https://www.cardiffphilharmonic.com/future-concerts
It is certainly possible to understand why the 1812 Overture should be dropped, but less so Symphony 2, known of course as the “Little Russian” (not Tchaikovsky’s nickname, by the way), i.e. Ukraine, a celebration by the composer of the country’s folksongs. The orchestra’s decision has divided opinion, seemingly more critical of it than supportive. If you, dear readers, have any thoughts, please share them below. I’m in two minds!
A tricky one. Yes, lose 1812 but keep the symphony; yet, the current appalling situation in Ukraine has nothing to do with Tchaikovsky, and he is also one of the most popular of composers, surely worthy of brightening our days.
Reminiscent of August 1914 and British newspapers calling for the removal of all German music from programmes. The Royal Philharmonic Society broadly complied for the duration of the First World War. The Directors of the Queen’s Hall Orchestra came under pressure to do likewise, forced to remove Wagner. In an announcement the impresario Robert Newman – manager of the Queen’s Hall and founder with Henry Wood of the Proms – drew attention to “outside pressure brought to bear upon them at the eleventh hour by the Lessees of the [Hall]”. “[We] take this opportunity of emphatically contradicting the statements that German music will be boycotted […] The greatest examples of Music and Art are world possessions and unassailable even by the prejudices and passions of the hour.” Bach and Beethoven survived. Bechstein Hall – the Wigmore since 1917 – didn’t, closed and auctioned off at a loss as alien property.
I remember hearing Menahem Pressler, many years ago, saying that after the war his parents banned everything German from the house – but that they “made an exception for Deutsche Grammophon LPs”.
I focus on Russian performers.
I suggest if we wish to employ any Russian performer as measured by being a passport holder they are told to play non Russian music. It offers them a period of reflection on their country’s illegal acts towards Ukraine.
The Cardiff lot have got it wrong. And, believe it or not, a Swiss opera company has suspended its current production of Tchaikovsky’s Mazeppa – that’s the Ukrainian Mazeppa who was a hero of his country. Utter madness!
This music should be played. Why blame composers who are dead??? I love Tchaikovsky’s music and would go nowhere near this Cardiff concert.
I doubt that the Cardiff orchestra’s replacement of the Tchaikovsky Night programme means that they have the intention of banning all Russian music for ever. No, Tchaikovsky has nothing to do with Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine. However, would some of your more irate commenters be happy to listen to the overt Russian triumphalism of the 1812 Overture if it were their cities, towns, homes, families and friends being pounded into oblivion?
Perhaps the orchestra would like to arrange a Prokofiev (Ukrainian) Night instead, to include the 5th Symphony, of which the composer wrote, ‘…I conceived [it] as a symphony of the greatness of the human spirit, a song of praise of free and happy mankind…’
Better to have changed 1812 for the Capriccio Italien and left the rest of Tchaikovsky’s music as planned and advertised. This blanket ban on his musici in Cardiff is very questionable and quite disturbing, at best an over reaction.
Well said Mr Pritchard. PLAY TCHAIKOVSKY’S MUSIC!!!