Mahler Fan With Baton Cues Unrest in the Ranks

NY Times ^ | 12/17/08 | DANIEL J. WAKIN

[Borges]

Gilbert E. Kaplan, a wealthy businessman with an obsession for Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 (“Resurrection”), has made a name conducting the piece around the world, earning the hearty approval of orchestra managers, audiences and many critics. ..............................................

On Monday a trombonist in the orchestra, David Finlayson, laid out a sprawling indictment against Mr. Kaplan on his blog(davidfinlayson.typepad.com/fin_notes). It was an unusually public airing of complaints in a profession notorious for excoriating conductors in private.

“My colleagues and I gave what we could to this rudderless performance but the evening proved to be nothing more than a simplistic reading of a very wonderful piece of music,” he wrote. Mr. Kaplan acknowledged in rehearsal that he was incapable of keeping a steady beat, Mr. Finlayson added. Despite being a self-professed expert on the piece, Mr. Kaplan ignored Mahler’s “blizzard” of directions, Mr. Finlayson wrote.

He called Mr. Kaplan’s music career a “woefully sad farce” built on the complicity of orchestra managements and a willingness to donate money. “We can rely only on ourselves to stand firm against any attempts to promote this imposter,” Mr. Finlayson added.

[Billthedrill]

Shewt-fahr! Yew tellin' me one o' them boahs can shake a stick better 'n' another?

I believe - correct me if I am remembering this incorrectly - that it was a bass player in the NY Philharmonic who expressed his displeasure at one conductor or another by playing a single passage an octave off the score. And was found out.

[Snurple]

"He wants you to call him Maestro"

[shaft29]

I especially liked him in Welcome Back Kotter.

[Publius]

When Fritz Reiner was conducting in Chicago five decades ago, one player objected to his very weak beat by opening up a spyglass, to the amusement of the orchestra.

Reiner fired him on the spot.

[TrueKnightGalahad]

Love trombonist jokes:

What’s the difference between a dead skunk in the middle of the road and a dead trombonist in the middle of the road?

There are skidmarks in front of the skunk!

[Argh]

What’s the best recording of Walton’s Viola Concerto?

Music Minus One.

[Argh]

I would love to get into a time machine and go back to hear that performance myself.

Can you imagine? Since reading about that, in my goofier moments I've thought what a shame that performance is lost in the ether.

Time machine, ho!

Plus I could give Gropius a run for his money with Alma...

OK, OK, I'm leaving.