Christopher Hogwood

Álvaro Teixeira: Do you remember the integral of Mozart's symphonies that you recorded many years ago?

Christopher Hogwood: It was the first integral with instruments of the time and it was very complete. We recorded the different versions that exist of the movements of some symphonies. People were surprised.

AT In this concert you conduct Prokofiev. Why Prokofiev and Haydn?

CH Because Prokofiev was very fond of Haydn, and a classical symphony by Haydn is a very good combination. I like to mix classical works with 20th century works. I do a lot of programs mixing classical and ancient with neo-classical works. Haydn and Prokofiev, Haydn and Stravinsky, Haendel and Hindemith, Telemann and Martinu, and other combinations.

AT You have never performed contemporary music? Just neo-classics like that?

CH I have directed world premieres of contemporary works. For example by John Woolrich. But I've also directed works by Schnittke, Ligetti, Pendereki...

AT Some directors started with ancient music and then moved on to contemporary. Very few. Most stay in the Romantics...

CH When I was a student I played a lot of contemporary music. So for me it's not new to perform contemporary repertoire. Nowadays I do very few concerts using historical instruments.

AT Why?

CH There aren't many orchestras that use historical instruments and most of the ones that do don't need a conductor.

AT But you conducted Mozart's symphonies...

CH From the harpsichord...

AT That's right! And Jaap Schroder was the concertmaster.

CH Exactly.

AT Do you regularly conduct this orchestra (Kammerorchestra Basel)?

CH Yes. In works that also include recordings. We have recorded about six CDs.

AT Do you live in the UK?

CH Yes, I am a teacher in Cambridge and I live there.

AT Does the Academy of Ancient Music still exist?

CH Yes, of course. Right now they're playing in Holland, if I'm not mistaken. They play a lot. But I'm not part of it anymore.

AT But you are not the artistic director?!

CH No. The new director is Richard Egarr.

AT The harpsichordist?!

CH Yes. He's been the new director since September.

AT It used to be Manze, Andrew Manze, violinist, but Christopher Hogwood's name always appeared as the artistic director.

CH I was director when Manze was the konzertmeister. Now Richard Egarr is the new director.

AT This is news to me... Well... Do you conduct symphony orchestras?

CH Yes. And I also often conduct operas. In Paris, at the Scalla...

AT Which opera did you do at the Scalla?

CH Dido and Aeneas, by Purcel.

AT But that's old music. Modern ones, did you do any?

CH Stravinsky's Rake's Progress. I also work regularly with the Tonhalle in Zurich.

AT What do you think about the current musical situation in Europe?

CH It would take a week to answer that question, but I suppose every country needs more financial support. Everywhere there are problems related to this. In many countries there are problems with the teaching of music. I don't know what the situation is in Portugal. In Spain it's bad. In Italy it's no better... Teaching children well is expensive but it's necessary.

AT In the UK the government doesn't give much money to orchestras. It's more the sponsors... And it seems to work well...

CH Each orchestra spends a lot of time to find sponsors. Time that should be better used. It's a shame... Then people don't know what that means. They think that the sponsors should choose the programs, which can never happen. Sponsors have to listen to the music that the artists want to play. Being a sponsor doesn't mean being able to choose the program. The orientation of an orchestra cannot be changed by the wishes of the sponsors.

AT But, for example, if you look at the French orchestras... The state gives them a lot of money and they are still not as good as you would expect...

(laughs)

CH But the British government also gives a lot of money to opera houses. To support an opera house you need a lot of money and in London there are two opera houses. London has five symphony orchestras. That's a lot for one city! In France it is different because it is a big country and the orchestras are better distributed.

AT In London the operas are always full...

CH They are full, but they still need sponsors! People have no idea how much money it takes to run an opera house. They don't realize that the ticket they buy doesn't pay for the costs.

AT Should money continue to be spent on opera?

CH Yes. I enjoy directing operas. There are some very good modern operas. Sometimes they are strange productions but full of imagination. Contemporary opera production is very active. So is dance. Young people like it and go very often. Opera is more popular with young people than symphonic music.