Klarinet Archive - Posting 000101.txt from 2002/02

From: "Gregory Smith" <Gregory@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Solti and Barenboim
Date: Sat, 9 Feb 2002 10:59:54 -0500

In reply to both Neil and Tony:

I hesitate to take the information supposedly expressed by our president =
as gospel because the information was prefaced with a "went something =
like this" sort of thing. Out of context is a danger here. Regardless of =
what our president was purported to have said, I was more directly =
addressing Tony's opinion of comparisons between the two. I hear this =
opinion expressed by some that have little or no experience with the two =
maestros so intimately. I do respect your opinion though Tony since you =
do not fall into that category and I too disliked a few of Solti's =
ideas.=20

As to the reliability and consistency of orchestral musicians' opinions, =
I can honestly say that our group is quite unified in it's opinion that =
Solti was a true "maestro". One has to keep in mind that many of these =
musicians that I speak of have worked side by side, day by day, decade =
by decade for longer than I've been playing my instrument (or been =
alive!) - a very cohesive group that live and breathe together unlike =
many other orchestras that traditionally contract subs, co-principals, =
etc and the like by contrast. This is I believe one of the great =
strengths of the CSO.

Sorry if there has been any misunderstanding about the subject.

Gregory Smith

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Gregory Smith =20
Clarinetist
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Mouthpiece Handcraftsman
=
2737 Hurd Avenue
Evanston, Illinois. 60201-1209 USA
1.847.866.8331
1.847.866.9551 (fax)
Email: Gregory@-----.com (NEW)
Website: www.gregory-smith.com
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=

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----- Original Message -----=20
From: "Tony Pay" <Tony@-----.uk>
Subject: [kl] Solti and Barenboim

> On Thu, 7 Feb 2002 08:57:07 -0600, Gregory@-----.com said:
>=20
> > > On Thu, 7 Feb 2002 12:03:55 -0500, jvarineau@-----.com said:
>=20
> > > > By the way. I feel that the term "maestro" should be reserved =
for
> > > > the true masters of conducting -- and I'm not one of them. The
> > > > president of the Chicago Symphony recently made a similar =
comment.=20
> > > > It went something like this: The 78 year -old Georg Solti =
should
> > > > be called "Maestro." Daniel Barenboim should be called Mr.
> > > > Barenboim. (!!!!!)
> >=20
> > > Tony Pay then said: The other way around, I think. Though I do
> > > understand that Daniel's technique leaves something to be desired,
> > > the other gentleman's musicianship left everything else to be
> > > desired. Horrible. So there.
> >
> > That's quite an interesting assessment. Despite the fact that it is
> > best that both are referred to as "maestro" by strict definition, =
one
> > would find that a very large majority of the musicians of the =
Chicago
> > Symphony, who have for decades played for either maestro as their
> > music director, would disagree with T. Pay's comparison of these two
> > fine musicians.
>=20
> Yes. To be read in the spirit of the other post, Greg.
>=20
> The idea of someone 'downgrading' Barenboim amused me.
>=20
> I happen to hate Solti's ideas about all sorts of music -- the last
> example I recall was his conducting of Mozart 40 -- so I gave my own
> 'opinion'.
>=20
> Professional orchestral musicians' opinions of their conductors is =
also
> notoriously suspect, as I'm sure you'd agree.
>=20
> BTW, how come the president of the CSO is irresponsible to the extent =
of
> making such an opinion public?
>=20
> Tony
> --=20
> _________ Tony Pay =20
> |ony:-) 79 Southmoor Rd Tony@-----.uk
> | |ay Oxford OX2 6RE =
http://classicalplus.gmn.com/artists
> tel/fax 01865 553339 =20
>=20
> ... Just another inmate in this ASYLUM!!!
>=20
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>=20
>=20

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