Looking back at the Järvi Era

Paavo Järvi at his desk in Music Hall, Cincinnati

(Part one of a continuing series)

It is with wistfulness and gratitude that Music in Cincinnati looks back at the decade-long tenure of Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra music director Paavo Järvi, who led his final concert as CSO music director May 14, 2011 at Music Hall.

Every seat in the 3,516-seat hall was full for the valedictory concert, and extensions for several rows had to be brought in to accommodate the crowd.  It was a Järvi program through and through.  There was a world premiere, “Fireflower” by Estonian composer Erkki-Sven Tüür (a fanfare written for Järvi), the North  American premiere of  Tüür’s 2006 Piano Concerto with pianist Awadagin Pratt and to end the concert, Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 (given its U.S. premiere by the CSO in 1905).

Response was long and loud after the Mahler, with a hail of bravos and a unanimous standing ovation.  There was an encore, Sibelius' "Valse Triste" -- as heartfelt as one is ever likely to hear it -- and the ovation began anew. After walking through the orchestra to shake hands with the players, Järvi waved goodbye to the crowd persuade them to let him go.  There was a champagne toast in the lobby afterward with thanks extended to all, then he was busy until midnight signing programs and CDs.

It is difficult to capture in words what that decade has meant to this oasis of music in the American Midwest.   Estonian born Järvi has taken what was a very fine orchestra to begin with to an even higher level.  Fortunately, with the title of music director laureate, he will be back once in a while to re-kindle the relationship. 

Here, in pictures, is a look back at ten years in this remarkable conductor’s life, both in and outside Cincinnati.

Front page of the Cincinnati Post, Jan. 25, 2000, the day after his appointment as Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra music director was announced.

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra president Steven Monder sneaked the 37-year-old Järvi up the back steps into Music Hall's Corbett Tower to introduce him as the orchestra's 12th music director at a press conference Jan. 24, 2000.  Later he posed for photographs in front of the hall on Elm Street in Cincinnati's historic Over-the-Rhine district.

Billboards and banners began going up  in the weeks prior to Järvi's inaugural concert.  Here is a billboard behind Graeter's ice cream store in Kenwood (Graeter's is a Cincinnati icon).

and a banner outside Kroger headquarters in downtown Cincinnati.

All was in preparation for the season.  Here is the cover of the CSO 2001-2002 Handbook.  A street fair was planned outside Music Hall and a gala introductory party.  There was to be a live PBS telecast of the concert, which would include a world premiere, New Yorker Charles Coleman's "Streetscape."

Then came

Front page of The Cincinnati Post Sept. 12, 2001

Sept. 11, 2001 was the date of Järvi's first rehearsal with the CSO in preparation for his inaugural concert.  The street fair and party were canceled, but the concert and telecast went ahead.  Guest artist, cellist Truls Mork, was unable to be there.   Coleman jumped into a car and headed for Cincinnati before New York closed down.  Debussy's "La Mer" was substituted for the Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1.  The concert opened with Barber's Adagio for Strings and closed with Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5.  Jarvi spoke to the crowd in the foyer afterward, offering consoling words and forging an instantaneous bond with his new constituency.

Music Hall lobby for Paavo Järvi's inaugural concerts as Cincinnati Symphony music director

The season got underway with great success.  Järvi led 12 concerts that first season, including the U.S. premiere of Erkki-Sven Tüür's Violin Concerto with violinist Isabelle van Keulen and the CSO premieres of Sibelius' Symphony No. 6 and Eduard Tubin's Symphony No. 5.  The Tubin was paired with Sibelius' Symphony No. 2 on Järvi's second CSO recording (Telarc).  The first, Berlioz' Symphonie fantastique, was recorded in 2000, when he was music director designate.  The canceled opening gala, "Puttin' on the Dog," was re-scheduled for early December in the Music Hall Ballroom.  The classiest canines were there and Järvi shook hands (paws) with some of them.

 

A marketing campaign was begun, with Järvi appearing at a Cincinnati Bengals game to hand the ball to the team mascot, visiting classrooms at the University of Cincinnati, special ticket promotions and giving interviews to major music magazines.

In the spring, Cincinnati's Estonian community prepared a special exhibit at the annual Cincinnati Flower Show in their countryman's honor.