Alexander Vedernikov's conducting style is reminiscent of a dramatic silent film — Vedernikov leads a complex polylogue with the orchestra without a single word. With a wide wave of his hand, Alexander Alexandrovich points out to the first violins the magnificence of Prokofiev’s musical argumentation, turns to the second violins with his whole body, as if struck by their sound, and sharply and quickly bows to the third, as if he wants to ask: “Well, how will you answer this? » Skirmishes do not work - Prokofiev's Fifth Symphony sounds clean, collected and clear.
Alexander Vedernikov, former musical director of the Bolshoi Theatre, conducted the National Symphony Orchestra for the first time. In the first part, Vadim Repin played the Brahms Concerto for violin and orchestra in D major, in the second part, Alexander Vedernikov was left alone with the musical group.
When you see how Alexander Vedernikov works, you suddenly understand that he is the creator and main performer of complex choreography, and following his characteristic dance, the National Symphony Orchestra enthusiastically makes its way through the spaces of Prokofiev’s Andante, Allegro marcato and Allegro giocoso, permeated with dissonances.
Voice of America correspondent Victoria Kupchinetskaya spoke with Alexander Vedernikov after the speech.
Victoria Kupchinetskaya: Alexander Alexandrovich, how was the process of "grinding in" the conductor and musicians?
Alexander Vedernikov: There are good musicians in the National Symphony Orchestra, we didn't have any particular contradictions. There was a process of getting used to the orchestra to the hand, to the requirements of the conductor, but this is normal. Before the start of the performances, we rehearsed for two days, we began to understand each other to such an extent that the concert turned out to be convincing.
VK: What is your style of working with musicians? Are you a tyrant?
AV: No, my manner is very democratic. I'm not a tough person at all. Indeed, there are two systems. One - authoritarian, the other - which I adhere to. I believe that everyone is doing a common thing, and the main goal is precisely the music that you perform, and not at all how you try to assert yourself against its background.
VK: And how did the American public receive you?
A.V.: It seemed to me that it was a success. Here are very grateful listeners, they are very empathetic. Moreover, at the Center Kennedy, there are places for listeners directly in front of the conductor, that is, I have the opportunity to observe some of the listeners directly from the front during the concert.
VK: Do you think classical music plays a bigger role in culture in Russia than in America?
A.V .: It is difficult to say this, since there was neither a revolution nor perestroika in America. Both greatly erodes the most enlightened classes of society, which are the consumers of these cultural goods. We in Russia have lost a huge amount of good audience over the past 20 years. But at the same time, a new audience is emerging, namely among the young. I would wish our Russian state to be more attentive to people who listen to symphonic music or opera. If the state invests in them, it will invest in future generations and in their intellectual usefulness.
VK: On the leading American opera stage, the Metropolitan Opera, the Mariinsky Theater performs all the time, Valery Gergiev conducts, singers from the Mariinsky Theater sing. In the United States, it is even believed that it was thanks to Gergiev that the operas of Rimsky-Korsakov and Prokofiev became, in a sense, mainstream. But the Bolshoi rarely happens on that stage ... Do you even have competition with Valery Abisalovich?
A.V.: There is always such a normal competition between Moscow and St. Petersburg, and it also exists between the two theaters. The fact is that this state of affairs did not begin today, it began somewhere in the early 90s, when there was a very favorable time for the expansion of our domestic art to the West. And all the sites that were occupied then are occupied to this day. If the Metropolitan has such a strong connection with the Mariinsky Theater, then there is no place for another Russian theater of the same caliber, this is quite clear. And the Bolshoi Theater has much closer relations with the theaters "La Scala" and with the Paris Opera.
VK: In 2006, Peter Gelb became General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. He believes that opera should be brought to the masses, arranges opera screenings, sells tickets at a discount, and the like. Do you think opera should remain an elitist art?
A.V.: It seems to me that the Metropolitan understands something that has been in the air for a long time — if you do not take active steps to popularize opera, then in 20 years you can lose the remnants of the public.
VK: That is, in a sense, this is also done for commercial reasons?
A.V .: Real high-flying commerce always takes into account all factors — both cultural and all sorts of others. If you stupidly earn money — this is a rather short-sighted position.
VK: Would you like to change something in the organization of the Bolshoi Theatre?
A.V.: The opera house is a very complex system. Why I left the Bolshoi Theater — I am not satisfied with the basic principle of decision-making and the activities of the theater. This principle is not creative, it is any other — bureaucratic, political, cash. You see, the Bolshoi Theater is a symbol of the country, and reforms are always difficult in all such institutions. As soon as you start doing something, immediately there are people who always start saying: “Yes, what is this, this is destruction.” And the people who make decisions, in the ministry or in the leadership of the country, since they are not specialists, they prefer not to touch anything just in case.
VK: What productions are more interesting for you to work on — classical or ultra-modern?
A.V.: It is very difficult today to make a really good opera production without falling into repetition and routine. It can be classic in appearance, but it must also be very fresh in content. And it's quite difficult. On the other hand, I am not attracted to the direction in Northern Europe, when by all means it is necessary to make such a production that no one has ever seen before. It seems to me that the main dividing line between what is good and what is not very good is the content, not the form. That is, interesting ideas that the director put in there. That's why I really like the direction of Eymuntas Nyakroshyus. Because he always provides tremendous food for thought, he always offers very meaningful solutions. And at the same time they are always very simple in appearance.
VK: Do you think that in the near future there will be a job for you in Russia of a proper professional and creative level?
A.V.: Now I have no work in Russia, I am now actively engaged in tours, conducting. I have developed strong relationships with some orchestras in Northern Europe. Of course, it would be interesting for me to have some good, interesting, creative work in Russia. But I don't think the time has come for that yet. In addition, my work at the Bolshoi occupied all my time and consciousness, and now I am very pleased, having arrived from somewhere, just to live quietly in Moscow for a week, do household chores, and learn the scores. I suddenly realized that all the symphonies that I conducted, I have to conduct by heart. Some things that I have not had to conduct yet: Shostakovich's Eighth Symphony, Prokofiev's Sixth Symphony, I have them planned for this season. Or I sometimes conducted the play "Tosca" at the Bolshoi Theater, but I did not stage the play "Tosca". This summer in Italy I will have Tosca, we also need to prepare for this.
Source.
Alexander Vedernikov, former musical director of the Bolshoi Theatre, conducted the National Symphony Orchestra for the first time. In the first part, Vadim Repin played the Brahms Concerto for violin and orchestra in D major, in the second part, Alexander Vedernikov was left alone with the musical group.
When you see how Alexander Vedernikov works, you suddenly understand that he is the creator and main performer of complex choreography, and following his characteristic dance, the National Symphony Orchestra enthusiastically makes its way through the spaces of Prokofiev’s Andante, Allegro marcato and Allegro giocoso, permeated with dissonances.
Voice of America correspondent Victoria Kupchinetskaya spoke with Alexander Vedernikov after the speech.
Victoria Kupchinetskaya: Alexander Alexandrovich, how was the process of "grinding in" the conductor and musicians?
Alexander Vedernikov: There are good musicians in the National Symphony Orchestra, we didn't have any particular contradictions. There was a process of getting used to the orchestra to the hand, to the requirements of the conductor, but this is normal. Before the start of the performances, we rehearsed for two days, we began to understand each other to such an extent that the concert turned out to be convincing.
VK: What is your style of working with musicians? Are you a tyrant?
AV: No, my manner is very democratic. I'm not a tough person at all. Indeed, there are two systems. One - authoritarian, the other - which I adhere to. I believe that everyone is doing a common thing, and the main goal is precisely the music that you perform, and not at all how you try to assert yourself against its background.
VK: And how did the American public receive you?
A.V.: It seemed to me that it was a success. Here are very grateful listeners, they are very empathetic. Moreover, at the Center Kennedy, there are places for listeners directly in front of the conductor, that is, I have the opportunity to observe some of the listeners directly from the front during the concert.
VK: Do you think classical music plays a bigger role in culture in Russia than in America?
A.V .: It is difficult to say this, since there was neither a revolution nor perestroika in America. Both greatly erodes the most enlightened classes of society, which are the consumers of these cultural goods. We in Russia have lost a huge amount of good audience over the past 20 years. But at the same time, a new audience is emerging, namely among the young. I would wish our Russian state to be more attentive to people who listen to symphonic music or opera. If the state invests in them, it will invest in future generations and in their intellectual usefulness.
VK: On the leading American opera stage, the Metropolitan Opera, the Mariinsky Theater performs all the time, Valery Gergiev conducts, singers from the Mariinsky Theater sing. In the United States, it is even believed that it was thanks to Gergiev that the operas of Rimsky-Korsakov and Prokofiev became, in a sense, mainstream. But the Bolshoi rarely happens on that stage ... Do you even have competition with Valery Abisalovich?
A.V.: There is always such a normal competition between Moscow and St. Petersburg, and it also exists between the two theaters. The fact is that this state of affairs did not begin today, it began somewhere in the early 90s, when there was a very favorable time for the expansion of our domestic art to the West. And all the sites that were occupied then are occupied to this day. If the Metropolitan has such a strong connection with the Mariinsky Theater, then there is no place for another Russian theater of the same caliber, this is quite clear. And the Bolshoi Theater has much closer relations with the theaters "La Scala" and with the Paris Opera.
VK: In 2006, Peter Gelb became General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. He believes that opera should be brought to the masses, arranges opera screenings, sells tickets at a discount, and the like. Do you think opera should remain an elitist art?
A.V.: It seems to me that the Metropolitan understands something that has been in the air for a long time — if you do not take active steps to popularize opera, then in 20 years you can lose the remnants of the public.
VK: That is, in a sense, this is also done for commercial reasons?
A.V .: Real high-flying commerce always takes into account all factors — both cultural and all sorts of others. If you stupidly earn money — this is a rather short-sighted position.
VK: Would you like to change something in the organization of the Bolshoi Theatre?
A.V.: The opera house is a very complex system. Why I left the Bolshoi Theater — I am not satisfied with the basic principle of decision-making and the activities of the theater. This principle is not creative, it is any other — bureaucratic, political, cash. You see, the Bolshoi Theater is a symbol of the country, and reforms are always difficult in all such institutions. As soon as you start doing something, immediately there are people who always start saying: “Yes, what is this, this is destruction.” And the people who make decisions, in the ministry or in the leadership of the country, since they are not specialists, they prefer not to touch anything just in case.
VK: What productions are more interesting for you to work on — classical or ultra-modern?
A.V.: It is very difficult today to make a really good opera production without falling into repetition and routine. It can be classic in appearance, but it must also be very fresh in content. And it's quite difficult. On the other hand, I am not attracted to the direction in Northern Europe, when by all means it is necessary to make such a production that no one has ever seen before. It seems to me that the main dividing line between what is good and what is not very good is the content, not the form. That is, interesting ideas that the director put in there. That's why I really like the direction of Eymuntas Nyakroshyus. Because he always provides tremendous food for thought, he always offers very meaningful solutions. And at the same time they are always very simple in appearance.
VK: Do you think that in the near future there will be a job for you in Russia of a proper professional and creative level?
A.V.: Now I have no work in Russia, I am now actively engaged in tours, conducting. I have developed strong relationships with some orchestras in Northern Europe. Of course, it would be interesting for me to have some good, interesting, creative work in Russia. But I don't think the time has come for that yet. In addition, my work at the Bolshoi occupied all my time and consciousness, and now I am very pleased, having arrived from somewhere, just to live quietly in Moscow for a week, do household chores, and learn the scores. I suddenly realized that all the symphonies that I conducted, I have to conduct by heart. Some things that I have not had to conduct yet: Shostakovich's Eighth Symphony, Prokofiev's Sixth Symphony, I have them planned for this season. Or I sometimes conducted the play "Tosca" at the Bolshoi Theater, but I did not stage the play "Tosca". This summer in Italy I will have Tosca, we also need to prepare for this.
Source.
Victoria KUPCHINETSKAYA,
"Voice of America". November 11, 2009
"Voice of America". November 11, 2009
Prokofiev's Allegro with Alexander Vedernikov
