I’ve written about the response to Dudamel’s first national tour with the LA Philharmonic, and noted the pitfalls of being a highly-hyped young conductor. Now the Philadelphia Orchestra has named as their new music director a young conductor who, along with Dudamel, is touted as a leader of his generation, Yannick Nezét-Séguin.
Much that’s been written about this appointment, most referencing the expected topics: his youth, his vibrant podium presence, and the possibly galvanizing effect a youthful, charismatic music director could have on an organization fraught with financial woes and (through an extended music director search) a lack of artistic leadership.
I’ve not seen Nezét-Séguin live, but I’ve heard from my Philly Orchestra friends that he’s generally well-respected by the band, and from people in the know that he’s a major emerging talent. Both of which carry cautionary statements, of course: first and foremost, because no orchestra is entirely satisfied with its artistic leadership, simply because there are too many perspectives about musicianship and personal rapport among the 90+ members of a symphony for a unified opinion to exist. As mentioned in a Philly Inquirer article an anonymous Philly Orchestra musician commented that they had stopped hoping for an overwhelming mandate to gather around a particular conductor “because of the danger of creating an ideal so perfect that no one would ever meet it.”
Second is the emerging talent part: 35 is still awfully young in conductor-years (even the most fortunate among us didn’t get to stand in front of an orchestra until our late teens, in stark contrast to the average violinist, who’s been playing their instrument since 5 or 6), and there’s always the concern that there will be a certain amount of repertoire-learning (and general music director job-learning) in the glare of an international spotlight. That being said, some artists grow gracefully, spotlight or not. Time will tell, and I hope it works out for the fabulous Philadelphians.
What irks me a little is the armchair prognosticating about how the arrival of a youthful, energetic music director will do much to revive a flagging organization; conductor as savior. No doubt, in the Philly Orchestra’s situation – artistic leadership at the helm after an extended period sans music director – this might be partially true. But to me it has the chime of an unreasonable expectation, in the end. It’s much like the Dudamel hype – this young man will change the classical music world! – hanging hopes on an individual to rejuvenate a field which needs an entire health-regime makeover, not just a touch of Botox.
I know newspapers are prone to hyperbole, but it always seems unfair to have such great expectations. Why can’t we just say that a new conductor may bring new ideas and new repertoire to a venerable old institution, without all the game-changing talk?
“Why can’t we just say that a new conductor may bring new ideas and new repertoire to a venerable old institution, without all the game-changing talk?”
Well, yes… But: You yourself use the sports term: “game changing”. Look at what happens when a new coach or manager is named for an athletic team. There is a lot of “The new coach is exactly what this team needs t move to the next level” or “Now we can raise our expectations: so we can finally win the championship” or whatever.
That’s just what happens…. even if you are absolutely correct in saying it is “unfair to have such great expectations”.
But I think it’s much better to have high hopes and expectations than to have a “Ho, hum” or “Not HIM!” reaction.
Regardless of the expectations, the new conductor has to prove he/she deserves the appointment.
Bill in Dallas
This happens in so many arenas, and is not new:
Ecclesiastes 4:13-16
13 Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take warning. 14 The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. 15 I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. 16 There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
So many of today’s top conducting talents; Jurowski, Thielemann, Gergiev, Gilbert etc. made a stop right here in Minnesota at Orchestra Hall. It is too bad that both Dudamel and Nezet-Seguin managed to miss working with the Minnesota Orchestra.
Bill: I have no doubt that a conductor can be a game-changer for any given ensemble. What I’m bemoaning is the media’s tendency to label someone as a game-changer for the industry (which is what REALLY needs the overhaul).
Foster: You never know, we may yet see Yannick or the Dude as guest conductors!