[Note: This post has been updated (2) as of 3:20 PM Eastern on 18 Jul. See below.]
We confess this New York Times story was a shocker.
The New York Philharmonic reached into its family tree and plucked Alan Gilbert, the 40-year-old son of two Philharmonic musicians, as its next music director, making him the first native New Yorker in the position and a rare American in the job.
The following from the story doesn't sound very encouraging:
"We’ve watched him grow" [said Zarin Mehta, the orchestra’s president]. "He’s a good musician. He’s approaching the prime of his career.""[A] good musician"(!)?
Hardly sterling credentials for the next music director of an orchestra such as the Philharmonic. Every member of that orchestra as well as every member of every major orchestra in the world could be described as "a good musician."
We suspect this appointment is a direct consequence of the "Dudamel Effect". But, then, what do we know. We never even so much as heard Alan Gilbert's name before now.
Update (8:19 AM Eastern on 18 Jul): This is most reassuring.
Update 2 (3:20 PM Eastern on 18 Jul): And two more reassuring assessments, here and here.
It's The Music, Stupid!
Peggy
