Print
Email to Friends
Comment (As promised, the Shanghai Oriental Arts Center invites orchestras that have been voted by the city's music lovers the "10 best orchestras from around the world." This time it will be the London Symphony Orchestra, England's first independent, self-governing orchestra owned and managed by the players. It will make its Shanghai debut on April 22.
"It's interesting that orchestra players will vote to decide if a conductor is capable or not after rehearsal," says local music critic Wang Shu from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.
"The conductor might lose his 'baton' in the orchestra if he or she cannot win more than half votes," Wang says. "Through this way orchestra members have an active attitude to participate and their passion for the art is fully maintained. The orchestra has attracted a lot of top performers in the world. But the conductor will have less power over the orchestra and his or her ideas might not be fully realized."
Founded in 1904, London Symphony Orchestra has cooperated with many maestros - from Sir Edward Elgar, Artur Nikisch, Sir Hamilton Harty, Josef Krips, to more recently Andre Previn, Claudio Abbado, Michael Tilson Thomas and Sir Colin Davis.
Throughout its history the orchestra has invited eminent musical figures to assume the role of Honorary President, such as Sir William Walton, Sir Arthur Bliss, Karl Bohm and Leonard Bernstein.
The orchestra's pioneering spirit was strong even in its infancy. It was the first British orchestra to tour abroad when it visited Paris in 1906, and it later became the first British orchestra to travel to America (1912), Israel (1960) and Japan (1963).
Many of last century's greatest composers and conductors have recorded with the orchestra since those early days; its movie credits include scores by John Williams, James Horner and David Arnold.
"Having cooperated almost all the important conductors and soloists, the orchestra has won fame with its quick response to different styles," says critic Wang. "You can hear music by the London Symphony Orchestra everywhere - radios, TV programs, movies, computer games, on planes or even in elevators."
The Shanghai concerts will be conducted by 33-year-old Daniel Harding and feature 42-year-old German violin soloist Frank Peter Zimmermann and 25-year-old Chinese pianist Lang Lang.
"Harding has strong stage charisma and superb body language on stage," says Wang. "In the 2004 Beijing concert, the young conductor replaced the 77-year-old maestro Colin Davis who couldn't perform due to sudden illness. Facing the wonders and doubts from the audience, Harding was at ease and made a superb performance in the following two hours. Now he is one of the brightest of a new generation of conductors."
Harding has assisted maestros like Sir Simon Rattle and Claudio Abbado who both treasured his talent. He became the first music director of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra in 2003 and now is a guest conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra.
Violinist Zimmermann has won numerous awards. On the debut night he will play Beethoven's "Violin Concerto in D Major, Op 62." The orchestra will also perform Dvorak's "Slavonic Dance No. 12 in D Flat Major, Opus 72, No. 4" and Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique, Op 14."
Piano prodigy Lang, already a legend, is becoming both an icon and an ambassador for China. The following night the orchestra will stage Dvorak's "Slavonic Dance" and Mahler's "Symphony No. 5." Lang will play Chopin's "Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, Op 11."
London Symphony Orchestra
Date: April 22-23
Venue: Shanghai Oriental Arts Center, 425 Dingxiang Rd, Pudong
Tickets: 200-2,200 yuan
Tel: 962288/021-68541234
Violinist Frank Peter Zimmermann.
Chinese pianist Lang Lang.
