Notes+from+FranzWelsherMost

Alexander Koops: I visited a lecture on conducting given by Franz Welsher Most during one of his visits to LA to conduct the LA phil. great conductor!! here are my notes I wrote down during the lecture.

Mark Slaukin-vice president of education (intro) Sheril Hall-makes Corwin Happen—Pillow talk for 3-5 year olds FWM; Austrian Zurich Opera; Cleveland Orch. Loving but strict like a parent; respect Showing strong leadership in your ideas; take and give; it’s all about chamber music The more chamber music you can make the better You only can r???roll when you know how to serve (Italian saying?) 50% of my job is psychology they always wait for a mistake-if you try to cover it-you’re a gonner Try to be honest when you rehearse; be yourself; no orchestra plays 100% of it’s capacity; you explain some basic things then trust them to carry it out to other points in the music. Beautiful sounds, articulation, balance, phrasing, 95% audience doesn’t notice mistake 100% get it on an emotional level I prepare a long time in advance; where they need the help and where they don’t Mattias Pincher (big young german composer); bruckner 3; Berlin Snobbier approach. Don’t come prepared to 1st rehearsal; American orchestras are more prepared at 1st rehearsal; Berlin all soloists-they really go for it. Programming 23 years old-vienna phil. You learn up to 35 years old; there is stuff you won’t learn after 35 Music can show timelessness Haydn to weber; bruckner –minimalist music Brushing your teeth-Mozart, Haydn; Schubert; Beethoven; Opera versus Orchestra Mentality is different Symphony is watched; opera orchestra thinks it is not watched; they have an inferiority complex; top priority is music; Zuric opera; people only came for the stars on stage; have to change that. The orchestra is important!! AOpera orchestra has more ears. My favorite orchestra consists of African Elephants; opera=Big Ears Programming; Has to be challenged but not every week! Media Compose write art for the journalists-NO! Its just one voice; the box office really gives the definitive answer Soloists? Gould-Bernstein-Brahms 2; disagreement but play it anyway!
 * Conducting-Franz Welser Most**

Ears: first intonation; guide the ears-listen to this note-that will settle the chord; There is not perfect intonation; chord has a function with in a context; pp. the 3rd has to be lower than in loud dynamic! Pp wind pizz. Strings; pizz tends to be early because winds pp will take time My main job in performance is to inspire them; technical more in rehearsal0 then you go for it in performance; Experienced pitch; perfect pitch-3 arms; Tempo; emotionally what you want to express; Rehearsal Halls; The Zurich concdrt Hall is smaller ; American orchestras play to loud in that space Star Wars is the ring cycle of America ; Chamber music-make every one fell important and explain what is going on 3rd hn to 4th trombone; see the whole picture; then it makes gives them more responsibility; Opera –directors Go to stage rehearsal a lot Live vs recorded; live recording! Patching sessions maybe; It is about the movement!; auditioning=look for personality Guest vs orchestra; I like longterm relationships; I can open up more when I know the group better; performance can be more intimate Zurich= 16 new productions; 30 revivals; great singers one of the best opera houses in the world now!

Original instr mvt. I grew up with church music Bach… Change over the years; authentic bands=same issues; you have to know the grammar of the language; Wagner-sustained notes; BS- the truth in it; Leopold Mozart clear start; imitate the human voice read philosophy Metaphysics of beauty Schopenhauer; I probably have been influenced but I try to study myself and make my own decisions opera lulu; beautiful; big close to Mahler Score Study I take off time 12 weeks per year; difficulty howmuch time Analyze piece structurally, harmonically; then more detail; Get as much info around the piece ; furtwangler-if you interpret you have to follow the path of the composer; study craftsmanship; ring cycle; analyze huge symphonic form; get through all the motives; group philosophical; I try to get close to understanding it. I think what the composer wants is a great performance.. Urtex-diff editions It is the moment that counts and what you deliver to the audience; you never find the perfct answer; you keep asking questions; I never listen to recordings ; I listen to other performances if it is of interest I need rest ; I love silence I go hiking a lot; Austrian Alps I need silence to do what I have to do Recording; listening for soloist; or guest conductor How you experience time is dependent on your mood, blood pressure; phrase these 4 bars together give certain impression The audience develops the same heartbeat Art always has to prove itself to us. The arts are there to satisfy over needs; music starts where words end. Audience change? No change! Average age has not changed St Mathew so close to it I can’t accept a bad performance; develop a common understanding of what this wears Bach is so complete in what he writes; tune higher in Europe is coming down again.