George Szell: A Tribute
E
VENTO HIMSELF,George
Szell must have been something of an enigma. I often have wondered if he ever let his right hand (of command) know what his left hand (of compassion) was doing. Long after the act, one would hear rumors of his charity or personal generosity- but, to his face, one would not dare to accuse him of the indiscretion of sentiment. His disciplinings, however abrupt, were tolerable - first, because they were not motivated by self-pity. (He was distressed not for himself, but for the composer.) Second, we knew that he dearly demanded many times more from himself than he required of us. And third, almost always, when the right arm of authority descended it was followed quickly and demonstrably by an improvement in the product. It is not the function of a "conscience,, to be comforting - and for many of us George Szell was the conscience of our profession. Ab_oveall was his insistent advocacy of the composer's prescription and intent, as versus a performer's personal "style" or "interpretation." In direct line from this were judicious performance practices that favored structure over color, clarity over sonority, temporal stability over eccentricity, remote control over balletic ecstasy, and right notes over best wishes. Always he elected elegance over extravagance. And, if asked to
choose between the intellect and the emotions, he would have declared the mind to be itself the sun. For me and, I think, for most of us who were privileged to make music in his time and presence, his recorded performances reveal a seldom-approached blend of solo instrumental virtuosity and ensemble disciplines. But even more remarkable is that which is missing: those emphases and excesses - some, perhaps, even unintentional that too often in this age make up a performer's trademark or "image." When it came to making music, George Szell's enigmatic sort of self-awareness was sufficient to eschew personal caprice and idiosyncracy. Earlier than might have been expected, those who came to watch him perform ended by listening to the music. To the ends of our days we will be grateful. - ROBERT SHAW
June 23, 1990 Couzou., France