Maestro, 92: You have to make the best of such crises
mainHerbert Blomstedt, regretting the loss of concerts, has been speaking to a journalist, Georg Rudiger, from his home in Lucerne:
At the age of 92, you belong to the risk group most at risk from the coronavirus. How restricted are you in your life?
Not at all. I live a completely normal life, feel fit and have an uninhibited zest for action.
On Thursday the Berliner Philharmoniker played under Simon Rattle in the empty Berlin Philharmonie – the concert was broadcast free of charge as a live stream in the Digital Concert Hall. What do you make of it?
I think it’s very nice. Many orchestras are now streaming their concerts so that they can reach even more audiences worldwide. In two weeks I will presumably conduct a concert with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Stockholm with Mozart’s C minor mass – there will probably be no concert audience either. It’s a little strange, but we’re used to it. The rehearsals also take place without an audience. Nevertheless, we are highly concentrated and look forward to playing with each other.
How does the audience in the hall influence the interpretation?
The basic concept is not changed. But the audience has a very big influence on the concentration of the orchestra. The atmosphere in the hall can vary a lot. Total silence is a tremendous inspiration for us.
… Most crises also have a chance. Do you see an opportunity in the corona crisis?
We now have a lot of time to think. You always have to make the best of such crises. Complaining or grieving does not help. Every crisis is an opportunity for improvement…
Read on here.
He is someone I would pay attention to. In his 92 years he would have witnessed some of the most significant crises, including the greatest of all wars.
“every crisis is an opportunity for improvement” -this philosophy has enabled Maestro Blomstedt to live 92 glorious years.
Not at all surprised to learn his answer to the question “How do you spend your day there (in Lucerne)?” was “So now I have more peace of mind to study scores. It is also good for me.”
https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/music/at-92-herbert-blomstedt-keeps-uncovering-new-truths-in-old-musical-scores
Please stay well Maestro. We need your Brahms, Bruckner and Berwald (not to mention your wonderful Mendelssohn, Nielsen and Stenhammar) now more than ever!
A living legend, please stay at home and look after yourself rather than risking your health at this difficult time.
It might very well be that for an energetic soul like him staying at home for too long yields a higher risk than traveling to and performing with other musical souls in empty concert halls.
The travel is much riskier than the rehearsals, if one takes care not to get too close to the brass (lots of water droplets in the air).
He is a wonderful man. Bless him !
Can I recommend his recent Bruckner 4 with the Berlin Phil, available free at the moment on the Digital Concert Hall?Wonderful!
This was an exceptional concert and interpretation by both Blomstedt and the Berliners. Am so happy to have heard it live! Can also recommend to hear/see it on the Digital Concert Hall.
I would also recommend watching this interview (if you haven’t done so already):
https://www.digitalconcerthall.com/en/interview/52521-4
Guaranteed to put a big smile on your face (plus a few chuckles along the way) – and I am sure you will enjoy his Bruckner 4 even more afterwards!
Really? They’re going to crowd 200 people together on a stage in two weeks? That seems rather unlikely to me.
Hope Swedish Radio isn’t planning to put all those musicians at risk by putting them on a crowded stage.