British Composers and the BBC

[Dundonnell]

Vladimir Jurowski(London Philharmonic) is 39, Vasily Petrenko(Royal Liverpool Philharmonic) is 35, Kirill Karabits(Bournemouth Symphony) is 34 and Andris Nelsons(City of Birmingham Symphony) is 32.

The Danish conductor Thomas Sondergard, who will take over the BBC National Orchestra of Wales next year, is ancient at 42

These are all exceptionally fine conductors. Jurowski and Petrenko are brilliant musicians and Nelsons is fast on the way to becoming one.

My point is...where are the young British conductors? I simply refuse to believe that they don't exist.

[eschiss1]

My mind is maybe mixed on subjects like this but then I'm from a country of immigrants anyway- and our best-known conductors- well, only dorks like me (us) remember that many a well-known American composer and conductor was either first generation or not born here, used an Americanized name (Paul Creston, born Giuseppe Guttoveggio - is one example of many)...
I'd like to see the evidence that native conductors have done that much better a job, other things being equal (emphatically), in keeping lesser-known works by local composers and keeping a local culture alive- which is the main reason I can think of for really being concerned about this, personally. 
I still wish I had my tape of the Leonard Slatkin (born Los Angeles, Cal.)/ORTF performance of the Guy Ropartz fifth symphony - (maybe I do, somewhere, but I'm sure it would take a month to find the tape, which is not in its case)- would like to know how many French conductors perform that composer and that piece. And I don't think that's wholly irrelevant and wholly a digression, either...

[chill319]

I wonder how much the old Joe Green/Giuseppi Verdi contrast still plays a role in the 21st century. The Eastman Orchestra in Rochester once had at its helm a fine composer/conductor "unfortunately" named Sam Jones. For moving upwards professonally from Rochester, that name lacked a certain je ne sais quoi... Would Leopold Stokowski need an exotic persona today, too, to be more than a guest conductor?

[albion]

I'd like to see the evidence that native conductors have done that much better a job, other things being equal (emphatically), in keeping lesser-known works by local composers and keeping a local culture alive- which is the main reason I can think of for really being concerned about this, personally.

Perhaps it is not so much a pertinent issue in today's multi-national music culture, but the record of the BBC (especially) during the 1950s-1980s surely speaks for itself. Although not that well-represented on disc, these were still decades of prolific native composition in Britain, primarily given performance by British musicians.

[Dundonnell]

My mind is maybe mixed on subjects like this but then I'm from a country of immigrants anyway- and our best-known conductors- well, only dorks like me (us) remember that many a well-known American composer and conductor was either first generation or not born here, used an Americanized name (Paul Creston, born Giuseppe Guttoveggio - is one example of many)...
I'd like to see the evidence that native conductors have done that much better a job, other things being equal (emphatically), in keeping lesser-known works by local composers and keeping a local culture alive- which is the main reason I can think of for really being concerned about this, personally. 
I still wish I had my tape of the Leonard Slatkin (born Los Angeles, Cal.)/ORTF performance of the Guy Ropartz fifth symphony - (maybe I do, somewhere, but I'm sure it would take a month to find the tape, which is not in its case)- would like to know how many French conductors perform that composer and that piece. And I don't think that's wholly irrelevant and wholly a digression, either...

I understand the point you are making but surely in the days when Bernstein led the New York Philharmonic or Slatkin the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra much more American music was played by these orchestras. Bernstein championed composers like William Schuman and David Diamond in New York but today.......?

[eschiss1]

agreed I think - I wouldn't know if I'd describe for example Järvi as a _champion_ of Copland, Chadwick, and others just because he has recorded them (but I may do him a disservice there).

[Dundonnell]

I'd like to see the evidence that native conductors have done that much better a job, other things being equal (emphatically), in keeping lesser-known works by local composers and keeping a local culture alive- which is the main reason I can think of for really being concerned about this, personally.

Perhaps it is not so much a pertinent issue in today's multi-national music culture, but the record of the BBC (especially) during the 1950s-1980s surely speaks for itself. Although not that well-represented on disc, these were still decades of prolific native composition in Britain, primarily given performance by British musicians.

Interesting to see another British 'night-owl' posting here

Since I am winding down from a six hour session learning how to use Audacity to convert (British) music into MP3 format

[albion]

learning how to use Audacity to convert (British) music into MP3 format

Hurrah and Huzzah!

[albion]

Conductors like Christopher Seaman, Meredith Davies, Norman Del Mar, James Loughran, Bryden Thomson , Raymond Leppard and Norman Del Mar as well as other figures from that time such as Vernon Handley, Maurice Handford were not glamorous jet-setters.

Some of the enterprising conductors, sadly no longer with us, who did much in the cause of British music at the BBC -



Charles Groves (1915-1992)



Norman Del Mar (1919-1994)



John Pritchard (1921-1989)



Meredith Davies (1922-2005)



Bryden Thomson (1928-1991)



Maurice Handford (1929-1986)



Vernon Handley (1930-2008)

[semloh]

Conductors like Christopher Seaman, Meredith Davies, Norman Del Mar, James Loughran, Bryden Thomson , Raymond Leppard and Norman Del Mar as well as other figures from that time such as Vernon Handley, Maurice Handford were not glamorous jet-setters.

Some of the enterprising conductors, sadly no longer with us, who did much in the cause of British music at the BBC -

Yes, good men and true... and greatly missed. 

[giles.enders]

Although the BBC must be credited with performing so much British music during the period referred to, it has to be said that during this period the BBC commissioned a substantial amount of music, most of which has rarely been heard of again. I would contend that from the Glock era up to the mid eighties, the BBC did as much to frighten large numbers of the public away from classical music. If the BBC were forced to perform even half of what they comission at least three times, I wonder what it would do for their audience numbers?