Don’t get me wrong: I’ve been to performances that he’s conducted that I’ve actually enjoyed, but it’s always been stuff like Brahms, Wagner, Strauss, etc., and that isn’t necessarily my favorite stuff.

As far as your suggestions about Harding or Thielemann . . . I can’t really comment one way or the other about Harding, but I offer up this about Thielemann:

He was given an impressive two weeks of concerts in 1996 for his premiere in L.A. (Beethoven Coriolan overture & 6th Symphony, Schumann piano concerto first week; Mendelssohn “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” overture, Bartok Viola Concerto, Brahms 2nd Symphony the 2nd week) . . . and then never appeared again in front of the orchestra.

The reviews were mixed. After the first week, Susan Bliss wrote in the LA Times, “a conductor of brilliance, insights and originality, a born leader who makes music happen,” but “. . . did not cause great polish or smooth finishes in the actual orchestral playing; more often than not, our game instrumental band might have been wondering exactly where, temporally, the conductor’s virtually beatless gestures were.” And that was the good review. The next week, Chris Pasles wrote: “He seemed preoccupied with sheen and evenness; equality of all parts, whether foreground or background, and pointed, undramatic phrasing. He was clearly reaching for an elusive ideal, vaguely in the Furtwangler vein, whom he recalled in the imprecision of his beats and the ensuing raggedness of orchestral entrances, but not much else.”

I was at one of the nights where he conducted the Brahms 2nd, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen the LA Phil players look so visibly pissed off on stage. Later that night, I spoke with the one of the members of the LA Phil brass section (now retired), and he said many derogatory things, most of which that I won’t repeat, except for this damning closing thought: “That guy isn’t up there for the music, he’s up there for himself.”

Would love to hear AR’s memories and comments. Or maybe MarK’s, if he’d be willing to share.

Who makes repertory decisions for touring orchestras? Did LAPhil management pick what was played from a menu?

Mehta — Why? Went to Wiener Philharmoniker.au to see who’s conducting this spring — Riccardo Muti, Christoph Eschenbach, Daniel Harding, Christian Thielemann, Lorin Maazel, Simon Rattle, Valery Gergiev, Pierre Boulez and, yes, Mr Mehta. Why not Harding or Thielemann?

Does Mehta draw US audiences? What was the turn-out at Disney? Given the program and Mehta — wouldn’t have even opted for rush tix.

Stay well

Oh my goodness, your description of Mehta is horrifically and magnificently accurate. My wife and I were laughing out loud when we read this because we’ve observed the same thing every time he conducts, but could not put it into words as perfectly as you have. Absolutely brilliant!

The two of us didn’t start attending LA Phil concerts until the interregnum between the Previn and Salonen eras. The first time we saw Mehta conduct, he walked on stage exactly as you described, and we overheard two nicer blue-haired ladies exchange a conversation that went something like this:
- “Who is that? I thought Zubin was supposed to conduct?”
- “I think that is Zubin”
- “Are you sure? My. He looks . . . he looks older.”
- “He used to be SO handsome . . . what is he so upset at?”

Then we watched/heard him drive Mozart’s Davidde Penitente like it was a Mack truck going down a hill. Not pretty, but not as ugly as that initial walk onto stage . . . we now avoid him when we can.

Thank you so much for your blog, and now for the new format. Many happy years of continued writing!