Israel Phil bloods new baton
NewsChristoph Eschenbach has cancelled his second week in Israel after falling unaccountably unwell.
The Philharmonic are using his withdrawal to make a huge fuss of a young Israeli substitute.
Rotem Nir, 26, is head of music at the Israeli Opera and assistant conductor at a couple of orchestras.
Next week he gets a crack at Beethoven’s fifth as his Philharmonic debut.
Lahav Shani thinks highly of him.
An unfortunate headline in the current situation. And, I would like to think more a slip than a deliberate choice .
Hardly his debut. He only recently conducted the orchestra in a very successful pops concert and accompanied Miri Mesika with her debut with the IPO
The former Palestine Symphony Orchestra!
As the British Mandate was called in 1936. However, Palestinian arabs had nothing to do with the orchestra’s creation – though the educated few enjoyed it”s music.
Almost all the first generation in the IPO fled nazism, and the orchestra had been established as a coopertive. It had two debut nights: One a full price Galla, and a second half priced for working class who could not afford the full price.
And if I remember correctly, it was Toscanini who conducted the opening concert of the orchestra. No BDS back then, for those who knew what real fascism was.
Never heard of Rotem Nir, but it would be great to have another exceptional musician in our small country. Not the first, and no doubt not the last.
Good health to Maestro Eschenbach. He’s one of the few great artists in recent months to show he’s also a great human being, and hasn’t chickened out from coming to Israel in our hour of need, in the great tradition of Isaac Stern.
Rudolf Buchbinder has also cancelled last minute for health reasons. Hopefully these are short term, and indeed health related and not political. If so, good health to him as well.
All over the world antisemitism is rearing its ugly head, yes yes, under the guise of anti-Zionism. We’ve been through this before. And great artists are usually ordinary people in every other respect, i.e. some are exceptionally good, some exceptionally bad, and most just ordinary, and drifting with the tide when it turns ugly. But again, Eschenbach is one of the exceptionally good ones, and hopefully also Buchbinder.
Good luck to young Maestro Nir!
Rotem Nir is an absolutely brilliant conductor with masses of experience despite his young age. He is set for a top international career.
Mark his name, you’ll be talking about him a lot.
NL will talk about him for sure. As for the rest of us,time will tell.
The verb is correct, but not a good word for a head line.
And maybe we can do without Mr Shani’s endorsement—it’s a bit redundant and he’s a bit overhyped.
The IPO’s anouncement included the name of it’s current boss. As for the “Overhype”: He has done wonders with the orchestra, that sounds better than it did under Zubin Mehta.
This is only half the story. There has been a double substitution for the multiple Israel Philharmonic concerts at the beginning of June.
Octogenarian Christoph Eschenbach was also scheduled to conduct the second Chopin Piano Concerto with septuagenarian pianist Rudolf Buchbinder.
The formidable Graf of Grafenegg has been replaced by 2015 Chopin Competition finalist Georgijs Osokins.
Not only is the young Latvian pianist a refreshingly original interpreter, Osokins enjoys the support of such musical titans as Gidon Kremer and Daniel Barenboim.
In terms of years, the combined age of substitute conductor and soloist is 55.
The combined age of Eschenbach and Buchbinder is 161.
Without wishing to diminish the impact and legacy of these two great artists in any way, to quote Edmund Burke, “The arrogance of age must submit to be taught by youth”.
So seems to be the case with the Israel Philharmonic these days.
Complimenti.
Just seen CE with the IPO.
Both CE and the orchestra were in great form and there seemed to be an excellent rapport between the players and the conductor. In the meantime, there were sevral cancellations by e.g. Oksana Lyniv and Buchbinder – no reasons were published and I wonder if it has got anything to do with the current situation. Anyway, we will cherish another opportunity to hear Eschenbach with the IPO.
Sounds like the gaza flu…
Two days ago Eschenbach had a very good concert with the IPO, though he seemed hardly able to walk. I fear he is really not well.
From: Richard Stanbrook.
Date: 2nd June 2024.
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra is and, hopefully, will remain a world-class ensemble which can boast a fine legacy of top maestri. I mention Karel Ancerl (a holocaust survivor), Zubin Mehta, Leonard Bernstein and Sir Georg Solti. No doubt, others can add to this formidable roster.
Whoever conducts the I.P.O. will probably do so out of an overwhelming desire to make music to the highest possible standard. I wish him/ her every success.
And, by the bye, let’s try to keep politics away from The Arts, however difficult that may be at present.
I have been to last night’s first rate concert. Rotem Nir is very young, yet he actualy had some original ideas about how Beethoven’s 5th should sound! The IPO were white hot with emotion and a full house seemed very happy with the performance.