Julian Lloyd Webber (Andy's baby brother) is a famous cellist, he used to be a quite decent Paul Weller lookalike, and plays the Barjansky Stradivarius that we'd love to get our delicately grubby hands on.
He also wrote a kooky column in the Daily Telegraph where he asks some interesting questions:
I wonder what the three Bs of British conducting - Barbirolli, Beecham and Boult - would have made of the internet site YouTube. *** The systematic selection of non-Brits to direct our symphony orchestras
has been endemic for years and, as we start 2008, the prospects for a
young British conductor have never been so bleak.
Also, ironically, he suggest heavy taxation on Muzak playing in public places. Talk about wishing your family well!
OC's answers:
Barbirolli would be too busy playing Tiger Woods 08 on Xbox360 to care about YouTube. Beecham would totally upload dirty videos and get instabanned by YouTube censors. Boult would totally call Nikisch on his cell to ask advice re: that new peculiar website before doing anything. *** Tony Pappano -- technically a Brit -- is in London all the time as Music Director of the ROH. Robin Ticciati is Music Director @ Glyndebourne. Daniel Harding is Principal Guest Conductor of the LSO. The 3 Best British Conductors already work in England a lot. The lessr talents you shouldn't really worry about. Can't complain, really. *** And yes, Andrew sucks. We're sorry. Taxing Muzak won't change that sad reality.
OK?
You rate Pappano, Harding, and Ticciati above Rattle (the only one of the three I might agree on is Pappano)? Either way, to disprove Julian's point I would have also cited Sir Colin Davis's Presidency of the LSO, what with fabby concerts live recordings he's turning out these days.
Posted by: Chevalier | January 06, 2008 at 12:53 AM