Saw this on Lebrecht’s blog, apparently da Gav walked out moments before he was scheduled to play, with Alexander Ghindin (who happened to be in the hall) filling in (reminds me of the time Pogo bailed on playing the Rach 2 and Watts covered for him).
I can’t really understand why da Gav does this when he already has a reputation for doing similar things in the past and his career seems kinda dead since his “comeback”, at least in comparison to what it was before 1995.
Apparently he posted some sheeyat about it on FB, excerpts of which are in the link above.
Ghindin himself weighed in in the comments section of Lebrecht’s blog rebuking some of Gav’s claims.
Interesting… On Facebook he has been talking about the conductor not working with him or listening to any of his ideas. Here is one of his posts -
FOR YOUR FUN (IT IS COMMON SITUATION).GENERAL REHEARSAL STARTED, ONE HOUR BEFORE PEOPLES ENTRANCE. - I DON’T ENTER MY PART. IT(SO CALLED CONDUCTOR) LOOKS AT ME WITH A HUGE QUESTION MARK IN EMPTY GLASS-LIKE EYES.I SAY - “FAR TOO LOUD” (THE BEGINNING SHOULD SOUND JUST AS FALLING LEAVES). SECOND TRY - I DON’T ENTER MY PART.SAME LOOK. SAME ANSWER - “FAR TOO LOUD”.THIRD TRY - SAME PLAYING, EVEN LOUDER AND VULGAR. I DON’T ENTER. END OF THE FIRST PART OF THE REHEARSAL.IN 20 MINUTES OF A TOTAL FRUSTRATION CONDUCTOR LEAVES THE STAGE AND GO TO DISCUSS IMPOSSIBILITY OF THE CONCERT WITH SICK SOLOIST.THE OFFER TO ANNOUNCE THAT SOLOIST IS SICK - I SAY NO,NO,NO. FRUSTRATION IN THE ROOM.ADMINISTRATION FULLY SUPPORTING CONDUCTOR AND BADLY WANTS TO MAKE FALSE ANNOUNCEMENT.I FORCE CONDUCTOR TO GO ON STAGE AND TRY AGAIN. DEMONSTRATE IN NEXT HALF HOUR “NORMAL” “CIVILIZED” PLAYING - JUBILATION OF CONDUCTOR AND ADMINISTRATION.CONCERT WILL BE, GREAT, NO PROBLEM.THANK YOU.I LEAVE THE HOUSE THROUGH FIRE EXIT AND GO ON TUBE HOME.
I guess they just didnt work well as a team. Hes very strongly opinionated and outspoken, just his character the kinda guy he is.
As for Ghindin… to be honest, Id take Gavrilov any day. Ghindin always leaves me a bit empty, but Ive heard some electric things from Gav, leave the hairs on the back of your neck standing on end. Although granted he does sometimes have quite radical interpretations which occasionally feel as though they are for the sake of it, especially since his comeback. I could be wrong, they could be genuine and it doesnt make them any less valid. When Gavrilov plays it just sounds like raw energy! All the glitz and glamour and polished shit stripped away, just raw music, and played with passion by a person who is totally immersed in music in his own way.
Hes so nice, he wishes me happy birthday every year and is always more than happy to chat away.
