when he conducted Tchaikovsky recently. there ‘s something special with him and this composer. I remember a 5th he did with the RCO during the first wave of the covid in an empty Concertgebouw that gave me goose bumps
There are the superb Nutcracker and Onegin from early in his career.
Concerning the Nutcracker and the RCO he did also the Christmas afternoon concert few yers ago with a complete version and of course it was fantastic.
What was superb was Berlin philharmonic in Karajan sound at this time, was so good to hear it with other conductors, even if I don’t think Bychkov was such a great conductor at that time, but he had Karajan ‘ blessing. He got better in the recent years. His recent Tchaikovsky set was very good , but not at the level of Svetlanov or Karajan . He still cannot maintain dramatic tension and interest throughout a whole symphony….
I heard him conduct an all-Tchaikovsky program (Francesca, Serenade, PC #1) with the Czech Philharmonic the week after Jiri Belohlavek died, so it was kind of an unofficial memorial concert. I wouldn’t normally attend this kind of program but it was stellar; he got the orchestra to dig into the music in ways I didn’t think were possible.
Merci, Maestro Bychkov.
Merci d’être ce bel être humain et ce musicien.
Je vous souhaite avec respect et admiration une Bonne Année !
Why are they ALL insufferable, even the nice ones?
The musicians must “play the way they want to” but “they have to play what [we conductors] want.” It’s “very contagious,” it’s “like virus.”
Yuck!
No speeches, please. Ever. Not from the podium, and not to smirking, brown-nose interviewers either.
Because a giagantic mass of morons idolize them and pays to go see them (though this one to me stands out as a more genuinely humble man).
Perhaps because “normal” people do not wish to “direct” others?
I have great respect for Mr. Bychkov. This interview demonstrates both his musical understanding as well as his remarkable human qualities. His humility is quite rare in a field where narcissism seems to be a given. These qualities are what make him a great artist, and undoubtedly a wonderful person to work with.
Listened to him once (and only) time in a rehearsal turning Otello Act III intro into Brahms. Quite an achievement with the Met orchestra, but they pulled it off somehow…
I hear he’s “great.”
I went to Mannes with him in the 70s. It was clear then, that he had something special. It is great to see him so excited about music, after a long career. He doesn’t seem jaded. I heard him with the NY Phil a number of years ago and they played great for him.
Unbelievable how many haters abound (and pollute) on “Slipped Disc” !
Evenf if I write a nice, positive comment I get thumbs down: because of my Italian name?
(At least I’m no anonymous person).
Well, I’ll let you know I not only am Italian but also have a Swissitalian passport, so: double hate?
Or because I sometimes write a comment in other languages as English or make errors in English?
I still read “Slipped disc” because it gives me informations I wouldn’t have access to otherwise.
Yes, musical interpretation in an orchestra is a war of wills. If the orchestra respects the conductor, they will go along with their version of the score. If they don’t respect the conductor, they will take it away from them. It will appear that the orchestra is following the conductor but the opposite is true. The conductor is supposed to be the finest musician on the stage, but it’s rarely the case except for Barenboim or Salonen. Most of the others are just carving up the air.
Nice guy & can be an inspired conductor musically- but his baton technique is stiff & this looks a bit awkward to orchestras.
Never in my several experiences of working with him during previous three decades or so did I have any problems with “his baton technique”. For me, he has always been not only “inspired”, but inspiring too.
Isn’t this, horrors!, just a form of “emotional manipulation” by a “privileged person in authority”?
Self-evidently, Semyon Bychkov is not only a fine musician, but also a fine human being.
Hans-Peter Petersen