<<  -- 5 --  Bill Newman    IMPULSE AND SPACE

'You must be prepared to take on responsibilities. Now, I am Music Director of the National Symphony Orchestra of Wales, and before this I had eight years with the Northern Sinfonia. Then there is my City of London Orchestra, and the London Symphony as their Principal Guest Conductor for twenty five years. Decisions have be made quickly, and I have never been afraid to make them even where others have been helpful. I lose my temper once every two years, and then it is quite effective!

'At 16, I used to go into a session with the sound of a recording in my head. No group of players I conducted gave me that, and I became frustrated. This led to fast losses of temper. Now my aim is to mould any group I work with, giving and taking from it. You get a different sound from each, and I love to take that sound moulding it with my own musical ideas.

Why are we so staid in our attitude to many composers? 'I think this is changing. At this year's BBC Proms Rubbra's Fourth Symphony, receiving its first performance for 40 years, appeared alongside Finzi's Cello Concerto. And there is the original score to Debussy's Printemps with chorus, Britten's Spring Symphony and Elgar 2. These concerts were sold out.'

'Over the last twenty years we have had many new recordings of British music; now people want to come and hear it! Recently, this May, regular repertoire meetings were instigated and programmes are planned two to three years in advance. About three years ago I told Clive Gillinson, Managing Director of the LSO, that Gerald Finzi would be having his Centenary, and that we should do an undiluted concert of his music, as we would get a full house.

'He looked at me as if I was stark staring mad, but he was kind enough to trust me. It was sold out and every reviewer was there. It clearly shows that the CD market has now come to the concert hall.

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