Mr Dutoit,
I’m sure you don’t keep up with the critics; why would you? Those symphonies aren’t going to learn themselves, after all. So here’s hoping you didn’t see what I wrote about your performance of Tchaikovsky’s 5th Symphony with the RPO a few weeks ago. I think I said something like “Was anything ever at stake here? Were there depths beyond Dutoit's shimmering surface? ... on this occasion, not all of the hollowness was Tchaikovsky's own.” That was a bit much, wasn’t it. I’ll admit it: I was disappointed with the performance, especially after I’d so much enjoyed your Rite of Spring in London a few months before; but, all considered, I’ll admit I was guilty of a little overstatement. The performance left me rather nonplussed, but it didn’t make me angry. It took Valery Gergiev to do that; to make a performance of this same work not so much a distortion as an act of vandalism. So I’m sorry for being a bit mean and I’ll look forward to your next concert. Honestly, I will; now that I know just how much worse that Tchaikovsky really could have been.
Ta,
Andrew
Ta,
Andrew
1 comment:
You're kind hearted and polite, Andrew. Dutoit's problem is that he is, too, which is nice in a human being but doesn't make for dynamic, idiosyncrasic performances. OTOH maybe only he could put up with some orchestras he conducts (big grin)
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