Israel Philharmonic Orchestra |

Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

Sometimes it seems that the world consists of only symphony orchestras. And this, in essence, is good, because it marks the craving of people everywhere for an ideal world-sounding and world-sounding – for human harmony in the orchestra of Being.

Good, Art worthy orchestras, however, on the contrary. And the evaluative conclusions from the perception of their creative efforts oh how different – the criteria themselves are consistent with the scale of the personality of the “judge” and the fashion that prevails in a certain artistic environment.

The Israeli Philharmonic is one of those worthy of Art, one of the bright circle “countless”.

The Israeli Philharmonic (originally the “Palestinian Orchestra”), founded on an internal deep idea by the outstanding violinist from Poland Bronislav Huberman and performed for the first time – under the baton of Arturo Toscanini – more than 75 years ago in December 1936, now visits the capital of Russia with its long-term and unchanging artistic director Zubin Meta, I think, not at all in order to “surprise” with the glamorous brilliance of powdered polish and “shock” with a performing style that overshadows the Music itself. I’m sure it’s not for that.

But for that only (I can confidently assume, based on some personal concentrated experience of perceiving the playing of this unique group of musicians with recognized artist-conductors and soloists), to pronounce from the height of great creations my own, full of authenticity in the experience of Reality, born from Spirit of Music sounding Wordleading us to Feeling the truth in ourselves.

К Spirit of music The Israel Philharmonic is definitely involved. “Egmont” and Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, compositionally parted on the canvas of the concerto to prepare the space and immerse in the flow of perpetual motion Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto – all these works are connected by the sparkling multi-colored a thread.

“She is strong, thin, transparent and simple”. This is from a poem by Zinaida Gippius “Thread” (1901), which also contains such significant visionary lines: “We are accustomed to appreciate one obscure thing. / In tangled knots, with some kind of false passion / We are looking for subtleties, not believing that it is possible / To combine greatness with simplicity in the soul. / … And the subtle soul is as simple as this thread”.

We will meet in this Moscow concert with the subtle soul of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, brought up by Zubin Mehta, communicating with high world masters and gaining new energy of skill and feeling.

Mastery here is an instrument of artistic expression, aspiring to Spirit of music.

Here they realize that (to use Gogol’s timeless words) “There can be in art its highest stage, above the one on which it stands in the current fashionable age!”…

It is not so easy to designate the “place of registration” of the Israel Philharmonic: it is, of course, Israeli proper, it is European, it is also “Russian” (many orchestra artists come from Russia). The Russian performing school and the culture of orchestral playing have organically formed a unique artistic whole with the European performing tradition, both in the nature of orchestral thinking and in the inner self-awareness of the musicians.

Bronislav Huberman, conceived of the collective as an “orchestra of soloists”, gathered around him highly talented musicians who were forced to emigrate from Europe, fleeing fascism.

The past seven and a half decades have strengthened the good name of the orchestra and brought new qualities to its art.

Outstanding conductors (including Leonard Bernstein, Daniel Barenboim, Lorin Maazel, Valery Gergiev…) have performed with the current Israel Philharmonic and have performed with success.

For almost 45 years, a native of Bombay, an outstanding conductor, Zubin Mehta has been creatively associated with the Israeli Philharmonic: since 1969 he has been the musical consultant of the orchestra, since 1977 – artistic director, in 1981 this title was awarded to him for life. In this regard, the Meta gives a sign again and again to recall the unique experience of the great Russian conductor Yevgeny Mravinsky, who for more than half a century led the world-famous Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra.

And in a purely creative sense, Zubin Mehta, who deeply honors Mravinsky, is rightfully associated in my mind with the conductor’s warehouse of Mravinsky – a spiritual thinker and passionate artist in front of the Face of music, inspiring it to the orchestra without “controlling” violence, but with the power of love.

I first saw and heard Zubin Meta, still quite young, at the famous Prague Spring music festival in the very beginning of the 60s. Since then I have listened to it many times.

The meta does not interpret itself, but the work. His gift for objective “feeling” of the composition brings us closer to Spirit of music and allows us to recall the words of E. T. A. Hoffmann from his review of the performance of Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony: “A real musician lives entirely by the creation, which he perceived in the spirit of the master, and performs in the same spirit, neglecting the desire to expose his personality in one way or another”.

Personality with all that opens up to us from the best side. The personality of Zubin Meta, a sincere artist, tone poet in the pronunciation of a musical thought, a wise conductor devoted to his orchestra members – invariably charming and unusual. He inspires confidence…

The disposition of the Moscow public towards the orchestra and conductor will fly in the air of the P.I. Tchaikovsky.

Andrey Zolotov, Professor, Honored Art Worker of the Russian Federation (text provided by the Embassy of the State of Israel in the Russian Federation)

Based on materials from the official booklet of the anniversary tour in Moscow