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By Olga Fyodorova
The spring of 2001. Director of the Moscow Philharmonic Society invites
the orchestra’s manager to come over to his office.
“Well, when are we going to mark the orchestra’s 50th anniversary – this
fall or the spring after next?”
“We just had a meeting and some said we should celebrate the birthday of
our orchestra, which was founded back in 1951. Others disagreed saying
it all started when we joined the Moscow Philharmonic Society in the spring
of 1953…”
“I don’t think it makes sense to have two celebrations within just 18 months…
And how about their artistic director, what does he say?”
“As you know, Yuri Simonov is now making a big European tour... I called
him on the phone and he said it would be better to mark the orchestra’s
birthday this coming fall…”
“Did he suggest any specific program?”
“He suggested holding a whole series of anniversary concerts, focusing
on Russian classical music, which actually made them famous all around
the world. And, of course, he wants a symphony by Sergei Rakhmaninoff also
to be played there…”
…In 1951 conductor Samuil Samosud founded a new orchestra. An outstanding
master who at various times led Russia’s premier musical theaters, he gave
all his zeal to his new project. Initially signed with the State Radio
Committee where they already had a symphony orchestra, the new outfit eventually
moved on to join the Moscow Philharmonic Society. That was the start of
a highly successful stage career…
A brilliant interpreter of modern music, Samuil Samosud prepared with his
orchestra a number of historic premieres, among them the Seventh Symphony
by Sergei Prokofiev.
In 1958 Kirill Kondrashin, who was 44 years old at the time, took over
from the outgoing Samosud steering the orchestra through the closing round
of the 1st Tchaikovsky International Competition in Moscow. A longtime
conductor with the Bolshoi Theater, Kondrashin was an excellent accompanist
and his exceptional mastery and musical taste was held in very high esteem
by the finalists, above all the competition’s gold piano medallist Van
Cliburn...
A few months after his triumph in Moscow, the American pianist took
Kondrashin and his orchestra on a tour of the United States, he which also
took part. Tchaikovky’s First Concerto for piano and orchestra was the
highpoint of the whole tour...
In 1960 Kirill Kondrashin was formally appointed artistic director and
chief conductor of the Moscow Philharmonic’s Symphony Orchestra. His 15-year
stint with the world-acclaimed outfit was one of the best in the MPO’s
entire history.
Kirill Kondrashin had absolutely everything any leader ever needs – a will
of iron, versatility, professionalism and conviction. And good looks too,
which made him the darling of just about everyone, above all members of
his own orchestra…
Kirill Kondrashin enforced stringent discipline and unhappy as some of
the musicians felt about it, they still appreciated his fairness realizing
that without discipline there would be no orchestra…
They were playing a staggering eighty concerts each year becoming a must
feature of all major cultural events happening in this country. They offered
countless premieres, among them such absolutely groundbreaking ones as
symphonies and oratorios by Dmitry Shostakovich, major works by Georgy
Sviridov and other 20th century classics.
They offered whole cycles of symphonies by Tchaikovsky, Rakhmaninoff,
Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler and Bruckner, playing the best venues here in
Russia and in 26 countries partnering on stage with the world’s finest
instrumentalists and singers…
Even though the orchestra was so well known in the world, the musicians
were paid meager salaries and many were looking for better-paid openings
in the Bolshoi Theater and the State Symphony Orchestra. Kondrashin was
losing his best players... He made several desperate attempts to negotiate
higher pay for his musicians but despite all his fame and clout, he achieved
nothing… In 1975, a frustrated Kondrashin tendered his resignation and,
much to everyone’s surprise, the then Culture Minister accepted it.
Kondrashin was replaced by a 35-year-old Dmitry Kitaenko, the former chief
conductor at Moscow’s Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko musical theater.
An excellent musician, Dmitry Kitaenko steered the orchestra through a
number of triumphal new programs, concert tours and excellent recordings.
Elegant and refined, Kitaenko gave the orchestra a new sound offering a
number of lyrical masterpieces and ones that gave full credit to his glittering
sense of humor…
In 1990 Dmitry Kitaenko was offered a lucrative contract in the West and
left Russia. His departure left the orchestra in turmoil with one conductor
replacing another and the hard-hitting economic crisis only adding to the
MPO’s predicament... Before long the once famous outfit was in tatters
with the leading players all jumping ship and concerts played to half empty
halls. Realizing that something had to be done to reverse the situation,
the musicians decided to invite Yuri Simonov who then conducted several
leading European orchestras. A team of orchestra members headed to
Budapest where Simonov then lived and eventually managed to talk him into
signing up…
Like a true doctor, Simonov immediately started working to put the ailing
orchestra back to their feet. Rehearsals that ran into hours and individual
work eventually yielded fruit…
Yuri Simonov was working hard to instill in his new orchestra the culture
of ensemble playing in different musical styles. Sensing the first results,
he took up a number of big concert programs and started taking the orchestra
on tour…
The Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra is now a welcome guest in Europe, the
United States and Japan enjoying the respect Yuri Simonov helped restore.
The orchestra marked its 50th stage anniversary with a lustrous series
of concerts that will long be remembered by every true lover of symphony
music...
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