Word: leinsdorf
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1970-1979
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Nearly everyone in Boston-even those people whose idea of a cultural evening is an excursion to Fenway Park-is aware of the recent departure of Erich Leinsdorf from the podium of the BSO. Not too many local critics, however, have sought to delve too deeply into the behind-the-scenes conflicts at the orchestra. Those who have made inquiries either end up fired, like George Gelles, or reprimanded, like Michael Steinberg. Probably no one outside of the Symphony hierarchy is completely aware of all of the problems which face the organization at the moment, but some have become public...
Morale at the orchestra was at its lowest in recent memory when Leinsdorf departed, and the BSO, which had been one of the international greats under Koussevitsky and Munch, was trailing each of the other four major American orchestras in record sales. When RCA Victor picked up the contract for Ormandy and the Philadelphia, there were rumors that the company would phase out Boston, because of the lack of magnetism in Leinsdorf's conducting. Leinsdorf was criticized as being excessively Germanic in interpretation, and at least one orchestra member publicly stated that he would rather be conducted by a metronome...
Conflict broke out the year before Leinsdorf left, when, for the first time in the history of the orchestra, the orchestra members refused to give the traditional Christmas gift to the conductor. The animosity between maestro and players became more apparent when trumpeter Roger Voisin "stepped down" from his position in the first chair after an incident in a public performance during which he allegedly misplayed a passage deliberately to cause Leinsdorf embarrassment. With the orchestra's prestige falling apart, it was obvious that new blood was needed, and Leinsdorf's resignation was not too surprising. His successor, William Steinberg...