Zubin Mehta in Rehearsal

Rating:
Summary: another great rehearsal
Review: This is yet another rehearsal this time with Zubin Metha and The Israel Philharmonic.
Richard Strauss's music was banned from performance in Israel. He was associated with the Third Reich for a time,and anti-semiticism as Wagner. The Israeli musicians here speak about this and the memories this music does and may suggest,Wagner even more in that his operas were utilized by the Third Reich as proclamations, and the characters in his 'Ring' for example are and can be representation of this anti-semiticsm, with the roles of Mime and Alberich.(Certainly Wagner's audiences knew of these associations)

I have no problem with this ban especially when you think that there are countless modern masterpieces that are waiting for performances,there is no shortage of music;and it is no great loss not to have played Wagner.

Strauss by the time he wrote 'Till Eulenspiegel' was a virtuoso orchestrator, and this work as Mehta explains really is a few motivic ideas, the opening forever memorable motive played countless times by the French Horn is tossed to the Eb Clarinet, and others, a Violin solo as well. So the work breaks the orchestral canvas to feature soloists. The Israeli Orchestra here has a nicely wonderful lean sound, very clean crisp, you hear everything, and that makes Mehta's job somewhat easier. The rehearsal is technical,although he makes brief remarks on the programmatic elements of the "prankster" here how he must impart this "mischevious" sense to the music. "You were a bar early", or ", , , No on the beat this time", make the "G" a little longer French Horns". You come away really knowing this work. We then see Mehta with earphones listening to the recording, and advising the technician to make the strings a little darker.