Deryk Barker <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>I am beginning to get the feeling - and this is since I left the UK - that
>Rattle will be seen as one of the true greats of our generation.
>
>Mind you, in career terms, I suspect Barenboim may be the most successful
>yet soloist-turned-conductor.  Well, Menuhin, but Menuhin was, for so many
>reasons, a special case.

I agree with much of what you say above.  Rattle is a major talent, but
his interpretations IMO, while exciting, lack that depth that only comes
with years of experience and *time* devoted to reflection.  I really hope
that he does not follow Barenboim's model of trying to do too much and
not allowing enough time to develop this searching quality.  This is the
downfall of so many musicians nowadays.  Barenboim is, in the eyes of many
professional musicians (not just his fans) one of this century's greatest
talents and, contrary to what Don states above, he has devoted more and
more time to modern composers in recent years (Corigliano, Carter, Berg,
etc.).  He is also more thoroughly versed in the 'meat-and-potatoes'
repertoire than Rattle is (with the exception of Mahler).

I am glad to hear you say that Rattle's Beethoven has potential.  I tried
his Bruckner 7th an he left me completetly underwhelmed with his rather
ordinary performance.  I really hope he does well in Berlin, but I'm afraid
he'll have a rocky start with a musical public that is more conservative
than it appears to be.

Ramon Khalona
Carlsbad, California