Pierre Monteux – a Personal Souvenir
In this Music Preserved podcast, the distinguished conductor Maestro David Zinman recalls
his three years as the assistant conductor to the legendary Pierre Monteux, with whom he
had studied for six years previously. He is in conversation with one of today’s most brilliant
young conductors Henry Kennedy, who has just been appointed Resident Conductor of the
National Arts Centre Orchestra in Canada. Also taking part is documentary producer Jon
Tolansky, who was present in the audience, as also was Maestro Zinman, when, on the 29 th
of May 1963, Monteux conducted the unique historic 50 th anniversary performance of
Stravinsky’s Le sacre du printemps, which he had famously conducted exactly half a century
earlier at its notorious scandalous premiere. An extract from Music Preserved’s archive-
recording of the 50 th anniversary event is included in the podcast, as also are extracts from
its recordings of Monteux conducting Haydn’s Symphony No 104 and Beethoven’s
Symphony No 6, and additionally clips of Monteux rehearsing Dvorak’s Symphony No 7.
Participants: David Zinman
Jon Tolansky
Henry Kennedy