The Classical Music Guide Forums

Juat posted in a topic about Ida Haendel. I love the way this lady plays but came to thinking how may more women I really enjoy working with?
Certainly in the violin world I love the recordings of Ginette Neveu and Mutter has her merits... wonderful to work with..but Ida H will always be tops. Exceptions. Why are women not more up there with the guys... In the conducting world I can think of not one... Marin Alsop is tedious and despite her marketing has nothing to say..orchestras deal with her but what she comes up with is truly awful..lets be pc..give them a go...why oh why are there no women like Ida around anymore

There are many classy, in the best sense of the word, women musicians and the wall keeping them off the podium is crumbling.

I respect your view about Maestra Alsop but I don't concur. Not a bit.

Ralph wrote:There are many classy, in the best sense of the word, women musicians and the wall keeping them off the podium is crumbling.

I respect your view about Maestra Alsop but I don't concur. Not a bit.

Didn-t mean to shoot Alsop down particuarly Ralph..it was a general comment and of course I didn-t mention Du Pre or venture into the world of opera.. it was just that I am so in love with the way Ida H plays and honestly wondered why women are not reaching her artistic levels.. sorry..can-t resist.. but Alsop is poor IMO..no original thought and a total lack of empathy with the folks that she works with

Wait till Lance finds this - he thinks very highly of both violinists.

Michael wrote:Why are women not more up there with the guys... In the conducting world I can think of not one... Marin Alsop is tedious and despite her marketing has nothing to say..

Simone Young and Sian Edwards are both highly regarded conductors, both of whom have worked with major orchestras and opera companies. Both women have held music director/chief conductor positions wirh significant companies.

bricon wrote:
Simone Young and Sian Edwards are both highly regarded conductors, both of whom have worked with major orchestras and opera companies. Both women have held music director/chief conductor positions wirh significant companies.

A Simone Young conducted performance of "Il Trovatore" at the Met several years ago, made one wish that Ulrica had thrown HER into the fire instead of the wrong baby. Disastrous, beyond belief.

A retired member of the Long Island Philharmonic that I am friendly with (an orchestra of which Alsop was a music director several years ago) fondly (maybe unkindly) refers to her as Marin All-Slop. When he heard that she was to become the MD of the Baltimore Symphony he said, "My God, now Baltimore will have two losers, The Orioles and the Symphony".

I know nothing about Sian Edwards.

Dies Irae wrote:"My God, now Baltimore will have two losers, The Orioles and the Symphony".

Clever of them to dump the Bullets on DC, no? Now Washington has a trifecta of losers: The Wizards, the Capitals, and the Redskins. Nothing can compete with Congress for gaminess.

There are women conducting chamber orchestras, such as Chiara Banchini or Jane Glover. They are at the same level of quality of Hogwood, Sigiswald Kuijken and other male conductors in the same repertory.

It is perhaps the first step until, one day, we see an woman conductor of a symphonic orchestra, with real artistic class.

We also have Ionna Brown (what does she do these days) and Nadia Boulanger. But it is strange that we don't have more female conductors now that we have plenty of female soloists and female composers are not as neglected as they were. Perhaps they don't have the egos needed? Let's face it, many of the leading male conductors have huge egos.

One of the great injustices in the last half century is that Margaret Hillis was never offered the music directorship of a major orchestra. At the Last Judgment, if there is one, some folk are going to have to answer for that.

Have not heard of some of the women mentioned above but I can say that Sian Edwards had a disastrous time at the English National Opera and really hasn't been heard of since. Jane Glover was and probably is simply dreadful (I worked with her a few times..altho she did give a the performance of her like playing the hoover in a Hofnung concert that I participated in some years ago )
Iona Brown is unfortunately no longer with us... had a lot of admiration for her and her strength was leading chamber orchestra's from the leader's chair altho in latwer years she had some success conducting a chamber orchestra from Norway. A really fine violinist and a tough lady to work with.. altho always fair

Michael,

any impressions of Hilary Hahn? I plan to hear her in concert next year (Dvorak Violin Concerto), Ivan Fischer, cond., but am curious whether you might have an opinion of her playing, as compared to other violinists you have heard.

jserraglio wrote:Michael,

any impressions of Hilary Hahn? I plan to hear her in concert next year (Dvorak Violin Concerto), Ivan Fischer, cond., but am curious whether you might have an opinion of her playing, as compared to other violinists you have heard.

*****

I've heard Ms. Hahn a number of times in New York, both as an orchestra soloist and in recital. I find her playing superb and I enjoy her CDs.

My classmate and fellow music major, and at the time good friend:

http://www.floridaorchestra.org/index.p ... bio&id=245

My other classmate and fellow music major, and still my very good friend:

http://ww2.lafayette.edu/~gilbertn/

She has traveled the world as a guest choral conductor.

<div align="center">
JoAnn Falletta--Buffalo Philharmonic
</div>

<div align="right">other women conductors past and present:
http://www.kapralova.org/CONDUCTORS.htm</div>

Ralph wrote:I've heard Ms. Hahn a number of times in New York, both as an orchestra soloist and in recital. I find her playing superb and I enjoy her CDs.

Thanks, I'll definitely take in her concert then. I've heard all her records except the latest Mozart recital and now want to hear her live. It was someone on this board actually, I forget who, that encouraged me to give her a listen and now I'm hooked. The problem will be picking and choosing among all the great soloists who are slated to appear here next season. It's a bit overwheming--Juan Diego Florez is another artist on my short list for next year.

http://www.ensembleinter.com/director.php
That Finnish Susanna Mälkki got the post of "Directrice musicale" at Pierre Boulez' Ensemble Intercontemporain was mentioned in my newspaper, recently.
Claire Gibault is much older but something of a household name in France .She works currently in Lyon, but conducted orchestras all over the world.
The Brussels University Orchestra is led by Polish Zofia Wislocka
Simone Young works now in Hamburg
Catherine Ruckwardt in Mainz
Shi Yeon Song in Berlin
Romély Pfund in Solingen /Remscheid
See all the details at
http://www.dirigentinnen.de/ and be amazed!

Another Ida fan here. You should hear her in this - it's outstanding:

Only last year Dutch Tv made a documentary on Ida Haendel, that was sad and funny at the same time.I do not know if it is out on DVD.
She is a curiosity...with an outrageous wig, tattered fur coats .The only love in her life was music.
A few quotes :
" If God exists, then he was good to me"

"I was never a child" I was already old when I was a prodigy"
"I'm not old when I play - but people are waiting for the mistakes..."

Strange..to see her eat a frozen dinner (or so) in front of the TV and see her talk to her little dog, Decca, ("my darling")
Celibidache appreciated her talent, but called her a flesh eating plant...

Deleted.

Should I remove it?

Jane Glover is considered an important conductor in Britain; we don't hear much about her in the US.

Giselle Ben-Dor was considered the the best conductor the Annapolis Symphony ever had and a bright future was predicted. I've heard nothing about her recently.

GK wrote:Jane Glover is considered an important conductor in Britain; we don't hear much about her in the US.

Giselle Ben-Dor was considered the the best conductor the Annapolis Symphony ever had and a bright future was predicted. I've heard nothing about her recently.

*****

http://www.giseleben-dor.com/

Michael wrote:
CMG Gourmet and Wine Connoiseur

You sure that's spelled right?

SamLowry wrote:

Michael wrote:
CMG Gourmet and Wine Connoiseur

You sure that's spelled right?

Nowt to do with me

I didn't notice that. "Connoisseur" is spelled as I just did (it is easier if you know some French). Let's not fault Corlyss, who is if nothing else supremely literate. Anyone can make a misteak.

To be honest I hadn't noticed either

GK wrote:Jane Glover is considered an important conductor in Britain; we don't hear much about her in the US.

Not in Britain either.. other than the odd guest appearance to comment on competions finals.

Mark Antony Owen wrote:Another Ida fan here. You should hear her in this - it's outstanding:

It is indeed magnificent. Have been searching for her biography 'Woman with Violin' for years but can only locate it at highly inflated prices... may just shell out and buy a copy tho... lowest offer is 85 UK pounds.

Gary wrote:Should I remove it?

I would, if I were you. But no one has raised a stink about it so far.

GK wrote:Jane Glover is considered an important conductor in Britain;

Isn't she that choral/EM specialist with Gramophone?

SamLowry wrote:

Michael wrote:
CMG Gourmet and Wine Connoiseur

You sure that's spelled right?

It's my fault. I make those tags. I probably was looking at in without my specs on. I wanted to make sure I didn't put an 'r' before the 'n' and here I went and left out the 's!'

Corlyss_D wrote:

Gary wrote:Should I remove it?

I would, if I were you.

Done.

Gary wrote:

Corlyss_D wrote:

Gary wrote:Should I remove it?

I would, if I were you.

Done.

Thanks. I deleted my post too.