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NEW YORK MAGAZINE July 22, 2002 FINAL BOW Kurt Masur is a reflective guy. During his first days in New York after he left Leipzig to take the helm of the New York Philharmonic eleven years ago, he couldn't sleep, so he'd get up early and walk the streets, noticing that "everyone felt a little bit lonely, a little bit lost." He realized that New Yorkers were a different kind of audience, and thought: "What can a concert do? It can unite people, in emotion, in spirit...you can give people a kind of healing power." The proof, he says, came just after September 11, when the orchestra gave an unforgettable performance of Brahms's German Requiem at its season premiere. As his tenure with the Philharmonic draws to a close and the maestro prepares to move on to Europe, he talks about the group with pride, and more as its partner than as its leader. For his 75th birthday and farewell concert, hosted and narrated by Beverly Sills, he chose works that showcase the orchestra's talent: double concerti by Brahms and Bach, and a big brassy piece by Joseph Turrin. "I wanted not to have any great soloists from the outside. I wanted to show that this is an orchestra full of remarkable soloists," he says. "To play in an orchestra—it can be very frustrating for people who would be good enough to be international soloists." It's already sold out—though cancellation tickets may be available at the box office—but the performance will be broadcast on Live From Lincoln Center and WQXR. |
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