Welser-Möst leaves Vienna State Opera

[LHC]

It was from the LPO that the 'Frankly Worse than Most' jibe came and the critics took it up with glee. The main problem was that FW-M took over from Tennstedt and that, being a hard act to follow, made his task well-nigh an impossible one.

The fact that he's been in Cleveland for 12 years would seem to suggest that he's 'better than most'. However, his two Vienna New Year's Day Concerts haven't been particularly successful largely owing to his lack of charisma.

With major conductor vacancies currently on the go it'll be interesting to see how this affects the game of musical chairs under way as the perspective shifts again.

He was very young and inexperienced when he was appointed as the Chief Conductor of the LPO. It was his first major post and (I think) he was appointed on the back of one successful concert with them. He was essentially learning the role of Chief Conductor in the full glare of the London critics, but with the added baggage of having to follow the much-loved Tennstedt. The relationship with the Orchestra soured quickly and many of his concerts were (perhaps understandably given all that was going on) disappointing.

He is much more experienced now after lengthy spells with Cleveland and at the Zurich Opera, so it is not really surprising that he is better now than he was then.

The Worse than Most jibe hurt him, but is mainly remembered (and recycled) by English critics and audiences. As far as I know, it hasn't affected his reputation in Germany, Austria or the rest of the musical world.

His performances have often struck me as a bit 'kappelmeisterish' - well prepared, professionally played, but a tad uninspired.