In Germany, Sir Simon Rattle is treated like a demigod. In London he has to woo tycoons and oligarchs to fund his ambitions and his orchestra, says Daniel Johnson. It's hardly surprising he's leaving.
His is the face of classical music in our time. The mane of curly hair — now white but still abundant — and the broad grin, the mastery of familiar repertoire and the championing of the unfamiliar: nobody alive has done more to educate our musical taste than Sir Simon Rattle. It is a shock, therefore, to learn that he will lay down his baton as chief conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra next year in order to take up a new post as music director of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.
The maestro’s return to these shores in 2017, after 16 years at the helm of the Berlin Philharmonic, was greeted with jubilation. His presence here coincided with plans to build a “world class” concert hall in the heart of the City... Keep reading on The Agenda
His is the face of classical music in our time. The mane of curly hair — now white but still abundant — and the broad grin, the mastery of familiar repertoire and the championing of the unfamiliar: nobody alive has done more to educate our musical taste than Sir Simon Rattle. It is a shock, therefore, to learn that he will lay down his baton as chief conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra next year in order to take up a new post as music director of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.
The maestro’s return to these shores in 2017, after 16 years at the helm of the Berlin Philharmonic, was greeted with jubilation. His presence here coincided with plans to build a “world class” concert hall in the heart of the City... Keep reading on The Agenda