Interview of Sir John Eliot Gardiner

Interviewed by Alan Macfarlane on 16 June 2015, edited by Sarah Harrison

[@chrisjohnson4165]

Wonderful! I was a friend of John Eliot's late sister, and stayed at Springhead House many times. I'm also lucky enough to make batons for him. Thank you for posting this.

[@suzyserling277]

Your comment is so touching! I have admired Sir John Eliot Gardiner for many years!; as a historian , of course as a conductor; what I love is the fact that he refers to some psychological elements and processes with an honest approach!. Wonderful person!. Take care.

[@tatalito]

love you Sir Eliot Gardiner, the GREATEST ONE!

[@jessnob5784]

Dude, listen to what he says )). John Eliot is the name, Gardiner is the surname

[@Hanoszka]

Wow, it was such a lovely way of getting to know him :) What a down to Earth man, who loves music (and is clearly extremely well educated and culturated), but does it in a non pretentious way!

[@AlexandrosV]

What a FANTASTIC interview with the greatest conductor ever! John Eliot is so fantastically down to earth! Simply the best!

[@AlexandrosV]

@@theodosios2615 I know some of his musicians. He is strict, but if he would be as the media tries to paint him, people would not come back to him again and again

[@bocettic.9465]

Dear Protos Talos: Could you give some links of this side of him?

[@MorganHayes_Composer.Pianist]

@@bocettic.9465 the latest incident involving a bass in Les Troyens. plus a few years back, a trumpeter in the LSO. He comes across very affable in all the interviews i've seen, and his book on JS Bach is masterly. Just goes to show how complex and contradictory people can be!

[@windstorm1000]

wonderful interview of a great conductor--

[@jessnob5784]

I've watched it like 100 times already. JEG seems to have this personality that grabs you and never lets go, even from your computer display

[@NatalyaAlbertti]

Totally agree, I've watched it many times too

[@Bachsoboe]

Great interview. Thanks for uploading!

[@gloria7094]

Nigel Birmingham

[@ollehedstrom3536]

Yes, what an interesting interview with Mr Gardiner. A very long one. At the beginning I thought I wouldn’t last to the end, but I did because it was so informative and instructive!

[@keistanreeves2610]

I have always admired John's work, the whole ethos his endevers are truly inspirational. Many thanks! Kez .🎼✌️✡️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🍷

[@lynnepatterson4060]

fascinating; what an erudite and original man

[@eduardopoblete8839]

Eduardo Poblete de Chile, ni admiración al gran maestro Gardiner, por su entrega, dedicación y análisis de la música

[@pacoandrade3134]

He's one of the last living prodigies!! Grande maestro Gardiner!!

[@peterstuy1831]

GRANDE GARDINER

[@Oliver-jm1sq]

Please interview Sir Mark Elder if possible. He is a graduate of Corpus Christi college, principal conductor of The Halle orchestra, conducted the proms many times.

[@peaveawwii1]

He is a true English man

[@geospot4679]

Hugely interesting.

[@eduardopoblete8839]

Eduardo Poblete de Chile, el próximo año, en noviembre 2019 vendrá a Santiago de Chile, lo esperamos con ansias, espero tener su libro sobre Bach en mi poder para que lo firme e intercambiar visiones sobre música , pero lo más importante, es escucharlo a él...

[@chrish12345]

Alan is quite right when he says that Beethoven said that he revered Handel above all others, yet look at the large number of works where Beethoven quotes from Bach (even the times when it has been thought he has been quoting from Handel but in fact been quoting from Bach), look at his attempts in op.106 and other later works to out-do Bach in fugue writing. He did manage to integrate the fugal form into his works in his own way without perhaps ever really climbing to the heights of Bach in these terms. Mozart is particular never seemed to recover from his encounters with Bach's music. Maybe Bach's influence on Beethoven is his very own purloined letter, subtly disavowed yet glaringly obvious.

[@shnimmuc]

chrish12345, You are obviously a Bach person who enjoys moving Handel into Bach`s shadow. The two epic baroque masters are equal in that they are very different, but Bach people always compare B&H on Bach`s terms. There is far more to the Baroque Period then the fugue and the canon. By the way, Mozart never got over either Handel or Bach., and Beethoven`s music is far more akin to Handel`s with it`s drama and sweep.

[@phil200940]

Illuminating!

[@introsig7696]

So, was he from the aristocracy?

[@happynew5846]

What do you mean 'was'?

[@hobhood7118]

"On 24 August 2023 he withdrew from all engagements in 2023, including The Proms, amid accusations he slapped and punched in the face bass singer William Thomas as Thomas exited the podium on the wrong side after a concert in France" (Wikipedia). While I am not disputing his manifold talents as an artist he is a notoriously unpleasant person.

[@edruaneinkerry]

Mozart?