Europe replaces Gardiner
OrchestrasFrom the Chamber Orchestra of Europe:
Breaking news: we are very happy and grateful that conductor Maxim Emelyanychev will be joining us on 16 September at Schloss Esterhazy to replace Sir John Eliot Gardiner who has cancelled all his concerts for the rest of the year. We look forward to our first performance with Maxim!
Wonderful match.
Gardiner has cancelled his concerts for the rest of the year (probably on medical advice). Maxim Emelyanychev (excellent choice) will take his place at a COE concert.
Europe replaces Gardiner?
I for one am not pleased to see Sir John gone!
He has a myriad of recordings — some revelatory, others merely harsh and driven — as his legacy. Anyone who misses him can find his work easily available.
Why? Do you consider it’s appropriate for him to punch a fellow musician in the face (not for the first time) and continue as if nothing had happened?
Civilized ethical people ARE.
Sir John’s “mis-fortune” appears to be having a “silver lining”: it’s opening up conducting job opportunities for talented individuals who otherwise would never have been considered! Congratulations and best wishes to all! And to Sir John: “Thanks for finally doing something really NICE for other people!”
Never be considered is stretching it. A lot.
That’s providing they have the drive, business acumen and sheer devotion of somebody like him.
Try Raphael Pichon as a current example of a brilliant, charismatic conductor in a similar field of mainly baroque repertoire. His Ensemble Pygmalion, together with Sabine Deveilhe as soprano, have created recordings much more interesting and revelatory than JEG. Listen to the imminent performance of Monteverdi at this week’s prom!
My brother went on tour with him back in the eighties. Not a bad word. Thank you #metoo. There will probably be many Baroque and Early Music musicians out of work now.
Indeed, it will harm baroque music freelancers (and beyond – this happened on a Berlioz concert – far beyond “baroque” and early music). Yet, musicians should not have to choose between putting up with physical abuse or unemployment. That they may be put in that situation is a damning indictment of systemic failures.
That being said, as far as I know the Monteverdi Choir & ensembles haven’t cancelled any performances yet. Their Bach Mass in B Minor tour is still listed, conductor TBC.
As a P-S, “Me too” had nothing to do with punching coworkers.
Physical abuse?
They’re grown adults. I think people need to grow up and get less touchy and sanctimonious about everything.
Only an apologist could try this one out! Many of us probably wish the far from calm-natured Thomas, had retaliated by knocking him out! But, let’s put away childish thoughts and praise Thomas for showing restraint! Assault is still assault and, oh, it’s criminal!
No doubt, and I’m glad your brother had a happy time with the group, but individual recollections will differ and conversations with many, many players and singers who have worked with JEG more recently than the 1980s reveal a very different experience.
Of course there is no reason why any of the musicians in “his” groups should lose out on any work at all – if (as would be the responsible course of action for any 80-year old artistic director) Gardiner had made plans to share his work load and prepare a successor to ensure artistic continuity in his absence. Gardiner’s artistic peers (some might say superiors) Christopher Hogwood and Trevor Pinnock both did this; and without, apparently, needing to assault their subordinates at any point
The best thing that every orchestra and concert organiser can do is to never engage John-Eliot Gardiner again. He needs to be put out to pasture, for at 80 years old and with a long tradition of abusive and uncivilised behaviour that apparently has always gone unpunished, the time has now come to show that justice and respect for civilised manners trumps having a geriatric and mentally ill maestro on the programme. There are so many other conductors who do not make it a regular habit of assaulting their colleagues that it’s now time to forget about JEG. He will leave behind him a bad legacy as a human being and even if some of his musical performances were good, everything he did will always be tainted by his mental illness and violent outbursts.
Yes, let’s just put all bad persons in a hole and stay between civilized and delicious people in a garden of roses . Maybe not everyone will agree who goes where… that ‘s a detail
I think this is what’s known as kicking somebody when they’re down.
Oh come on. I think it’s great that the o!d bird still has some moxie in him. I would have laughed if I’d been there — not run for the smelling salts.
Remind you fondly of days of ‘fagging’ at boarding school?!
Sounds a bit like “Germany replaces Bruno Walter”
Sorry folks: punching someone is common assault – a crime. Punching someone over whom are in authority (eg dependent on you for work) is an abuse of power. In most workplaces, the assailant would be sacked. The board of the Monteverdi Choir should take swift, decisive action and save the Choir – which is a much-loved national institution – further ignominy. They need to root out the problem and move on for the sake of all concerned. And this episode is unlikely to go away soon, plus who knows if the Charities Commission or the Crown Prosecution Service will get involved? I suspect there are many other victims going back decades. But most will be too frightened to come forward because they need the work and don’t want to ruin their careers. But that’s the reality of the power relationships in the gig economy. Sad.
No woke involved said someone…JEG is a 80 years old white male. He must therefore be put away.
Ignominy?
Oh brother. And “victims”?
Emelyanychev is an extraordinarily gifted young pianist and conductor. He made his debut last year with the Berlin Philharmonic. Here is an example of his Haydn 103: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GXAmM_gau0 and an excerpt from his magnificent recording of Brahms sonatas for violin and piano with Aylen Pritchin: https://youtu.be/dFOUSViZGmg?si=-tHM0SPxopx8i4hr
He is the supremely talented MD of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. A brilliant choice with memorable performances aplenty as well as some seriously imaginative ways of bringing some playing musicians into the foyer at the interval! I suspect loads of good orchestras will have him in their sights!
Maxim Emelyanychev is a gifted conductor. He performed in Houston with mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato and Il Pomo d’Oro. Below is an excerpt from my review of that concert.
– The spectacular Il Pomo d’Oro gave unusually dynamic, expressive, and energetic support. From the very first notes, it was clear this was no ordinary baroque ensemble, such as those typically producing rather dull sounds with questionable intonation. Under the animated direction of conductor and harpsichordist Emelyanychev, the musicians produced nuanced dynamics and articulations that did not simply conform to conventional rehearsal-time limited fare. Cornetto, flute, and violin solos were exceptionally beautiful.
When did the UK stop being a European country? Did Brexit change geography?