In Sunday’s (10/10) Los Angeles Times, Mark Swed writes, “Ninety-one years old and an orchestra that prides itself as progressive, the Los Angeles Philharmonic has, this weekend, begun its second season under Gustavo Dudamel, the orchestra’s 11th music director. … But the last four … music directors of the last half century—Zubin Mehta, Carlo Maria Giulini, André Previn and Esa-Pekka Salonen—are the ones who molded the modern L.A. Philharmonic. And they are not without a certain renown—or continuing interest—on the international music scene. In fact, these maestros happen to be featured on a rash of new CD and DVD releases, as well as in documentaries and books.” Releases include a 25-CD set of recordings featuring Mehta with the Vienna Philharmonic, a six-CD box “Giulini in America,” three DVD documentaries that touch on Previn’s life, among others. Some reasons for Salonen’s chemistry with the Philharmonic, “and how he made the orchestra the leader it is today, are eloquently spelled out in music critic Alex Ross’ new book, ‘Listen to This,’ which reprints his New Yorker profile of Salonen.”
Posted October 13, 2010
