Midweek Madness: The ultimate in carefree conducting
If Oliver Hardy had been a conductor, I imagine he would have been just like Joseph R. Olefirowicz, who is as cool and funny and expressive as can be in this clip from the Volksoper in Vienna.
One look, and I knew I had to share it on your favorite Wednesday online featurette in the entire cyber-cosmos, Midweek Madness. You will thank me. Profusely. (As I thank my Florida buddies for alerting me to it.)
This was filmed just last week during a concert version of ...
Bernstein's "Candide" -- specifically the number "What's the Use?" It's not super audio, but you'll hear enough to see that this Massachusetts-born conductor could not be more comfortable with the music or himself.
I sure hope more clips of the "Candide" performance emerge. I keep imagining how terrifically this guy could give cues during "Glitter and be Gay." ( I did find a clip filmed at a rehearsal for a different "Candide" a year or two earlier, and I figured it would be fun to have here, too.)
Enjoy:
Comments
I'm not to sure about the clarity (from an orchestra member's point of view), but (HO MY!) what a personality!
Posted by: bookguybaltmd | February 1, 2012 8:09 AM
I love it. Tim, thank you for sharing.
So much fun to see someone really let it all hang out. I wonder if the cast was as entertaining as the conductor. TIM
Posted by: Jack Firestone | February 1, 2012 10:45 AM
Fabulous! A triumph! Although if I were in the orchestra, I'm not sure that I wouldn't be laughing too hard to actually play the music. Profuse thanks Tim!
Posted by: MC | February 1, 2012 3:55 PM
I am glad that my video is liked so much...and believe me: Joseph knows exactly when he has to really give directions and ´when he is free to make fun...the orchestra, singers and Joseph understood each other VERY well in this...!
Cannot thank you enough for the uplifting video. It is great to see musicians on the same strong wavelength. TIM
Posted by: momo | February 1, 2012 6:00 PM
Whooppeee!
Posted by: Martin Bernheimer | February 2, 2012 9:18 AM
Clarity? Clear enough. Clearer than many 'greater' conductors, but more fun while at it. In any case: listen to the clarinet in the above clip respond immediately when he suggests her to tone it down a little. So he's got them to be responsive and the players are obviously benevolently amused and still listen/look and take him seriously. And: it's just such great fun. As music should be, Requiems and DSCH 13 excepted.
Posted by: R.Grainger | February 2, 2012 12:29 PM
The Video is back!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJU0lC3iHaY
Posted by: Eva Koschuh | February 3, 2012 4:50 AM
The only time I can remember laughing during a concert performance was in 1992, when Musikfest (Bethlehem PA) Chorus did its rendition of Carmina Burana. As you know, near the end, there's a tenor aria about a roasting swan. On the last verse, he started turning around slowly, arms stiffly at his sides, as though trussed up on a spit, while he sang "now I am blackened and roasting fiercely".
Posted by: Daniel De Kok | February 4, 2012 10:51 AM