Celibidache

My first experience of Sergiu Celibidache was through the wonderful 'The Art of Conducting: Legendary Conductors of a Golden Era' documentary, where his clip was one of the most fascinating and illuminating (loved Daniel Barenboim's spot on description of him in that documentary). After coming across the video of the coda of Bruckner's 4th Symphony with the Munich Philharmonic and found it a profound life affirming experience, there was the decision to get more familiar with him.

It turned out to be my best decision made in a long time, despite being raised on conductors like Herbert Von Karajan Celibidache very quickly has become my favourite conductor and certainly one of the most fascinating and most unique. All the clips seen of his work show extraordinary musicianship, some of the best communication in concert for any conductor (whether subtle, like in the aforementioned Bruckner clip and any of his Bruckner, or more emotionally charged like his 1971 Bolero or the Enescu Romanian Rhapsody), amazing attention to dynamics, textures, way of using instruments, blending not heard before or since to this extent and his phrasing. His work is often (ignorantly so in my view) dismissed as too slow, too self indulgent and too eccentric, but to me his approach to music was always incredibly thoughtful, fresh (sometimes even refreshing), spontaneous and musically other-worldly and his very philosophical way of thinking worth pondering upon.

'Celibidache' is a wonderful documentary and a must for anybody who is already a fan and wants to know more about him. It is very revealing in all senses and is one of those documentaries that has inspired me to deepen my interpretations when singing. Have seen it criticised occasionally for glossing over what made him a very controversial figure as a person (that he was said to be a very difficult conductor, not the only one at the time and ever and far from being one of the worst, and the rather one sided accusations of sexism), but that is not what the documentary is about. This is more to do with his way of thinking, his approach to music, his way of teaching, the sort of things he said in rehearsals in relation to the music and music making, so not a documentary about his personal life. Learnt a lot from 'Celibidache' and the man himself, like his music making seeing familiar music feel and sound completely new it was like seeing him in a new light.

Would have liked more concert clips, what there is are too brief (for example the F minor mass Credo clip, beautifully sung and played all round with communicative and intimate conducting from Celibidache, could have been longer). Also didn't care for the segment in Bucharest, where some of what is said of music culture in Romania declining came over as arrogant and not in the best of taste.

But that could have been down to it being so soon after the fall and execution of Nicolae Causescu, who and what he stood for Celibidache abhorred, where feelings were still raw. Despite the laughter, the remark about something along the likes of five years in prison and attending a concert of Brediceanu being his two worst punishments must have been deep down eyebrow raising.

The scenes of him teaching, the rehearsal footage and the interviews discussing his philosophical approach of conducting fare much better and are truly revealing. His teaching, set at where he lived, is a truly educational experience and what he says are things unlike anything said to me in any of my music college training lessons. He can be sharp, very brutal and direct, like with the slow baroque piece that he was clearly indifferent to (my feelings were that the student was too), but also makes some great points quite eloquently but perhaps confusingly for anybody not familiar with his music philosophy.

Especially with the Brahms, where his talking about phrasing, speed, sound and what to think when playing the music (i.e. Not too Italianate in sound, freer tempo, not rushing, more variety in repeated ideas, and there are big differences when the advice is taken on board) are truly insightful and very new to me. Would have not thought of any of this myself if teaching. There are also times where he comes over as wise old grandfather giving advice, like telling a promising student not to smoke.

Also absolutely loved the rehearsal footage and even more so, they are very talky (Celibidache sure did love to talk but my goodness wasn't it fascinating talk), which may alienate anybody who is more familiar with the more subtle letting facial expressions and eyes doing the talking manner of someone like Claudio Abbado, but very interesting from a musical perspective. Proof that the infamous Berlin Philharmonic clip, less than five minutes of one rehearsal, isn't a fair representation of him (and it wasn't of that occasion either). The highlight one for me was the truly moving segment of the youth orchestra rehearsing, and what a promising youth orchestra to play a piece like that at such a high level in rehearsal, the Bruckner Fourth Symphony coda with a frail and clearly increasingly emotional Celibidache.

The F minor mass footage was also truly illuminating, with Celibidache again saying some very insightful things about dynamics and not diminishing too much in what are very soft, slow and long phrases. These clips show how good he was working with choirs, obvious too in clips of him rehearsing the Mozart and especially the Faure requiems, and he is also encouraging and generous towards them (even saying during what seemed like a difficult rehearsal where he is demanding that they were doing a wonderful job).

It was interesting hearing what was said about Celibidache by others in 'Celibidache', in how they found him as a person and musician, and it was clear that despite his reputation they were in awe of him. This is including female musicians, Celibidache keeps being villified for apparently mistreating female musicians and have yet to see any rehearsal footage showing that and only know of one well publicised story of that being the case with a trombonist but where his side of the story has never been documented.

His treatment of principals, soloists and the chorus in fact came over very well here, as it did in the Mozart and especially Faure requiem documentaries. In fact, none of the rehearsal footage here shows any tyranny, mistreatment or sexism, and instead sees a mostly very intelligent, conversational, relaxed and witty man. Only in the Beethoven Choral Symphony Scherzo clip is there sign of any berating or signs or being difficult, but in this case it was justified and was not dictatorial in any way, for example the timpanist coming in late and then playing the wrong rhythm was right to be challenged.

What is said about his very philosophical way of thinking and how it translates into his conducting by Celibidache himself left me in awe. Will admit to not understanding everything that he said, due to me not having a philosophical mind, but he has a very inviting and thought provoking way of words that is worth pondering upon delivered in a listen to for hours sort of voice. What he says about his approach to music, his beliefs, what he thinks music is all about and how it should be approached (that it should be about truth and not just beauty and precision, agree with him here) may seem like self-indulgent gobbledegook to some but to me it was refreshing and unlike anything heard before and what was said had a profound quality to it.

Learnt too from him about how simple words and phrases can have a big effect on people, like his recounting of the best compliment he ever got ("that's it", may be dismissed by some as trivial but actually it was a case of finding someone who not only understood him and his intentions but agreed, that would be a massive compliment for me too).

The music of course is absolutely fantastic, the Bruckner clips being absolute gems musically and it is actually through Celibidache as to why Bruckner has gone massively up in my estimations as a composer. It is beautifully and intimately filmed and the documentary really does show that there is more to this extraordinary conductor, extraordinary mind and to me under-estimated yet undeniably flawed man than what is documented elsewhere.

Overall, wonderful. 9/10.