Art Scott in response to my musings on Janos's latest MTT encomiums:

>>...as a measure of musical value Blomstedt is a Aston Martin while
>>Tillson-Thomas mostly resembles a Pontiac Fiero...
>
>My jury's still deliberating on just where Mikey ranks on your
>vehicular-conductor scale, but I'm pleased to see someone sticking up
>for Blomstedt.

Well, I've sort of stopped ranking stuff (something I've learned from
being on this list) But; and this is based on what I have heard on record,
like I said before: that Mr Tilson-Thomas records are likely to be passed
by by me, just on the merit of being unintresting in a general perspective
- He might be the devils advocate telling another story in the live
situation?.  As for Blomstedt, I musch more in awe of his incredebly deep
musical knowledge, this said, I have been selective in buying his records,
I have the exelent Nielsen cycle, his Mahler S2 and some Bruckner, given
the chance tho' I would not miss the opportunity to hear him live, because
He has a fabulous way of making the music sound just right, without any
pompus gestures.

>Sure, I doubt that he could have pulled off anywhere close to as stunning
>a performance of Shostakovich 11 as MTT did -- everything Janos said it was
>(I heard it Sunday) -- but I'd bet that he would have come up with a better
>Beethoven 5 than MTT did, which I thought disjointed and tricked-up (using
>last year's NYPO/Masur performance as a benchmark).

On Shostakovich, I agree, it is definitely not a musical language with
which HB has shown any affinity towards, or even really cares for.  I cant
ever remember having heard or read that he was intrested in Russian music
post Thaikovsky.

To make my stance clear: the fact that MTT conducts Shostakovich S11 is
a bold and welcome act, I support every performance of DDS music, and If
it was as good as Janos and Art says, then I applaud the San Francisco
audience in having such a splendid concert (which I hope to hear on tape..)

>Having said that, I suppose I'll be marked for life as a 3Bs moldy fig.
>Not true, I'd rather hear Shostakovich than Beethoven any day (from an
>orchestra, at any rate)

Something we completely agree on, Art, You are hear by stripped from all
3B mold 8^)

>but the fact is that there are some things HB does well, some MTT does well
>and some music neither one should come within a country mile of.

This is also a truth with grate probability, my concern is that I've heard
Blomstedt create magic, but never heard Tilson-Thomas go beyond well - but
that is my loss and something I'll have to live with.

>I'm pleased to be able to cherry pick from the programs each maestro offers.

This Art, is what music is all about, picking the cherrys, leaving the
apples for those who like other fruits.

peter lundin, gothenburg.se -  Counting the days: DSCH 100 (1906-2006)