I have not written a post about actual conducting focusing mostly on the ever more uncertain future for the Orchestra business. For some time now I have been pondering the word interpretation which for conductors is everything, since it can bring both glory but also be gory if you miss the mark badly! I think though that accessibility, flexibility and the “environment” need to factored in along with a study…of who is actually in front of you!….Also below: a tribute to a legendary musician….
Score – Check
Baton – Check
Piano – Check
Multiple recordings – check
Complete belief that your version will set the world on fire – checkmate!
I have heard it frequently that conductors will be so focused on their score and their channeling of the composer’s essence that they can block the audience and even the orchestra out! Really? Is it not a shared experience? Maybe von Karajan could close his eyes and achieve wondrous performances with his eyebrows, but he had the Berlin Philharmonic for crying out loud! I remember in a workshop a young conductor talked about focusing on colors, he believed the audience wanted to see the colors he could see! The teacher responded: trust me, when you have start paying your bills, green is the only color you should be concerned about. Let’s face it, we are self centered when it comes to our belief in the way we interpret but consider this, when a chef cooks at a higher altitude, baking times have to be adjusted no matter what their “belief” is, and as conductors and leaders of actual people we must do the same.
Conducting Balanchine Ballet’s taught me a lot. Mr. B was about the Music, and luckily most of my experience with his work was with one of his former dancers turned Ballet Director and choreographer Paul Meija when I was Music Director of the Fort Worth Dallas Ballet (now Texas Ballet Theater). He would scream at the dancers to be with the music, which is the opposite of what normally happens! Balanchine allowed for parameters taking into account the speed of the dancers, the size of the stage but most importantly how it would sound and look the best…in that order! It was a multi-dimensional approach, and it was so satisfying to be a part of something so organic.
Not to take out the humanness of this but like in any other trade, we have different tools at our disposal to recreate something. I have worked with groups of different standards and different levels of consistency yet one consistency always screams out at me: We have to make sure we are always maximizing the potential of who we have in front of us. In other words, interpretation has to be fluid so that it takes into account how it sounds best with who we have to work with, not how Beethoven wanted it! (We know he didn’t want it to sound bad that’s for sure!) Some orchestras are more adept at speed, so move!!!! Some might be about the sound, so give it some time and space!!! It extends to balance when a Brass section easily overpowers either get them to play less or everyone else more! When there is a dynamite quartet at the front, let them play more solo sections in Handel or Bach! The audience wants to hear the orchestra at it’s best, and there is nothing wrong with challenging, pushing and setting higher goals of achievement, but there is a tipping point to when it can sound ridiculous. I remember in another workshop when I was a student working through the finale of Beethoven 4 with a small group and the question of tempo came up. The teacher asked the Bassoonist how fast can you play the solo? After he demonstrated, it was obvious that we couldn’t go any faster than his limit!
There is so much more detail to go into with this but I’m sure you catch my drift. We have to create parameters for ourselves, be open to spontaneous change. Like the Food Network show Chopped we will sometimes get mystery ingredients to make a fabulous dish in no time flat, and like in all other areas of our industry, being rigid will cause all sorts of problems which is why attitude should always take into account “altitude” so that every dish we prepare is as tasty as it can be!
As Music Director of the Lake Placid Sinfonietta these past two season I have had the privilege and honor of working with the legendary Bassoonist and teacher David Van Hoesen. He has just retired after being with the group for 64 years!!!! I wrote to Norman Lebrecht over at his blog Slipped Disc, and he printed it verbatim . It seems people are debating now who has had the longest tenure in an American Orchestra! Regardless, it was an incredible achievement, his presence in the group will be sorely missed.