Gustavo Dudamel - A Hype if there ever was one!

[Greta]

O Mensch, have you heard the Bartok Concerto for Orchestra with LAP at iTunes? Recorded live from his January concert that nailed him the big job...

It's good, a solid, warm performance, though not really "great". It's a shame they didn't release the rest of that concert - a fine Rach 3, and an absolutely fantastic Kodaly Galanta Dances that totally caught fire, that tells me he's got the goods but I do think he's better with some music than others. With firey, rhythmic stuff, he seems to be in his element (coincidentally, the kind of thing they've gotten used to in LA) - but in other things, I'm just not so sure yet. Not that I'm writing him off, but I think he needs to mature.

I mean, any young conductor does, come on - but there is such pressure from record companies to get them recorded in X and Y "big literature" right off the bat, I personally think they are pushed into recording material that they aren't (completely) ready for. To conduct it in concert - that's one thing, that's great for young conductors - but to spend the money to put down an interpretation and performance for all of posterity and then market it like crazy, I just can't see it. But with Dudamel, it's done because DG knows he is, and will be in the future, a cash cow.

The deeper, calmer, more complex stuff (such as Mahler 5 Adagietto), not that he can't do it, but he's going to need more time to figure out what he wants to accomplish with the music. I personally think coming from the South American culture he's does, that he's a bit further removed from the European tradition, and needs to just delve more into the music and the culture it comes from. For example, something like Sibelius, that type of inward looking music I think right now gives the extrovert Dudamel a lot of trouble, the Sibelius 5th he stood in for Jarvi at the Proms 2005 was honestly r e a l l y bad. As in just wrong interpretationally, totally missing the point of what Sibelius was trying to convey. An interpreter has to be aware of where the music comes from and the composer's unique musical language, first and foremost, to fashion a convincing interpretation.

I'm still a little mystifed as to why Dudamel is so salivated over, sure he's got charisma and talent (though as a female I can't personally add looks to that, sorry), but there are a ton of other talented young conductors who do as well - why aren't they getting the same kind of press? Mostly the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra flash factor, I would suppose. As great as all that is, I would rate more highly his contemporaries Yannick Nezet-Seguin, who's turning heads with fine recordings of towering Bruckner symphonies, and Mikko Franck, working diligently in the music of his countrymen.

[karlhenning]

A well-considered post which was a pleasure to read, thank you, Greta!

[MishaK]

Greta,

Good post. I don't think Dudamel is overhyped as far as his talent is concerned. Sure, he needs to still grow into some repertoire. But the Mahler 1 I heard him do with the CSO was nothing short of spellbinding (my review here). Really one of the finest Mahlers I have ever heard, and I don't say that lightly having just heard the 6th with Haitink on Saturday, which was stunning (review will follow). I also thought his Dvorak 9th with the NDR from the Pope's  birthday concert was excellent. But Dudamel's performance with the CSO did show what he can do with a virtuoso orchestra, as opposed to his Venezuelan youth orchestra. So, hautbois has a point there. I'm not going to go into detail now, because I don't have the time (and still have work to do), but the hype has less to do with Dudamel's artistry. I don't doubt he's got the goods and with a great orchestra he can do great things, live at least. The record hype goes towards conquering new audiences. A lot of people who go to hear Dudamel and subsequently buy his CDs would not have gone to a classical concert at all. So, the question "do we need another Mahler 5?" is not really relevant. This is not supposed to be a new reference recording for hardcore collectors. The audience is a different one. I have elaborated more extenisvely on this subject here in the context of reviewing Dudamel's Beethoven CD.

[bhodges]

Just got out from what I think will probably be considered an historic concert at Carnegie Hall: the debut of Gustavo Dudamel and the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela.  The program was frankly, conservative:

Berlioz: Le carnaval romain Overture
Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 (with Emanuel Ax)
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5

(Small beef: so why didn't he play the complete Bernstein Symphonic Dances from West Side Story and the Mahler Fifth Symphony that he's done elsewhere?  OK, end of rant.)

The Berlioz and Beethoven were probably the finest versions of those pieces I have ever heard (and I've heard excellent ones of each just in the last few weeks).  I wasn't sure why they did the Chopin, that doesn't really show off what they can do, but in a sense it did: it demonstrated how beautifully the ensemble can remain slightly in the background to show off a soloist, and they framed Emanuel Ax in the best possible light.

After the Beethoven the lights dimmed, the group donned its Venezuelan flag jackets, and did three more pieces: two Latin American works I'd never heard that were sensational, and the "Mambo" from West Side Story.  The crowd went absolutely wild: about as close to that of a rock concert audience as any classical concert I've attended.  They would have brought out Dudamel many more times until he and the concertmaster finally turned and led the group offstage. 

I must say, I think all the hype is justified, and Los Angeles is going to have some extraordinary music when he arrives. 

--Bruce

[Iago]

Just got out from what I think will probably be considered an historic concert at Carnegie Hall: the debut of Gustavo Dudamel and the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela.  The program was frankly, conservative:

Berlioz: Le carnaval romain Overture
Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 (with Emanuel Ax)
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5

(Small beef: so why didn't he play the complete Bernstein Symphonic Dances from West Side Story and the Mahler Fifth Symphony that he's done elsewhere?  OK, end of rant.)

The Berlioz and Beethoven were probably the finest versions of those pieces I have ever heard (and I've heard excellent ones of each just in the last few weeks).  I wasn't sure why they did the Chopin, that doesn't really show off what they can do, but in a sense it did: it demonstrated how beautifully the ensemble can remain slightly in the background to show off a soloist, and they framed Emanuel Ax in the best possible light.

After the Beethoven the lights dimmed, the group donned its Venezuelan flag jackets, and did three more pieces: two Latin American works I'd never heard that were sensational, and the "Mambo" from West Side Story.  The crowd went absolutely wild: about as close to that of a rock concert audience as any classical concert I've attended.  They would have brought out Dudamel many more times until he and the concertmaster finally turned and led the group offstage. 

I must say, I think all the hype is justified, and Los Angeles is going to have some extraordinary music when he arrives. 

--Bruce

I'm sure you've heard the Beethoven 5th under a variety of conductors. I'm guessing you heard it under Bernstein, Solti and Masur. Please be more specific regarding Dudamels performance in contrast to those (or to others that you may have seen)
             Thank You

[MISHUGINA]

I'm sure you've heard the Beethoven 5th under a variety of conductors. I'm guessing you heard it under Bernstein, Solti and Masur. Please be more specific regarding Dudamels performance in contrast to those (or to others that you may have seen)
             Thank You

Why don't you try listening yourself? And why not compare Dudamel's Beethoven 5th to Kleiber(s), Klemperer, Furtwangler etc?

[Brian]

I'm sure you've heard the Beethoven 5th under a variety of conductors. I'm guessing you heard it under Bernstein, Solti and Masur. Please be more specific regarding Dudamels performance in contrast to those (or to others that you may have seen)
             Thank You

Like Iago, I too would like to hear more. Coming from you, that praise is lofty indeed!

By the way, readers of the New York Times today will discover a truly wonderful photograph of the orchestra, with somebody's trombone flying through the air overhead 

[MishaK]

By the way, readers of the New York Times today will discover a truly wonderful photograph of the orchestra, with somebody's trombone flying through the air overhead 

The online version only has this:

[Greta]

I would have loved to have seen Dudamel with SBYO live! The whole youth orchestra initiative is fantastic, the Verbier Festival Orchestra sent us into orbit here last night. I wish we got more visiting orchestras down to Houston, to cover the south as well as north, east and west.

I wanted to add here, the SBYO program I am totally in awe of, I think it's an incredible achievement on his part, and all of those involved in bringing it to fruition. What he has done with them, is clearly work of the finest caliber. And because I think he's very talented, I do  hope his talent isn't exploited in any way.

I definitely look forward to seeing him mature, I might end up in L.A. myself after school, and it will be fascinating and exciting to see how he develops there.

(O Mensch, great blog post - I agree with a lot of that. Dudamel/SBYO are tremendously inspiring for young people. To hear what they've achieved, they realize, you know what, I can do that too, which is very powerful for aspiring musicians.

A grad student friend of mine, clarinet, met a couple of clarinettists at a workshop that currently, or have played in SBYO, and she said she was awed by their dedication and passion. They practice a lot, a whole lot, and were great people, they just simply love what they do. Instilling that love for music in young people is priceless, and already is a legacy for Dudamel.)

[bhodges]

What distinguished the Beethoven Fifth was not only the precision of the playing--unusual for a group of some 200 musicians--but the sheer joy of music making, both from Dudamel and from the ensemble.  (And some of these are as young as 14.)  There was never a moment taken for granted; they played that symphony as if it were the last performance any of them would ever do, and it had that kind of "sense of occasion" with it.  While the orchestra won't be mistaken for "one of the best in the world," the overall performance, driven by commitment and passion, to my ears won't be equalled any time soon.  Just two weeks ago I heard a very, very fine reading of this piece with Dohnányi leading the New York Philharmonic, and as excellent as this was, Dudamel's reading was even more compelling.

The entire two days were marked by this same nonstop "awakened" feeling, as if Dudamel and his ensemble had just discovered these works and wanted to show us how great they are.  It was a very moving, even inspirational two days. 

On last night's concert, the Bartók Concerto for Orchestra had some moments of rhythmic indecisiveness--just minor coordination problems that reminded you of what a difficult piece it really is--but again, it reached out and grabbed you by the throat as few performances do.  I'm hearing the Berlin Philharmonic this week, although they will no doubt be marvelous in many ways (they're playing a lot of contemporary music this time) in one sense they have a hard act to follow. 

Steve Smith has good comments about last night, with which I largely agree, on his blog.

--Bruce

[BachQ]

There was never a moment taken for granted; they played that symphony as if it were the last performance any of them would ever do, and it had that kind of "sense of occasion" with it. 

The entire two days were marked by this same nonstop "awakened" feeling, as if Dudamel and his ensemble had just discovered these works and wanted to show us how great they are.  It was a very moving, even inspirational two days. 

Very good points, Bruce ........

[bhodges]

O Mensch, have you heard the Bartok Concerto for Orchestra with LAP at iTunes? Recorded live from his January concert that nailed him the big job...

It's good, a solid, warm performance, though not really "great". It's a shame they didn't release the rest of that concert - a fine Rach 3, and an absolutely fantastic Kodaly Galanta Dances that totally caught fire, that tells me he's got the goods but I do think he's better with some music than others. With firey, rhythmic stuff, he seems to be in his element (coincidentally, the kind of thing they've gotten used to in LA) - but in other things, I'm just not so sure yet. Not that I'm writing him off, but I think he needs to mature.

Greta, prayers have been answered: here is the entire concert, thanks to SymphonyCast.com. 

--Bruce

[BachQ]

Greta, prayers have been answered: here is the entire concert, thanks to SymphonyCast.com. 

--Bruce

We demand a video, not mere audio .........