How It's Done

Ever since the 2011-2012 Cleveland Orchestra schedule came out, I've been looking forward to singing under the baton of Maestro Pierre Boulez. He is a legendary conductor, and he's been places and known people who are also legendary in the world of classical music.

This week the Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus are performing the Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms. I first heard bits of this work when I studied with Nadia Boulanger in the summer in 1971 at Écoles d'Art Américaines in Fontainebleau, France.

The summer I spent in Fontainebleau marked the 50th anniversary of the school. Almost every famous musician who had ever studied or taught there returned for that summer. Each night some musical luminary was invited to dinner with Mlle. Boulanger, and there were always students included on the guest list.

Igor Stravinsky was a close friend and colleague of Mademoiselle (as we called her). She loved his music, and he had chosen her to teach his younger son, Soulima, in 1929. Igor was scheduled to spend at least a few days in residence for this star-studded summer. Alas, his death in April of 1971 changed those plans. But Soulima was there. As I recall, in one of the many concerts we attended that summer, Soulima played the piano and conducted some of his father's work.

The night I was included on the guest list for Mademoiselle's dinner, Soulima and his wife were in attendance. I was a 21-year-old sheltered child from the South, who just happened to be a very good pianist and musician. I had not been trained by teachers who worked to increase my knowledge of the big picture of music. I really had no idea of the greatness with which I was surrounded.

So, knowing Boulez was coming to town brought all of that—the music, the musical stars, the vision-changing experience of learning how little I knew—full circle. So many of the luminaries from that summer are gone now. There are many young musicians who have never heard of Nadia Boulanger. I treasure the memory of that summer. And I would be able to sing, led by someone who knew them all!

But Maestro Boulez is almost 87, and having some vision problems. Last week he was to conduct the men of the Chorus in three Schubert songs, and the orchestra in the Mahler Symphony No. 7. Early in the week, his opthalmologist advised him not to conduct. The Cleveland Orchestra administrative staff quickly rearranged the program, substituting the Mahler #5 for #7, and bringing in the highly respected conductor, David Robertson, from St. Louis. Director of Choruses, Robert Porco—our beloved Bob—conducted the Schubert.

But the plan for this week was unknown. Would Boulez's eye problems be under control enough that he could conduct?

No. It was not to be.

Again, the administrative staff worked wonders, bringing back former Cleveland Orchestra Assistant Conductor Tito Muñoz. Take a minute and read his bio. He's 28 years old! And he's so cute. As a mother and grandmother, I just want to go up and pinch his cheeks and tousle his hair. He has achieved what I dreamed my own son would achieve. Good for him!!

And he's incredibly insightful and intuitive, as a conductor stepping onto the podium in front of a chorus he's never conducted before. (He told us that in his three years as Assistant Conductor with the Cleveland Orchestra, he never had the pleasure of conducting the chorus.)

The Stravinsky is tough. There are dissonances where each choral voice struggles to find and maintain its pitch. There are unusual meters and unusual syncopations and unusual harmonizations. It's Stravinsky. It's brilliant!

When we first met with Maestro Muñoz for our Conductor's Piano Rehearsal on Monday night, we got to one of the fast-tricky parts in the third movement. Bob Porco had prepared us for this passage by conducting it in 4. We knew exactly where all those off-beats would fall. Muñoz dove into it with a 2-pattern, and we all just about fell off the risers. When you're used to looking for "two" and "four", and suddenly you're looking for "the and of one" or an even smaller subdivision of beats, it's a big stumble waiting to happen.

As I practiced yesterday, I was discouraged, thinking about how last night's first orchestra rehearsal might go. I normally love every moment I'm on that stage, but I wasn't looking forward to this.

The rehearsal progressed. We got to the third movement. We got to the fast-tricky part. All eyes were on Maestro Muñoz. AND HE BEAT IN FOUR!!!!! We nailed it. We observed every rest and hit every entrance perfectly.

That, Dear Friends, is what a good conductor does. He enables the musicians to do their best. He listens and observes and intuits the actions on his part that are necessary to a stellar performance.

If you're in Cleveland on Thursday night, Friday night, or Saturday night, come to Severance Hall and observe a brilliant young conductor that will—hopefully—have another 50 or 60 years of showing the world how good conductors operate.

If you're not in Cleveland, tune your browser to WCLV.com at 8:00 p.m. EST. It will be a feast for your ears.

CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA
8:00 PM
Severance Hall
The Cleveland Orchestra
Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano
Tito Muñoz, conductor

SCHOENBERG - Three Piano Pieces
MOZART - Piano Concerto No. 18
STRAVINSKY - Symphonies
of Wind Instruments
STRAVINSKY - Symphony of Psalms

Interesting reading: A Most Unsuccessful Project: Nadia Boulanger, Igor Stravinsky, and the Symphony in C, 1939–45