The MPO Announces Its New Music Director - Claus Peter Flor (CPF)

[MichaelRabin]

This is what I have heard - CPF begins in August 2008 - replacing the much maligned Matthias Bamert who did very little and due to his conducting blandness and polite treatment of members of the orchestra of many nations - caused the MPO to decline in standards. Kees Bakels did a much better job - disciplining the often unruly musicians. What are your comments of the new MD? I have always been impressed by CPF and think he will do a much better job than Bamert.

[MISHUGINA]

Definitely a welcoming change and pleasantly surprised. Most important for him is to premiere more repertoires that has yet to be heard in Kuala Lumpur, including Smetana's Ma Vlast, Messiaen's Turangalilia Symphonie etc.

[MichaelRabin]

Definitely a welcoming change and pleasantly surprised. Most important for him is to premiere more repertoires that has yet to be heard in Kuala Lumpur, including Smetana's Ma Vlast, Messiaen's Turangalilia Symphonie etc.

Ma Vlast - I agree whole-heartedly. As for the Messiaen, the content of the piece may not bode well with the DFP programmers - e.g. certain pieces like Haydn's The Creation is in this list - you understand why, Corgan.

Regards - Lee

[hautbois]

BRAVISSIMO!

I have never been to a blant Peter Flor concert with the MPO, so to speak. The MPO musicians obviously like him, but governing a long term partnership is obviously a different thing altogether. I am expecting a long and good collaboration to come!

Howard

[MichaelRabin]

BRAVISSIMO!
I have never been to a blant Peter Flor concert with the MPO, so to speak. The MPO musicians obviously like him, but governing a long term partnership is obviously a different thing altogether. I am expecting a long and good collaboration to come!
Howard

Question is whether the controlling powers at DFP (no names mentioned) will clips his artistic wings? Any ideas?

[jochanaan]

Question is whether the controlling powers at DFP (no names mentioned) will clips his artistic wings? Any ideas?

He doesn't sound the sort who would allow any clipping.

[hautbois]

Yeah...we all know how that always happens...Another Bakels masacre? Let's hope not...

Howard

[MISHUGINA]

Ma Vlast - I agree whole-heartedly. As for the Messiaen, the content of the piece may not bode well with the DFP programmers - e.g. certain pieces like Haydn's The Creation is in this list - you understand why, Corgan.

Regards - Lee

Hhhhmmmm....it's Hindu mystic theme(Messiaen was a Catholic though)? Funny we did heard Mahler 2 some way few years back which the DFP programmers would've not allowed anyways.

Now I wonder if they would perform Mahler 3 next year. Although VERY long and may require a bit more extra forces, it is more possible to perform it compared with Mahler 8th (for two obvious reasons)

[MichaelRabin]

Well, Corgan - hopefully - they will allow it. Mahler 2 was a surprise. Yes, we are missing Mahler 3 & 8 as well. How about the Zemlinsky Lyric Sym too?

[Greta]

Nice! And a nice surprise. I have wondered why Flor hasn't become more well-known before, he has had some good positions in his career...

He conducts a lot for some reason in Houston and Dallas (often big pieces w/ choir), I have been impressed when I have seen him here. Will see him in Carmina Burana/Chichester Psalms soon. For a small guy, he has a big presence on the podium.

[MichaelRabin]

Corgan - are you watching the CPF Gabrieli/Haydn concert this weekend?

[MISHUGINA]

Corgan - are you watching the CPF Gabrieli/Haydn concert this weekend?

not free. sorry.

[MichaelRabin]

I heard stunning Dvorak Sym 9 today, with drive, colour, separation, nuance, subtlety, rubato - wonderful!

[sound67]

The new, dynamic conductor of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (wouldn't hurt to give the full name once):



Thomas

[MichaelRabin]

Thanks for the photo of Claus Peter Flor, Thomas. Was it taken in KL?

[Lilas Pastia]

I'm upset. Claus Peter Flor was one of the candidates for MD when Dutoit resigned from the Montreal Symphony's directorship (Inbal and Krivine were the others most often mentioned). I heard a fantastic Bruckner 8th under Flor. And they came up with the bland, wishy washy Nagano instead  . Once again they went for a "name" instead of a mind. Oh, well.

Congrats to the Münchners.

[RebLem]

I'm upset. Claus Peter Flor was one of the candidates for MD when Dutoit resigned from the Montreal Symphony's directorship (Inbal and Krivine were the others most often mentioned). I heard a fantastic Bruckner 8th under Flor. And they came up with the bland, wishy washy Nagano instead  . Once again they went for a "name" instead of a mind. Oh, well.

Congrats to the Münchners.

Munchners?  We're not talking Munich.  MPO, as has been made clear in a number of posts here, is the Maylasian Philharmonic Orch. in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

[Lilas Pastia]

Oh! Well, there's a buch of happy Malays, then. Silly me, I had no idea the MPO referred to anything but the Munich orchestra. Blame it on a chronic distaste and disdain for acronyms.

MPO = MALAYSIA, stupid !

But you're right, I see Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur have both been mentioned. And RebLem had the good sense of giving the name in full. In any case, we're talking about the same man. He did look a lot slimmer a few years ago, though.

[MISHUGINA]

The new, dynamic conductor of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (wouldn't hurt to give the full name once):



Thomas

He looked like Levine on steroids.

[RebLem]

He looked like Levine on steroids.

More like Levine just coming off a colossal bender.