Paavo Berglund

Paavo Berglund in the early 1960s

Paavo Allan Engelbert Berglund OBE (14 April 1929 – 25 January 2012) was a Finnish conductor and violinist.[1]

Career

Born in Helsinki, Berglund studied the violin as a child, and played an instrument made by his grandfather.[2] By age 15, he had decided on music as his career, and by 18 was playing in restaurants. During the Second World War, Berglund worked at the iron factories in Billnäs. Children were moved out of Helsinki during heavy stages of the war. His professional career as a violinist began in 1946, playing the whole summer at the officers' mess (Upseerikasino) in Helsinki. He already had played in dance orchestras in 1945. Formal study took place in Helsinki at the Sibelius Academy, in Vienna and in Salzburg. He was a violinist in the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1949 until 1958 in the 1st violin section, unique among the instrumentalists in being accommodated for seating to account for the fact that he played the violin 'left-handed'.

In a radio interview made of the Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE in 2002, Berglund explains how he heard the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra on their tour in Helsinki with Wilhelm Furtwängler and was very impressed. Shortly after that he left for Vienna to study. He had many friends both in the Vienna Philharmonic and Vienna Radio Symphony orchestras, and could attend rehearsal and recording sessions. One particular recording session he remembers is when he was present one evening when Furtwängler recorded Schumann's Manfred Overture and Smetana's Moldau (Vltava) at the Musikverein in Vienna. Another conductor that he was very impressed with was Hans Knappertsbusch.

Berglund's conducting career began in 1949, when he founded his own chamber orchestra. In 1953, Berglund co-founded the Helsinki Chamber Orchestra (partly inspired by the Boyd Neel Orchestra).[3][4] In 1955, he was appointed Associate Conductor of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, and served as chief conductor of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1962 to 1971. Berglund became music director of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra in 1975 and held the post for four seasons. He was also conductor of the mixed voice choir of the Student Union of the University of Helsinki, The Academic Choral Society (Akateeminen Laulu) from 1959 until 1961.

Berglund (right) with the violinist Heikki Louhivuori of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra

Berglund attained notoriety as a strict orchestral disciplinarian due to his ruthless rehearsals and dedication to musical perfection. As a conductor Berglund often went beyond the printed score in the music of Jean Sibelius and others to improve on what he believed were weaknesses, especially in orchestration, colour and balance. Most orchestras he conducted responded well to his no-nonsense approach. He was tireless in studying, preparing and rehearsing. He almost always came to the orchestra with his own materials he had corrected and bowed by his own hand. He would then mark highly detailed instructions on the sheet music of each individual musician.

Berglund would certainly not always agree with composers, he felt comfortable in elaborating any nuances he considered important but which the composers had not highlighted. He believed in details: "I think we have already had our fill of mushy recordings", Berglund noted in an interview by Finnish Music Quarterly (FMQ) in 1999.

In the UK, Berglund led Sibelius Centenary Concerts with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in 1965, and became their principal conductor in 1972, concluding his tenure in Bournemouth in 1979. He significantly raised its performing standards, as can be heard from the many recordings made by it for EMI during this period. He also served as principal guest conductor of the Scottish National Orchestra, from 1981 to 1985. Berglund resigned from both the Helsinki and Bournemouth orchestras in 1979. More noticed in his native Finland was the fact that he had seemed to give up his dictatorial ways. In 1996, he was quoted as saying, "The rise in the standard of Finnish orchestras has been quite incredible...young musicians play so much better than their predecessors did." He said that his aim all along was simply to make Finnish orchestras among the best in the world.

Guest engagements saw Berglund conducting all the major North American and European orchestras, such as the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Dresden Staatskapelle, the St Petersburg and Moscow Philharmonics, the Leipzig Gewandhaus and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestras. Berglund was also a member of the Russian National Orchestra's conductor collegium.[5]

Berglund made his New York debut in 1978 with the American Symphony Orchestra at the Carnegie Hall, in a concert of Shostakovich and Sibelius.[3] From the 1990s he became a regular guest conductor in the New York Philharmonic and the Cleveland Orchestra.[6]

Berglund made over 100 recordings. In an interview for the newspaper Helsingin Sanomat in 2009, Berglund said when asked about his recordings, that the Smetana recording with the Dresden Staatskapelle is probably the best, since this was the best of the orchestras that he made recordings with.

Berglund did opera a few times. To mention the most important opera projects are Beethoven's Fidelio with Finnish National Opera in Helsinki in 2000 (with Karita Mattila, Matti Salminen, Jaakko Ryhänen) and Nielsen's Maskerade in Copenhagen.

Paavo Berglund told in a radio interview for the conductor Atso Almila, made on occasion for the 75th anniversary in 2002 of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, that he had the closest relation and friendship of contemporary Finnish composers to Joonas Kokkonen (1921–1996). The collaboration was very strong. He championed his music as much as possible and also helped him during the difficult times in life. He commissioned many of Kokkonen's works.

Berglund was also the first conductor in the early years, alongside Jukka-Pekka Saraste, for the Finnish Chamber Orchestra founded in 1990. The orchestra does not serve as a primary job for anyone, but rather as an instrument to gather top musicians to work together in an exquisite ensemble where art and quality come before routine. The orchestra consists of concertmasters and principals from leading Finnish orchestras such as the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra of the Finnish National Opera, Tapiola Sinfonietta, Avanti! and Lahti Symphony Orchestra.

Berglund also conducted the Sibelius Academy Symphony Orchestra on a few occasions.

Relationship with Jean Sibelius' music

Berglund was particularly associated with the music of Sibelius[7] and he recorded the complete Sibelius symphonies three times.[8] During the mid-1950s, Jean Sibelius heard Berglund conduct some of the symphonies and the Suite Rakastava, and told Berglund how much he had enjoyed the performances.[3] He met Sibelius at his home Ainola as a member of the delegation of the Radio Orchestra that visited Sibelius. Sibelius asked him whether they were playing any Schönberg. To this Paavo Berglund answered no. This was the whole conversation. Berglund made the first recording of the Kullervo Symphony.[9] Berglund's source-critical research on the Sibelius Seventh Symphony began in 1957, when he conducted the Seventh with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, and noticed that they were playing from parts that Sibelius had corrected. He saw that the printed parts had numerous errors. His subsequent research led to the publication of a new edition of the symphony by Hansen in 1980.[10]

In an interview in 1998 with the London Sunday Times, Berglund spoke of his interpretative ideas on the music of Jean Sibelius:

"Sibelius's music is often ruined because it's too strictly accurate. I think maybe musicians like to play like this" – he makes a series of downward vertical gestures – "but it's good to do it like this" – his hands, one above the other, oscillate gently in and out of vertical alignment. "Accuracy against atmosphere: it's not that simple. The early Sibelius conductor Georg Schneevoigt once complained that he couldn't get the details out of Sibelius's scores. Sibelius said that he should simply swim in the gravy."

Berglund was highly regarded as an authority on Jean Sibelius by other conductors, including Sir Simon Rattle.[10]

Berglund sometimes courted controversy with his re-touching of orchestral parts; as he said in a Gramophone interview in October 1978, "Sibelius was a superb orchestrator, but right up to the very end he made strange dynamics which I find I have to change. In the Second Symphony you don't have to alter so much, but funnily enough there is a lot that needs altering in the Seventh Symphony ... My attitude was "werktreu" which in German means roughly 'be true to the work'. But you see, the composers didn't always know; they could have given it more thought. Bruckner, when things were suggested to him by Lowe and Schalk (who were certainly not stupid) told them to go ahead and do it. Maybe he was weak and should have argued sometimes a little bit more, but on the other hand many of their suggestions are fine." And his passionate approach to the score brought him admiration from fellow Finns, Jukka-Pekka Saraste and Osmo Vänskä, as well as from one of the finest Sibelians, Sir Simon Rattle.

He collaborated with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe in recordings of the complete symphonies of Jean Sibelius[11] and Johannes Brahms.[12] The origin for the Sibelius recordings were made when Berglund conducted the orchestra at the Edinburgh Festival in a complete cycle of the Sibelius symphonies. What was especially notable was using smaller string forces than usual in some of the symphonies. The result was highly praised.

Berglund's early Sibelius interpretations are more dark and heavy. Later on he discovered a new style. While other conductors often go for the big effects in Sibelius, Berglund started to love the clarity that could be achieved with an orchestra of about 50 players.

In general he was known for preferring gut strings in string instruments and the sparse use of vibrato. He often said that the use of vibrato hides faults and mistakes.

Mr Berglund was one of the jury members in the 1st International Sibelius Conductors' Competition[13] held in 1995.

Last performance

Paavo Berglund conducted his last concert in the Pleyel Concert Hall in Paris on 1 June 2007. The orchestra was the French Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. The program included the Brahms Violin Concerto with Christian Tetzlaff as a soloist and Sibelius' Symphony No. 4. In an interview made on his 80th birthday by the Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE, Berglund said that the playing in the Sibelius was almost perfect Sibelius playing. The concert was recorded by French Radio.

Selected remembrances and legends

As told by the UK newspaper The Independent, the pianist Ralf Gothóni once performed the Franck Violin Sonata with him and was surprised to find that he "played the first movement with a right-hand violin and the second movement with a left-hand violin. The difference of quality was not notable!". The Independent also writes that Ralf Gothóni recalled the effects of Berglund's rigour: he "had a very strong and demanding consciousness of musical laws. It was a great challenge to play with him – and not always easy for the 'freedom-loving' desires of the soloist". He looked severe, too, bent forward in concentration, his left arm holding the baton almost as if warning the orchestra. And in interviews he could be terse to the point of monosyllabism.

But this apparently stern figure had a warmer side, as the cellist Anssi Karttunen remembered: "although he seemed to be always, and I mean always, working, he was a very warm and caring friend of the family, always interested to discuss books, reflexology or philosophy with my wife or have a conversation with our daughter."

Waiting for the train to Leningrad in 1963: from left to right, intendant Aulis Sallinen, conductor Berglund, violinist Pertti Kiri

He gave the composer Aulis Sallinen (once manager of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra) an unlikely cause for worry at the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra: "Paavo Berglund had only one hobby: football. He used to follow on TV British football matches. He also established a football team inside the orchestra. They used to arrange matches even during our tours. The manager (thinking of broken knees and fingers) did not love the idea."

Jukka-Pekka Saraste remembers Paavo Berglund when at the start of his career: "When spring came, I went to a concert of London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Paavo Berglund. They performed Sibelius' 5th Symphony, Violin Concerto with Ida Handel as soloist and the Daughter of Pohjola. Berglund had the reputation of being unapproachable. Nevertheless, I dared to introduce myself after the concert and found him direct and friendly. "A Finn? Give me a moment, I need to piss and wash my hands". He took me to Aberdeen Steak House which was nearby to have a steak with him. "Would you like coffee for dessert?", he asked and pulled out a pack of Finnish coffee and a coffeefilter from his briefcase. He ordered some hot water, and no matter how much the head waiter praised the restaurant's coffee selection, they were not good enough. "You Englishmen don't know how to roast coffee, you ruin it by burning it." Known as scary and stern person Berglund told me a surprising truth between topics: "When conducting, always remember to maintain a positive attitude."

Esa-Pekka Salonen told in a video interview for the Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE when asked to remember Paavo, that the epithet closest to him is a constant searching, the endless curiosity, need for new information and self criticism. Of his self criticism can be said that he never stayed with one idea, in his career a pattern of building new things on top of old ones can be clearly seen. Layer by layer. Searching for the ultimate truth, that eventually of course cannot be found. But the point being in the persistent and open-minded search of the truth.

Remembrances from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra: Berglund's performances and recordings of Sibelius with the BSO are legendary and his death was announced as the orchestra played Sibelius' Fifth Symphony with Kirill Karabits (who himself worked with Paavo in Budapest). The music parts being used by the BSO are the ones used by Paavo himself, and the orchestra dedicated its concerts on 26 January in Cheltenham, and 27 January at Portsmouth Guildhall to his memory.

Roger Preston, Co-Principal Cello, who worked with Paavo on many occasions, said:

Anyone who played with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in the largest wooden church in the world, Kerimäki Church, Finland, as part of the BSO's 1981 tour will tell that it was a truly unforgettable experience. On this tour we played all the Sibelius' Symphonies, with Paavo on spectacular form. This particular concert featured Sibelius' Fourth Symphony plus the Violin Concerto played superbly by Ida Haendel.
I joined the BSO in 1979, as much because I had seen and heard them play under Berglund and knew that he (and they!) were quite exceptional. Many of Paavo's comments, criticisms and demands are as fresh in my mind as though it were only yesterday.

He remains, for me one of the best, if not the best conductor that I have ever played for and am so grateful to have caught the latter days of Paavo's extraordinarily fruitful relationship with the BSO. For any string players reading this, I particularly loved it when he used to say, "violins, you play like in a telephone booth", ie use much more bow!

Newspaper Helsingin Sanomat told in their 80th year birthday interview of Paavo Berglund that his one time assistant from Bournemouth, Simon Rattle, calls him "one of the last great", and uses Berglund's bowings in his Sibelius performances, like many other superstars. The Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra always gets very suspicious when a visiting maestro wants to change Paavo's Sibelius markings. The visiting maestro is silenced by saying that the markings are Sibelius'.

The late Finnish music critic Seppo Heikinheimo writes in his book "Mätämunan muistelmat, 1997" on page 174: A story about Berglund is often told:

When a wealthy female conductor spent a few weeks in Finland, and was daily visiting both the Helsinki orchestras and their offices to see whether she could be thought of as a guest conductor. No one really dared to say that she was not really needed, but only in the Radio Orchestra they came up with the idea of sending her to talk to chief conductor Berglund. Berglund greets and welcomes her with a hopegiving murderly look, typical of him. They sit down, and she picks up her CV and concert review copies and gives them to him. Berglund pushes them away and say: "These won't be needed. Make me only one list". "Yes of course", she responds. "What kind of a list?" she asks. "A list of all the important orchestras you have conducted twice!" he says.

His daughter Liisa Kylmänen told in a video interview for the Finnish Broadcasting Company when asked to remember her father, that he very strongly experienced the closeness to Estonians as a sister- or brotherpeople to Finns. That one as a Finn has to take great care of them. This was during the occupation and early independent years. And she tells he visited Tallinn a few times for free or taking only a small fee of his conducting. And for some of his Sibelius Kullervo performances he insisted of having an Estonian Choir, and that they must be paid a really good fee.

Paavo Berglund was godfather to the Estonian conductor Paavo Järvi.

Pro memoriam [?]

Berglund is said to have maintained his interest in music until the very end; he had news on musicians of younger generations read to him daily. In addition to his family Berglund will be missed by musicians, orchestras, colleagues and audiences all over the world. The representative of the old, authoritarian school conductor can still be heard and appreciated through his extensive recordings.

The Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat interviewed the conductor Kurt Masur by telephone from Leipzig on occasion of the passing of Mr Berglund. "Paavo was one of my oldest friends. The world has lost one of its greatest conductors, and my thoughts are with his wife Kirsti and his family", said Mr Masur.

Berglund was buried in Helsinki on February 4, 2012.

He was survived by his wife, Kirsti; son, Juha; daughters, Liisa Kylmänen and Eeva Berglund; and five grandchildren.

Selected instruments

In 2005, the Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation bought a violin from Mr Berglund, which was built in 1732 by Carlo Bergonzi (1683–1747). Before him the violin was owned by Isaac Stern. Violin maker Ilkka Vainio has said that the violin is an example of a masterpiece, the best he has personally known. The violin has maintained its original condition, even the lacquer is still mostly intact. According to Petteri Iivonen, who has played the instrument, the violin has a warm sound yet can endure even a rougher style of play. The violin is lent to a musician for three years at a time. The first was Pietari Inkinen who had the violin during years 2005 to 2009. In spring 2009, the violin was handed over to Petteri Iivonen. The foundation lends the violin by announcing it on the daily newspapers, musical publications and on its website. Interested musicians may apply to enjoy the violin for the said period of time. A knowledgeable jury decides on the musician who will have the violin.

According to the Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE, Berglund's Stradivarius violin was sold by his heirs in 2012 to the Finnish Cultural Foundation for 1.8 million euros. At the same time the performing artist's rights to Berglund's recordings as well as his valuable collection of orchestral sheet music were donated to the foundation. The latter material will be made available to researchers in ten years' time. The violin will be named Stradivarius ex. Berglund. Mr Berglund's son Juha Berglund, the spokesperson for the family, says that his father had several instruments, but the Stradivari was the dearest to him. Mr Berglund's specific wish was that the violin should stay in Finland. The violin was built in around 1700. The violin is in exceptionally good condition for its age.

Awards and honours

Selected discography

Selected video recordings

Selected published works

Selected first performances

References

  1. ↑ Sirén, Vesa (2012-01-26). "Kapellimestari Paavo Berglund on kuollut" (in Finnish). Helsingin Sanomat. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  2. ↑ Wimbush R. Here and There: Paarvo [sic] Berglund. Gramophone, June 1971, p 22.
  3. 1 2 3 Nott C. Here and There: Paavo Berglund. Gramophone, October 1978, p. 658.
  4. ↑ Denby, Richards (1968). The music of Finland. H. Evelyn. p. 74.
  5. ↑ Vadim Prokhorov (18 March 2004). "Batons at dawn". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2007-09-01.
  6. 1 2 "Paavo Berglund". ex.Virtual Finland. Archived from the original on February 25, 2008. 2008-archived at Wayback Machine
  7. ↑ "Paavo Berglund". The Daily Telegraph. London. 2012-01-31.
  8. ↑ Tim Ashley (11 November 2005). "Sibelius: Symphonies Nos 2 and 7, LPO/ Berglund". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2010-05-16.
  9. ↑ Ottaway, Hugh, Review of HMV recording of Kullervo (1971). The Musical Times, 112 (1544): p. 975.
  10. 1 2 Vesa Sirén (1999). "Sibelius – the View from the Podium". Finnish Music Quarterly. Retrieved 2010-05-16.
  11. ↑ A.A. (October 1998). "Back to Sibelius". Gramophone. Retrieved 2010-05-16.
  12. ↑ Andrew Clements (20 July 2001). "Chamber of wonders". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-09-01.
  13. ↑ http://www.sibeliusconductorscompetition.org/
  14. ↑ Y, YL Male Voice Choir Website retrieved 10/04/09.
  15. ↑ http://www.musiikkitalo.fi/web/en/rehearsal-room


Preceded by
Nils-Eric Fougstedt		 Principal Conductor, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
1962–1971 		Succeeded by
Okko Kamu
Preceded by
Constantin Silvestri		 Principal Conductor, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
1972–1979 		Succeeded by
Uri Segal
Preceded by
Jorma Panula		 Music Director, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
1975–1979 		Succeeded by
Ulf Söderblom
Preceded by
Yuri Ahronovich		 Principal Conductor, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
1987–1990 		Succeeded by
Gennadi Rozhdestvensky
Preceded by
John Frandsen		 Principal Conductor, Royal Danish Orchestra
1993–1998 		Succeeded by
Michael Schønwandt
Preceded by
unknown		 Principal Guest Conductor, Scottish National Orchestra
1981–1985 		Succeeded by
unknown
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