 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Sylvain
Date: 2004-03-03 17:17
Braeking news:
Kent Nagano has been appointed new Musical Director of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra was without a Director for over a year after Dutoit resigned due to incompatibilities with the musicians.
Nagano is a top artist and I wish the best to every MSO player! The orchestra is in good hands...
-S
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Sylvain Bouix <sbouix@gmail.com>
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2004-03-03 18:04
It is one of those situations where Dutoit has certainly been replaced with just as tought a nut to crack so to speak.
Nagano is a bit controversial in Europe due to his stormy relations with various ensembles...however, he gets a great sound out of every orchestra he conducts...and I mean every orchestra.
i
David Dow
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Author: Sylvain
Date: 2004-03-03 19:11
The MSO is an exceptional orchestra as it is.
They have been playing for 2 years without a Director and still sounded great.
I am not familiar with all the controversies with Nagano, I just know the situation in Montreal with Dutoit was really reaching a dead end.
We'll see what happens, but I'm confident it's going to be good
-S
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Sylvain Bouix <sbouix@gmail.com>
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2004-03-03 19:28
I have a freind who's son is Principal Trumpet with the Halle...they did not get on so well...and that's an understatement!
David Dow
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Author: Tom Piercy
Date: 2004-03-03 21:04
I have played in the hall and been to several different types of concerts (orchestral, ballet and opera). The problem for me was no reverb or sense of depth in the sound I could make or the sound of groups I heard. I'm not sure of the acoustical details that causes this, but this is one of the main complaints about the hall.
Tom Piercy
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Author: Sylvain
Date: 2004-03-03 23:00
The main problem is the lack of reverb. It's as if you were in a sound proof box.
From the balcony, the orchestra sounds tiny. It's almost as if it was playing with a mute. But at least it's balanced.
From the floor, it's even worse, unbalanced.
I have had the chance to hear them in different venues such as McGill's Pollack Hall and it's just a complete different world. They simply sound so full.
But, I don't know about the new hall, it won't happen tomorrow...
-S
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Sylvain Bouix <sbouix@gmail.com>
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2004-03-03 23:17
Seems like alot of orchestras are playing in unacceptable acoustics.
'I hope Nagano is the man....his records are excellent. He also know how to conduct Varese....not an easy task.
David Dow
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Author: diz
Date: 2004-03-04 02:36
The Montreal is, certainly an exceptional orchestra (one of my favourites) ... I think M. Dutoit had a lot to do with them fine tuning their performance standards (not that they were ever bad, they certainly weren't).
As to difficult relations ... one against 100 is hardly a fair fight ... I've played professionally where the orchestra decided, en masse, to give a guest conductor a hard time (out of perversity) ... felt sorry for the poor bastard when the concert was over and he left.
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Author: Sylvain
Date: 2004-03-04 04:03
one against 100, but one who can fire you
-S
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Sylvain Bouix <sbouix@gmail.com>
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2004-03-04 15:39
Just a few thoughts on the subject which is really a tricky one for any conductor coming into Montreal. The orchestral playing in Montreal is superb and yet Nagano is truly working in some ways with a newer version of the MSO. The Principal flute and Bassoon of the older recordings are gone. The former Principal clarinet died a few years ago-so in a nutshell the departure of Dutiot has certainly changed the tonal character and in many ways the playing character of the group.
There are some instances of Dutoit excellence as a conductor that should be defended. In my own personal working with him I was quite amazed at his ability to balance an ensemble and allow the melodic parts to emerge without the fuss or forced quality that I hear in so many groups. He was certainly not easy to follow in terms of beat yet one always "knew" instinctively where the music was going and what he wanted. I call this a form of telepathy that some conductors who are "great" naturally possess...
In 88 I played for Dutioit in the Paris Conservatoire Orchestra and this was simply a pro level ensemble of students in Paris. He was very tough and the pieces h did(Honegger Pacific 231 and Roussel Spider's feast) were allowed to breathe.
In another instance in Montreal I heard the orchestra play the Mendellsohn Midsummer Night's Dream Overture and can say I never heard in years such well modulated sound from all sections in any orchestra anywhere! the trueness of pitch and inflection was unaminous from one section to another.
With Nagano I suspect there will be some style change. His style is less moulded than Dutioit and more incisive. This can mean a timbre change. I admire his work in modern composers and in some classical repetoire.
the french nature of the sound of Orchestre de Montreal will remain ...but hopefully Nagano can alter some of the repetoire the orchestra has done for so long.
David Dow
Post Edited (2004-03-04 15:41)
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2004-03-04 17:58
Current the Principal is Rober Crowley...
before that it was Mario Iacurto
David Dow
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