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The exclusive interview with Conductor Felix Mayer

Maya Jarjourmaya.jarjour@arabnews.com

Last Wednesday, the Symphonic Ensemble Munich, under the

direction of Felix Mayer, entertained more than 200 guests with a

challenging concert program of compositions by George Frederick Handel

and arrangements by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at the residence of the

German Consul General in Jeddah, Rolf Theodor Schuster.

"The Desert Symphony concert was a unique success. I was highly impressed

by the appreciation shown by Jeddawis toward classical music. They proved

themselves to be true connoisseurs of the German symphonic legacy and didn't

mind the particularly cold spell of the evening in order to enjoy an enthralling

musical performance by the Symphonic Ensemble Munich," said German Cultural

Attach Christian Strob.

The concert was originally planned to take place at the Italian Cultural Center; however,

the venue changed only a few hours before the event.

We had to get the stage, lights, 200 chairs and the catering to this side of town. We

also had to send out e-mails to over 600 people about the change of location. I hope

nobody was angry with us that they were not informed. We tried our best, German

Consul General Schuster told Arab News. It is just wonderful how everybody helped and

worked overtime to make this work from my staff at the consulate, the electricians

from Al Basateen compound to the staff from the Radisson hotel. As for the concert, it

was excellent, just perfect, he added.

After the show, Arab News spoke to Conductor Felix Mayer on what it takes to be a

great conductor. We learned that it was not only his fir st visit to Saudi Arabia, but also

to the Middle East, and he could not be more excited about being here.

Wh m ou ci o bcom couco? a i ou lw kow

ou w goig o b o?

No, I didnt. I started in a boys choir, so I made music ever since I was seven or eightyears old. I learned to play the cello that was my main instrument and I sang a lot.

One day in choir, the conductor was ill just before the concert, so somebody had

to jump in, and that was me because I didnt say no loud enough (laughs). After the

concert, I really wanted to learn more about conducting and then I was offered to

conduct an orchestra right away, and so it star ted.

do ou pl oh ium, oh h h cllo?

Well, I play a little bit of piano; as a conductor, you have to. However, the most

important instrument in my youth was the cello.

I ou opiio, wh i h couco job how impo i hi/

h ol?

I think the conductors role is very important even though he/she is not the person

making the music. To put it simply, the job of the conductor is to make the orchestra

sound better than they would without him. He/she shouldnt disturb and shouldnt make

them less good.

so how o ou ou ol: ipiig h pl? Covig h viio

of h compo? O poviig vi ipio?

Its certainly all three. You should inspire the musicians and you should be the

person who knows the piece best. Even though the composer is dead, you have to

try to figure out what was his vision. Of course, it would be best if the composer

conducts the piece himself.

Wh o ou lov mo bou coucig?

I love that I have the possibility to get in touch with the greatest music. Thats the thing

I love most. I am able to spend most of my day with Mozart, Handel and Beethoven

yes, they are dead, but they are my close friends (laughs) and certainly with

their music, and this I love most.

Wh o ou jo mo: Coucig o plig?

Well, its really different, but I have to say that I dont want to do anything else except

conducting. Its the most interesting thing I can imagine. Its really a complex task.

tll u mo bou h smphoic embl Muich.

Its an orchestra of passionate amateurs. We meet once a week, rehearse and

prepare for three big concerts a year. They are normal people from Munich who love

music and who either earn their living from real jobs or are still students. Of course,

what you saw tonight is not the full orchestra we were only 16, including myself.

The full orchestra includes 70-80 people.

Wh i ou choo compoiio b Hl o couc fo hi pogm?

Well I cant tell you exactly why I like Handel so much. I dont only like Handel, I love

many composers. I admire what Handel achieved i n his life. He was really a busy man

and was so full of ideas throughout his whole life until his death, and his music, to

me, is pure beauty and entertainment. Just like I told in the concert, Handel wrote 12

Concerti Grossi in just one month. Thats enormous! He started end of September

and finished end of October in 1739. Its incredible; Handel was such a fast composer.

a wh bou h gm b Moz?

Well, you can see with these arrangements by Mozart that he respected Handel every

much because he only edited a few things. You still have Handel and you hear Handel

but with some beautiful ideas by Mozart.

so h h b h h oigil?

No, no I wouldnt say this. They are different beauties.

Hv ou v pic iuio i which ou fl h ou w

ubl o g h mo ou of och uig pfomc? a

wh i ou o bou i g h muic o ou igh?

Every time! Thats the job of the conductor to be critical and to ask him/herself

permanently whats not OK. So you should always be discontent with what you get.

After a performance, Im usually not very happy because I think of what I could have

done better or if I should have rehearsed more, something like that.

You have to help with the gestures and be clearer. If they are too fast or too slow,

I try to show the pulse more precisely. If I want to have it softer, I go down with my

hands and tell them to play softer. Hence, there are a lot of ways to intervene; and if

the orchestra follows, thats wonderful.

so wh i ou hik of oigh pfomc?

Im very happy; thats unusual for me. It was a long day for my orchestra and we

had a long rehearsal day yesterday. We also didnt have time to sleep or relax before

the concert, so for them to keep their concentration for so long and then play at the

concert was quite a task.

To continue reading, log on to www.bw.com/lifl

FeLIx Mayer received his first musical training with

the Stuttgarter Hymnus boychoir under the direction

of Prof. Gerhard Wilhelm and performed as a cellist in

various chamber music ensembles and orchestras. He studied

in Tbingen, Munich and Vienna, and attended Masterclasses

at the Vienna University of Music, the Vienna Musikseminar,

and the International Bach Academy Stuttgart with such notable

conductors as Prof. Mark Stringer (Vienna University of Music),

Daniel Harding, Helmuth Rilling and Nikolaus Harnoncourt. He

toured many European countries as well as China, Israel, Japan,

South Africa and South America.

Since 2003, Mayer is the artistic director of the Symphonic

Ensemble Munich and conducts the choir and orchestra of the

Technical University Munich/Freising. He lectures musicological

seminars on subjects like Wagners Ring-Cycle, Mozarts operas

or Richard Strauss at the Carl von Linde Academy Munich.

Mayer is a recipient of several prizes in conducting and

received the Karl Max von Bauernfeind medal for special merit

from the Technical University Munich in 2009.

Exclusive interview with Conductor Felix Mayer

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January25,

2012