Just like caveats doled out by investment peddlers that ‘past
performance is no guarantee of future performance’, the same sometime applies
to talented musicians that fall flat when rewarded with a promotion to first
chair, concert master or conductor only to be classed as a one hit record
thereafter. Such outcomes are very costly to both the organization as well as
the talent. Especially for the talent, it might be a regressive step career
wise that he might not recover from. Janos was one such talent but he recovered
well by retreating (or more appropriately switching as neither role supersedes
the other) back to “SoloShip”.
We can draw valuable lessons from both Harvard Business School case study "When a New Manager Stumbles, Who’s at Fault?" by Gordon Adler as well as the life of great cellist Janos Starker that has left us in recent past.
In the world of classical music performance, the apex is occupied by soloists or conductors. Conducting mirrors management in business world as in getting things done THROUGH people. For the conductor to do likewise, he must maintain a macro view of the music and seduce the orchestra to do his bidding. His main instrument; the baton is more likely to produce more noise than music especially in a not so abiding orchestra. Off stage, he is responsible for maintaining good human capital hygiene and leadership for the orchestra. With strong anecdotal evidence that musicians in general are more eccentric does not make the task simpler. Add the idiosyncrasies of the conductor and multiplicity of viewpoints as music is more of an art than science and you have an enigmatic brew in the making. It is a great wonder that we have so much great music made under such circumstances.
The path to a conducting career is made after being good but not necessarily great or greatest in one or more instruments of which violin and piano are the most common. Generally they will work their way to first chair. For violinist, there is a promotion to concert master just a grade below a conductor but the differential is liken to heaven and hell. Most great conductors like Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Abbado have never been featured as soloist or first chair and might not know ground zero that well. On the other hand, we have Vladimir Ashkenazy started life as pianist and profess he never aspired to be a conductor but got into it by 'accident'. Nikolaus Harnoncourt was bred from a rare specie; tympanist, to a conductor. Mstislav Rostropovich like Starker, started life as cellist for which the path to enlightenment is that of a celebrated soloist rather than a conductor.
We can draw valuable lessons from both Harvard Business School case study "When a New Manager Stumbles, Who’s at Fault?" by Gordon Adler as well as the life of great cellist Janos Starker that has left us in recent past.
In the world of classical music performance, the apex is occupied by soloists or conductors. Conducting mirrors management in business world as in getting things done THROUGH people. For the conductor to do likewise, he must maintain a macro view of the music and seduce the orchestra to do his bidding. His main instrument; the baton is more likely to produce more noise than music especially in a not so abiding orchestra. Off stage, he is responsible for maintaining good human capital hygiene and leadership for the orchestra. With strong anecdotal evidence that musicians in general are more eccentric does not make the task simpler. Add the idiosyncrasies of the conductor and multiplicity of viewpoints as music is more of an art than science and you have an enigmatic brew in the making. It is a great wonder that we have so much great music made under such circumstances.
The path to a conducting career is made after being good but not necessarily great or greatest in one or more instruments of which violin and piano are the most common. Generally they will work their way to first chair. For violinist, there is a promotion to concert master just a grade below a conductor but the differential is liken to heaven and hell. Most great conductors like Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Abbado have never been featured as soloist or first chair and might not know ground zero that well. On the other hand, we have Vladimir Ashkenazy started life as pianist and profess he never aspired to be a conductor but got into it by 'accident'. Nikolaus Harnoncourt was bred from a rare specie; tympanist, to a conductor. Mstislav Rostropovich like Starker, started life as cellist for which the path to enlightenment is that of a celebrated soloist rather than a conductor.
I always have a soft spot for Rostropovich as he is such a warm and humble
person to be around. On the other hand, I am less forgiving in the case of
Starker for his smarty two pants persona. In addition, Rostropovich has stood
up for political causes repeatedly with little or no private agendas except
with very genuine and emotive tears of joy or sadness depending on the occasion.
Unlike most Russian musicians of his era that seek political at the earliest opportunity,
his was the reverse as the Russian government renounced his citizenship. I
think his love for motherland Russia is deep as he returned to Russia once his
citizenship was reinstated.
Starker is quite a departure from the norm in more ways than one with a mostly technical and stoic posturing on stage and sanguine and opinionated off stage. He openly said in one of the press interviews that "Conductors are the most over rated" of all musicians. I can see where this might have originated as there were a few occasions that the conductor walked out mid way through a performance forcing the concert master to take over for varied reasons. Some of which are the orchestra working against him or divergent views with the soloist. A conductor once made a public proclamation before the piece that he had very different view of the music from the soloist but allowed the soloist view to prevail. This actually happened to the famous but queer Canadian pianist Glenn Gould unsurprisingly. This view point does hold some truths in a limited sense in a corporate setting. Most companies will continue to function in the short to medium with the COO, CFO or a board member taking the role temporarily if the CEO takes leave suddenly.
Fortunately or unfortunately, Starker's conducting career was a bit 747 heavy and did not quite take off in aeronautic speak perhaps because of the much higher expectation placed on him as an already famous cellist. However, he got his just reward in winning a Grammy award for his highly stoic and technical recording of Bach cello suites. Winning a Grammy is a rare occasion for classical musician and some sour grapes attribute it to his friendly relations with the press.
Starker is quite a departure from the norm in more ways than one with a mostly technical and stoic posturing on stage and sanguine and opinionated off stage. He openly said in one of the press interviews that "Conductors are the most over rated" of all musicians. I can see where this might have originated as there were a few occasions that the conductor walked out mid way through a performance forcing the concert master to take over for varied reasons. Some of which are the orchestra working against him or divergent views with the soloist. A conductor once made a public proclamation before the piece that he had very different view of the music from the soloist but allowed the soloist view to prevail. This actually happened to the famous but queer Canadian pianist Glenn Gould unsurprisingly. This view point does hold some truths in a limited sense in a corporate setting. Most companies will continue to function in the short to medium with the COO, CFO or a board member taking the role temporarily if the CEO takes leave suddenly.
Fortunately or unfortunately, Starker's conducting career was a bit 747 heavy and did not quite take off in aeronautic speak perhaps because of the much higher expectation placed on him as an already famous cellist. However, he got his just reward in winning a Grammy award for his highly stoic and technical recording of Bach cello suites. Winning a Grammy is a rare occasion for classical musician and some sour grapes attribute it to his friendly relations with the press.
The verdict is a difficult one but certainly drives home the point that
the pinnacle is definitely not a sharp point with room for only one or few but
more likely to be broader with space for a few more but certainly not a
village.
Peter Lye aka lkypeter
Safe HarborPlease note that information contained in these pages are of a personal nature and does not necessarily reflect that of any companies, organizations or individuals. In addition, some of these opinions are of a forward looking nature. Lastly the facts and opinions contained in these pages might not have been verified for correctness, so please use with caution. Happy Reading. Copyrights of all contents in this blog belongs to Peter Lye unless stated otherwise.
Safe HarborPlease note that information contained in these pages are of a personal nature and does not necessarily reflect that of any companies, organizations or individuals. In addition, some of these opinions are of a forward looking nature. Lastly the facts and opinions contained in these pages might not have been verified for correctness, so please use with caution. Happy Reading. Copyrights of all contents in this blog belongs to Peter Lye unless stated otherwise.