American conductor David Zinman knows the problems facing classical music but is optimistic about its future.
"There will always be symphony orchestras because of the great music that's written for them," Zinman says.
He doesn't just mean his old favorites, such as "Sinfonia Domestica" by Richard Strauss -- which he'll conduct this weekend at Heinz Hall. He says young composers have a lot going for them, and he sees the future in their work even when it isn't perfect.
This weekend's Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra program features the world premiere of Roberto Sierra's Double Concerto for Violin and Viola. "I'm always interested in new music and knew some of Robert's very Spanish- and Latin-tinged pieces," the conductor says. But because the concerto is less Latino than many of the composer's other pieces, Zinman will start with Sierra's "Fandango" for Orchestra, which he says captures the essence of that old Spanish dance.
Zinman, 67, has been music director of orchestras in America and Europe, and currently leads the Tonhalle Orchestra of Zurich, Switzerland. The Financial Times of London took note earlier this year of Zinman's revitalization of the Zurich orchestra. His CD set of Ludwig van Beethoven's symphonies sold 800,000 copies, and another set has been released of Strauss' tone poems.
Zinman says he is very fond of the "Sinfonia Domestica," calling it typical of the composer's playful virtuosity. He notes that after the self-portrait called "Ein Heldenleben" (A Hero's Life), Strauss wrote a portrait of his home life.
He notes that the wife's main theme is the husband's theme inverted, which can be viewed as yin-yang or biblical depending on one's point of view. The child's theme is created from the parent's themes, so perhaps DNA is involved. In any case, Zinman enjoys the subliminal elements in the music as well as Strauss' sheer delight in showing off the range of a symphony orchestra.
Zinman serves on the board of directors of Carnegie Hall in New York City, where talk about what makes concerts fun to attend is as pressing as elsewhere in the music industry.
In Zurich, Zinman introduced Tonhalle Late, consulting with a local dance party firm to create a program that had young people lined up to get inside the old concert hall. It was an adaptation of the Dance Mix concept that was a hit for Zinman when he was music director of the Baltimore Symphony.
"This whole concert life can be reinvented," Zinman says. "People are trying to do this, (but) very slowly because it's very hard. Eventually, something will come along -- and that something is always a great composer."
Additional Information:
Show Info
Family Portrait and PremiereWhat: Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra with conductor David Zinman
When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Admission: $19 to $69
Where: Heinz Hall, Sixth Street and Penn Avenue, Downtown
Details: (412) 392-4900
