Enlightened despotism should not have been among the objectives of the movement that, which arose in the fifties and sixties, advocated authenticity in the interpretation of early music by resorting to documentary sources, the use of original instruments and the regarding the intentions of the composer. And yet, whether due to the longevity of some ensembles led by the same music director or the extreme personalism of certain leaders in this kind of orchestral projects, it is not uncommon to hear of tyrannies and vexatious attitudes that would be more close to those of great divas of other times who occupy the podiums of the most powerful symphonic formations.
John Eliot Gardiner’s nonsense over the summer for slapping a singer at the Berlioz Festival in France because he came on the wrong side of the stage is an extreme example of the tyrannical behavior that takes place only among bouncers, out of sight of the public Regardless of the genius’s excessive ego, the audience continues to adore him for his art.
The author of La música en el castillo del cielo, one of the referential literary volumes on the figure of Bach – in which he collects, what things, the violent and contemptible side -, lost his papers behind the scenes when he squealed, slapped and punch – for that order – bassist William Thomas. It was August 22. The singer played Narval and Priame in the opera Els troians en concert together with the Monteverdi Choir and the Orchester Révolutionnaire et Romantique, two of Gardiner’s ensembles, at the festival held in La Côte-Saint-André.
In the world of early music, the anecdotes of abuse of the English conductor who performed at the coronation of Charles III were unofficially known. Gardiner allowed himself to call the workers and artists. And, apparently, he did not hold back against those hired for a single project, such as William Thomas, from whom Gardiner may have expected devotion, given the opportunity he was given. But he didn’t keep quiet.
After the facts became known, the 80-year-old teacher retired to London to see the doctor and gave up all performances until Christmas. It remains to be seen if the visits planned for the spring at the Palau de la Música will take place and how.
The facts also highlight the extent to which ensembles founded by unique personalities like Gardiner’s – whose sound has no equivalent – ??can survive when they disappear or retire. In general, these foundations find it difficult to find a successor. The Concentus Musicus Wien that Nikolaus Harnoncourt created in 1953 today is a shadow of what it once was. And although William Christie has been looking for a successor to Paul Agnew, it’s hard to guess what will become of Les Arts Florissants when he’s gone.
In any case, if anyone expected that the conductors of old so revolutionary would opt for ownership of large orchestras, they have been disappointed. No one gives up being the owner of their home or to take up a greater ownership.
