Interview with Montreal Symphony Orchestra (OSM) October 2009

OSM How do you feel about this overdue return to the OSM?

M.V. I love this orchestra. The last time I played with this wonderful ensemble, it was three or four years ago, if I’m not mistaken, with Kent Nagano. It was a Mozart concerto.

OSM You know this orchestra, you have performed with them quite a few times in the past. But these concerts, in October, are quite special, because they will mark your podium debut with the OSM. How would you describe this very different, very special interaction?

M.V. For me, making music, this is already something very special, whether I’m coming as a violinist or conducting or teaching – this is still music. Of course, it is quite a different profession to conduct an orchestra than to play! I’ve been concentrating on conducting for a few seasons, and conducting has been a very interesting journey for me. I’ve conducted before, since I was twenty-four years old in fact, but that was with chamber orchestras, chamber repertoire. I’m taking the journey of exploring the great repertoire of larger classical symphonies like those by Brahms, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Bruckner...

OSM What was your involvement in the choice of this particular program?

M.V. I enjoy doing the Tchaikovsky “Pathétique ” very much, it’s one of my favourite works. Even Tchaikovsky said, “Finally, I’ve written a perfect symphony for myself.” So that was my choice, and I was asked by the OSM to do the Brahms Double with your wonderful musicians...

OSM And you know that at least one of them, our very young fantastic new concertmaster, Andrew Wan, is very excited to be playing under your baton. He was mentioning how thrilled he was, and how much he was looking forward to this experience.

M.V. Me too, me too, I’m looking forward to it.

OSM In a more general perspective, would you cite some influences in the conducting sphere? You’ve enjoyed a full-time career as a guest soloist with orchestras over the last 10 or even 15 years. Who have some of your mentors been in this context as conductors?

M.V. I was conducting the Mariinsky Orchestra last year, in June. And so I had some very interesting consultations with my older compatriot from Russia, Valery Gergiev. I’ve played so many times under his baton... When I was a child, that was tough... And now, he really supported me in my new endeavours, in my conducting path, and he gave me a lot of valuable advice. Also, I’ve been taking some master classes with Russian conductor Vladimir Fedosseiev, and I take regular lessons, consultations, with my teacher, Maestro Yuri Simonov. He’s my conducting master, who has the most wonderful musicality and extraordinary technique. We explore the conducting profession as an instrument. With that instrument, the conductor has to express himself without words, without speech.

OSM Would you say that Russian musicians like you bring something special to a piece like the “Pathétique” Symphony? What kind of special relationship do you have with the piece?

M.V. I think what is interesting is that the “Pathétique” was written so many years ago, and now that it exists as a score, every musician has to bring it to the world of sounds, has to explore it... The conductor has to bring his vision to the orchestra, so the orchestra can express this vision, his spirituality and character. The conductor has to express everything through the orchestra, through the music.

OSM How do you prepare, as you are about to go back to the piece? How do you approach the technical or mental preparation?

M.V. For the preparation, I develop my technique to be able to deal with all the tempi, characteristics and specific movements. The conductor has to have a very elaborate but very simple technique at the same time, so the orchestra can read him. It’s a language that has to be understood by the musicians. Basically, what we need the rehearsals for is just to get used to one another, orchestra and conductor. First, the conductor tries not to interfere, in the beginning, tries to learn the greatest things this orchestra has. The quality will not be lost. Then, he tries to build something new, to complement his approach to the composer, to the sound...

OSM This is quite interesting because the orchestra, here, has been under a new music director, Kent Nagano, for about three years now. Of course, it had built a very strong identity under Charles Dutoit. An identity that was especially very strong in French and Russian music. What would you expect from an orchestra in this particular music, with the “Pathétique” Symphony?

M.V. There are a lot of things to consider... We have to think of Tchaikovsky, first, as a German composer! His foundation is quite strict, and the language is very distinct. And on top of that, there is the whole variety of colours and special sounds that you want to work on. Especially articulation, phrasing, the structure of the harmonies. It’s quite a challenge... On the other hand, although this work lasts between 45 and 50 minutes, you cannot take one note away. It is so perfect...

OSM Yes. I would say this is the way you recognize masterpieces.

M.V. Absolutely. So basically, what I intend to do is just to follow the score exactly, because it’s so incredibly clear, what he wanted, and how he wrote this... It’s imperative to structure everything and to work in detail...

OSM Would you be interested, at some point in the future, in conducting opera?

M.V. You know, I realize that life is too short, you can’t do everything, although I love opera! I’ve played the violin, I’ve recorded, in the violin repertoire, everything that I wanted to record, most of the pieces I was in love with... I also played the viola, I had my class, I was a professor in Germany for four consecutive years, I used to spend lots of time as a teacher – and then I did tango dancing, even trying to perform on stage! So I’ve done a lot of things, I’ve also played the baroque violin, and now it’s conducting. Since I moved to conducting, it’s been quite difficult to imagine that I could both play and conduct. At least for the first two or three years, until I get to know the profession in depth. Now it’s been one and a half years... I think another one and a half years and I may perform both as a violinist and as a conductor. Mixing the professions is quite challenging... I’ve been playing the violin since I was four and a half. I started to conduct only when I was twenty-four, and only chamber orchestras. Since 2008 I’ve been conducting large symphonies. I think every composer or painter has to write and paint a certain amount of works until he feels absolutely at ease. The Tchaikovsky was so easy to learn... I only had ten days! I had so much work to do, and I said, “My God! How am I going to do Tchaikovsky’s “Pathétique” in ten days!” But I had no choice... When I opened the score, it was so amazing to look at it, to discover the miraculous logic of the composer... It was just so easy...

OSM As a conductor, would you cite a number of pieces that you haven’t done, or that you will be doing, maybe, something you would really be looking forward to doing?

M.V. My dream is to do the Bruckner Ninth. I’ve spent three months studying it on the piano. It is quite an amazing work. I love Bruckner...

OSM The OSM is developing a very strong Brucknerian side now, with Maestro Nagano.

M.V. It’s such miraculous music... In the future I’ll be doing quite a lot of Shostakovich, because of my connection with Maestro Rostropovich. I did a lot of Shostakovich and Prokofiev with him because of his connection to the composers.

OSM Could you tell us a little about your relationship with Rostropovich?

M.V. He was like a musical father, a musical mentor to me; I was seventeen when I met him. I think my favourite recordings were done with him, because we had such chemistry on stage... He always transmitted the energy to me, and I learned that a musician has to be open... When he conducted or played, one could see the thoughts, the images coming out of him...

OSM How do you manage to find time for yourself, between the performances?

M.V. This one and a half years has been a very interesting journey, but increasingly it’s becomes more and more hectic! People keep inviting me and I accept very interesting invitations. I couldn’t possibly say no to the great orchestras like Montreal, Toronto, Paris... I can’t. Of course, I’m a little careful in taking on too many proposals, because I need to prepare and I like to prepare thoroughly. I study a score the way I would study on the violin.

OSM Do you think it’s the same amount of work, or study, or preparation, or is it different?

M.V. It’s much more complex! Playing violin is easy!

OSM That’s interesting to hear!

M.V. After conducting, playing the violin is easy, I tell you... I take a lot of time for consultation, because, when you come to the orchestra, it’s your first rehearsal! Bruno Walter said: “This is really not fair; the violinist or the pianist, if he comes to the first rehearsal with the orchestra, he has played it for ten hours a day, so this is his hundredth rehearsal! But when a young conductor comes, that’s his first rehearsal!” When I come to a new orchestra, this is still a big stress for me!

OSM You can prepare a lot, but you don’t get to try your instrument!

M.V. Exactly, you can only imagine... But I think that with time, you become a little bit more and more sensitive to the orchestra, how they breathe, how they play, and surprisingly you start to get to know the orchestra even before you come, because you think of the group as the energy, and you connect with this energy even before you come, so this helps.

OSM Do you work, nowadays, mainly with orchestras that you know, orchestras that you have played with in the past?

M.V. Quite frankly, I must say that Montreal and Toronto are the only exceptions! I work usually now with orchestras that I have not been with as a violinist. A lot of orchestras, like those in Scandinavia, I’ve never been to as a violinist.

OSM Would you tell us, as an artist, some dreams for the future?

M.V. For the moment I’m building and strengthening my foundation. As a violinist, I grew up and worked for so many years... I studied the violin from so many different approaches... I’ve even played on the electric instrument. So I’ve completed that phase, and I’ve started with conducting. I think my dream is to keep on being a musician as I am, and maybe, on the personal level, I’d love to have a family. A very simple dream of a normal human being.

OSM Maxim, thank you very much for sharing a little bit of your time. We’ll very much look forward to having you with us in a couple of weeks. Our musicians are thrilled, and I think the audience will be very excited as well.

M.V. I look forward to that as well. Thank you very much.