Moving around predominantly in a - relatively - small circle in Slovakia, nevertheless, one has an easy bird's-eye view over almost the whole music scene. The latest news spreads very quickly as well. In other words; quite a comfortable position, you would say, but sometimes you would wish a bit more variety. The struggle of making culture move forward.
What suddenly caught my attention last week, was an interview of the Slovak Philharmonic's present chief conductor Peter Feranec (starting his post this 2007/2008 concert season) in the Slovak magazine hudobny život ('music life'), which after a tremendous delay, finally issued its first issue this year. Next to the usually biographical part of the interview, it was especially maestro Feranec' open criticism on Slovakia's music life: Against the established managements of the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, the State Opera, politicians and society in general, on how they (mal)treat the orchestras, that was a pleasant surprise to read. Not the critisism itself, but especially his analysis, the overall ramifications and the alternatives he discussed, showed him to be a capable and balanced visionary orchestra leader.
Like a skilled acupuncturist, he (literally) pinpoints exactly the weak spots, which cause tremendous stagnation, and - here I must fully agree with Peter Feranec - even to liquidation processes (deliberate or not) as a result of some managers' decision-making. The sick patient, however, is not lying before him to be cured, so the healing effect of this possible treatment somehow will not be to his help. I expect even - knowing how it goes sometimes here - that some people perhaps will not regard him any longer as their friend.
Due to time-constraints, I will not delve on individual passages here right now (they would sound like clones of my earlier analysis; furthermore I am not a pro bono translator for this magazine). So if a prominent and experienced (internationally active) conductor airs the same constructive criticism, you would ask, why then is there so little response? But the main thing is, that finally here is a strong voice, which is publicly breaking a deafening silence, that was for such a long time so disturbing in this discussion. Spring has come. Time to awake from hibernation! Will keep you posted. (to be continued...)
MS
What suddenly caught my attention last week, was an interview of the Slovak Philharmonic's present chief conductor Peter Feranec (starting his post this 2007/2008 concert season) in the Slovak magazine hudobny život ('music life'), which after a tremendous delay, finally issued its first issue this year. Next to the usually biographical part of the interview, it was especially maestro Feranec' open criticism on Slovakia's music life: Against the established managements of the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, the State Opera, politicians and society in general, on how they (mal)treat the orchestras, that was a pleasant surprise to read. Not the critisism itself, but especially his analysis, the overall ramifications and the alternatives he discussed, showed him to be a capable and balanced visionary orchestra leader.
Like a skilled acupuncturist, he (literally) pinpoints exactly the weak spots, which cause tremendous stagnation, and - here I must fully agree with Peter Feranec - even to liquidation processes (deliberate or not) as a result of some managers' decision-making. The sick patient, however, is not lying before him to be cured, so the healing effect of this possible treatment somehow will not be to his help. I expect even - knowing how it goes sometimes here - that some people perhaps will not regard him any longer as their friend.
Due to time-constraints, I will not delve on individual passages here right now (they would sound like clones of my earlier analysis; furthermore I am not a pro bono translator for this magazine). So if a prominent and experienced (internationally active) conductor airs the same constructive criticism, you would ask, why then is there so little response? But the main thing is, that finally here is a strong voice, which is publicly breaking a deafening silence, that was for such a long time so disturbing in this discussion. Spring has come. Time to awake from hibernation! Will keep you posted. (to be continued...)
MS
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