In Sunday’s (8/15) Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Mark Kanny writes, “Time flies, and relationships change. At the end of Manfred Honeck’s second season as music director of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, his relationship with the musicians is evolving from the glow of a honeymoon to the complexities of an ongoing marriage. Honeck became music director in September 2008 following three years during which the orchestra treaded water under an artistic leadership team of three conductors. In contrast to the artistic leadership team, Honeck brought boldly conceived interpretations that he conducted with tremendous energy. For the musicians, it was exciting and relieving to be making great music again and again. ‘I think the orchestra genuinely appreciates his leadership,’ principal bass Jeffrey Turner says. ‘We’re not at the same level of infatuation with each other’s immediate and obvious strengths, but on the other hand we’re communicating at a deeper level.’ … For example, it still takes a lot of time to get unanimity in the strings for specifics of vibrato and bow speed, Honeck says. Those are some of the methods by which Honeck greatly expanded range of expression and character of the strings.”
Posted August 16, 2010
