Martin Fischer-Dieskau

[...] The centerpiece of the night was the Berlioz "Symphonie Fantastique," and here the conductor's strengths were amply on view: expressive hands, a sense of theater and perhaps, most tellingly in this piece, a clear idea of that kind of sound he wanted in each of the work's five intense and feverish but very different movements [...]

Martin Fischer-Dieskau did not start his career on a vertical takeoff; he did not appear on the scene as a youthful dynamo. Yet the carefully prepared development process of this conductor seems to be paying off. We have heard Schubert’s C Major Symphony, “The Great,” several times in recent weeks, notably by – among others – James Levine; Fischer-Dieskau, however, brought such formal unity and meaningful dramaturgy to the work that his inter- pretation approached the sensational.

[...] Theirs was a sober, sensitive and often poetic performance, notably in the opening movement, with the conductor taking note of the character of detail for granted and keeping watchful balance with the pianist [...]

The Philharmonic is sold-out, the audience is ecstatic. The conductor Martin Fischer-Dieskauis a man who exudes radiant charm. His style is not that of the contemporary young conductors; rather his conducting is precise and detailed right up to the very last eighth note of the spider web. There is much joy to experience in this illumination of the worldly aspects of music.

Meanwhile, a discovery for all was the conductor who proved to be a most pleasant surprise. An unpleasant affair for San Carlo ended with Martin Fischer-Dieskau’s taking over the podium on short notice. Without resorting to comparisons, I will limit myself to the revelation that the conductor now in charge has an obvious talent which manifested itself in his technique as well as in his ideal understanding. The conducting was always absolutely sure-handed, without unnecessary gestures or exhibitionism: moving, almost loving phrasing, devoid of any misuse of rubato or attempts to be more Viennese than the Viennese.

And on the podium an experienced Maestro, conducting the entire program from memory, whose last name evokes an illustrious opera personality of our time. His entrance always sure-fire, his gestures unfailingly energetic and secure Martin Fischer-Dieskau drew a maximum performance from the Orquesta Ciudad de Granada which in turn received much deserved acclaim for the lovely soloists and the conductor.

The high caliber of the performance is owing, in large part, to the authentic talent of the conductor, who pays tribute to his father, the illustrious German baritone. With smiling ease and natural authority, the maestro imposed his style of conducting , as much with suppleness as with power to call forth a transcendent interpretation of the passionate musical gestures of Russian composer Rheinhold Glière’s first symphony.