European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 04, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Local pianist Vladimir Horowitz died in november at the age of 85. Claudio Abbt do conducts the Berlin philharmonic orchestra in a Public Rufli final after bring chosen to succeed the late Herbert von Kara an. By Howard Dicus United press International 1,1-mc.i music in 1981 was l be world affairs the a i or in Berlin. I Rhin von Karajan resigned is t Inductor for life i i the Berlin philharmonic. Puhlin a he cited Back problems privately he hinted at stabbing. Symphonic politics or not Karajan s ill health was real. In july three months after retiring he died. By then the talk of the classical world was the Competition to succeed him. The Berlin philharmonic is the world s most recorded and Many feel the world s Best orchestra. Its members Are proud and sell governing. Leading those musicians in t just a of it s an adventure. American master maestros i Orin Maazel and James Levine were thought to be front runners. But the lir liners chose Claudio Abrado. That was Good news for americans who love c classical music and May help set a useful new trend in the classical world As a whole. Maazel reacted to not getting the Job by opting to do less Globe trotting and spend More time with the Well respected Pittsburgh symphony. Levine is left free to continue spending most of his time with new York s metropolitan opera. This counters the practice of conductors jetting Between so Many cities that few major orchestras the Benefit of growing under one person s Baton it is generally Felt this is bad for performance Quality. Composer Morton Gould goes so far As to say tin1 Ideal conductor is one who gets air sick. Speaking of composers 1989 saw More music trim the minimalists composers who got people interested in hearing new classical works. After generations of screechy premieres from dissonant dissidents the minimalists went Back to basics with simple melodies and propulsive rhythms. Steve Reich whose earlier work had a tendency to sound great for a couple of minutes but lasted far longer turned out different trains an affecting piece for siring quartet the Avant Garde Kronos quartet another happening of the 1980s and sound effects. Non Adams whose opera inn in China was the big classical event of 1988, offered a Catchy instrumental work in 1989 called fearful sonorities and in was announced that he had been commissioned to compose an opera about the Sei ure of the Achille Lauro. The working title of the piece is the death of Klinghofer. When fans buy Ohn Adams music they won t be buying it on los. Sales of classical compact discs have exploded in recent months As upscale record stores up sales for Lack of interest. He cd has brought new sound Quality to Rock and a bul in has done More for classical music. Most classics designed to be heard without interruption do not fit on a single up Side. Now you can hear the full kit of Spring at Home the same Way in is played live for the first time since it was composed. Also last year i he world lost the Greal pianist Vladimir Horowitz and the american Compo a and critic Virgil i Thomson. Both men died just As cd labels were reissuing much of their Best work. I he c raze for original instruments also came into its of n in 1989. After years of baroque releases that c tits found thin and whiny Roger Norrington and lie London classical players issued recordings of Beethoven and Berlioz As convincing As the music must have sounded when first composed. Torrington earned special credit for demonstrating that conductors have for a Hundred years been wrong about Beethoven s tempos. The metronome markings he employed Are not mistakes his symphonies sound great at those faster speeds. 70 stripes Magazine january 4, 1990
