Sir Georg Solti - the making of a master
Martin Cullingford
Monday, November 5, 2012
We explored what makes a conductor great in our October issue, talking to leading maestros about the required mix of inspired and inspiring musicianship, reputation and rapport with players and audiences. One conductor who had all these attributes was Sir Georg Solti, whose centenary falls this autumn. He also had something else: he had recordings. So do most conductors today; but Solti was perhaps the first conductor whose name was made in the studio. This is not to diminish his concert-hall achievements but to recognise that a combination of the new technology of the time, which made recording easier and better, and the greater affordability of records helped make Solti a star. His great Decca Ring cycle has an iconic status above almost all other opera recordings. The label has reissued it this month, remastered and presented in a beautifully produced box-set (complete with a replica Gramophone containing the Ring-related reviews, articles and advertisements we ran). We have five to give away – turn to the feature to find out more.
Another star, this time of our own era, is the pianist Lang Lang. Recordings have of course played a major role there as well, but so too has engaging stage presence and jaw-dropping virtuoso technique. In the past decade he’s become a unique ambassador for music and music-making (not least in his native China), somehow appealing to the masses without resorting to dumbing down or crossover: Lang Lang is an asset to classical music. We sent Emma Baker to meet him and look back over his remarkable decade.
Meanwhile, this month sees the launch of two features. First, in the magazine we’ve decided to celebrate contemporary composers with a new monthly feature – this month Steve Reich, next month Per Nørgård. Second, our digital edition already offers more than a year’s worth of magazines – and, if you’re reading on an iPhone or iPad, you can click disc covers to link through to iTunes, where you can sample the music you’ve read about. But from this month it also gives access to our entire archive, from 1923 to today. We hope you enjoy exploring.
