Older & Older New Years

While political parties currently prefer telegenic youth to elder statesman gravitas the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra waltzes off in the opposite direction by choosing the 83-year-old Georges Pretre to conduct the 2008 New Year's Day Concert; making him the oldest maestro to do so - if he makes it.

I'm afraid the decision to invite an elderly Frenchman to conduct what should be a light-hearted collection of traditional Austrian sparklers has a rather 'bottom of the barrel' feel to it.  I guess the conductors for these events are getting older and older.  The 2007 concert was conducted by the 70-year-old Zubin Mehta while 2005 was a soggy non-event under the 75-year-old Lorin Maazel, while preceeding years saw Riccardo Muti, Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Seiji Ozawa, all in their 60s.  The only exception was last year's New Year Concert conducted by the relatively youthful Mariss Jansons, still in his 50s and looking for all the world like a man of 35. ... (more)

Older & Older New Years

While political parties currently prefer telegenic youth to elder statesman gravitas the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra waltzes off in the opposite direction by choosing the 83-year-old Georges Pretre to conduct the 2008 New Year's Day Concert; making him the oldest maestro to do so - if he makes it.

I'm afraid the decision to invite an elderly Frenchman to conduct what should be a light-hearted collection of traditional Austrian sparklers has a rather 'bottom of the barrel' feel to it.  I guess the conductors for these events are getting older and older.  The 2007 concert was conducted by the 70-year-old Zubin Mehta while 2005 was a soggy non-event under the 75-year-old Lorin Maazel, while preceeding years saw Riccardo Muti, Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Seiji Ozawa, all in their 60s.  The only exception was last year's New Year Concert conducted by the relatively youthful Mariss Jansons, still in his 50s and looking for all the world like a man of 35. ... (more)

Announcers again!

Tried listening to a lunchtime recital of baroque flute music on Radio 3 (as I was washing the kitchen floor at the time it seemed easier to just turn the dial on rather than trail through several feet of duraglit to find a CD) only to give up after five minutes thanks - once again - to those innane and highly affected BBC announcers.

Lisping and simpering with a great deal of self-appointed grandeur in the morning slot, the likes of Petroc Trelawney (I mean, is anyone actually CALLED that?) and the only slightly less pretentious ex-Gramophone grandee James Jolly are not, in my opinion, a patch on the quiet authority and natural warmth of past masters Peter Barker and Michael Oliver.     By lunchtime, a female announcer took over for the flute recital and tried - maybe because it was a recital by students - to be 'with it' by resorting to out-dated 'Radio Oneisms' in her delivery.

"This umah flute sonata by er, Handel, wasa composed abouta 1712",  she burbled(it ... (more)