Conductor Rattle to shake things up upon return to Britain’s LSO
One of classical music’s biggest names, British conductor Simon Rattle, is going home to lead the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO), he said on Tuesday, following news of his departure from the Berlin Philharmonic.
The shaggy-haired 60-year-old will become music director at the LSO in September 2017, succeeding Russia’s Valery Gergiev, who is currently principal conductor.
Critics said the move would shake up the often stuffy world of classical music in Britain — and may even lead to the construction of a new concert hall in London.
During a critically acclaimed series of shows in the British capital with the Berlin Philharmonic last month, Rattle complained that it lacked a hall with acoustics good enough for worldclass performances.
“You have no idea how great the London Symphony Orchestra can sound in a great concert hall,” he said.
That prompted British finance minister George Osborne to launch a feasibility study into building a new venue which will issue its findings later this year.
The LSO is the resident orchestra at London’s Barbican Centre, which Rattle described as merely “serviceable”, while the capital also has a string of older venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, home of the annual Proms concert season.
Rattle stressed that his move was not dependent on London getting a new symphony hall at a press conference where his move was confirmed.
“The feasibility study has been announced which is a wonderful thing because what I wanted to do was at least be able to kick-start the conversation about the possibility of a change,” he said. “We wait with real interest.”
Rattle first performed with the LSO when he was 22 and conducted the orchestra at the opening ceremony for the 2012 London Olympics, accompanied by comedian Rowan Atkinson as Mr Bean on keyboards.
The LSO has an august pedigree, boasting figures such as Edward Elgar and Andre Previn as previous principal conductors.
But critics are hopeful that Rattle’s arrival could breathe new life into the often conservative world of orchestras and concert halls in Britain.
“Rattle’s appointment is precisely the seismic, creative shock that classical music needs,” wrote critic Tom Service in the Guardian.
“His presence at the top of Britain’s most acclaimed ensemble has the potential to be the catalyst for a revitalisation of classical music, from schools and music hubs to conservatoires and concert halls.”
During his time in Germany, Rattle has reorganised the orchestra into a foundation, giving members more control over its activities and decreasing the say of politicians, while championing contemporary music.
Before taking up the baton in Berlin, Rattle was at the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra from 1980 to 1998, raising its profile significantly.