I have never met Maestro Ozawa, but I feel like I know him and have an incredible fondness for him. I grew up in Boston at the time he took over the podium there, and I can remember the controversy over his personal style and his breaking with old conducting traditions. I watched him on public television early in his tenure at the BSO, and I recall my father telling me about how his turtlenecks and love beads were radical, but he was going to be great for the orchestra. And now here we are! I think Maestro Ozawa gave the BSO the best of both worlds. They retained some of their Old World feel, especially in the strings, perhaps also due in part to the psychoacoustics associated with the shoebox layout of Symphony Hall, which gave them a signature sound not unlike Vienna. But expanding their repertoire into the Russian and French composers built the woodwinds in an entirely new direction that also contributed to a unique sound, brighter than before. Ozawa has a kind of youthful exuberance and willingness to explore that made the orchestra what it is today. I've seen many of the great conductors live, including Bernstein, Solti, and Haitink, but Ozawa remains my favorite.
It was so nice to see this talk. I read the book "Owaranai Natsu," " never ending summer" in English, written by Ozawa's daughter. Though I never had a chance to listen to Maestro Ozawa's live performance, but this interview helps me understand how music has been passed on and carry on to the next generation.
Incredible interview. I loved him since I heard him conduct Bolero at Tanglewood. Thanks for this wonderful interview that ai am watching so soon after his passing, a sad loss to our world.
I had the great honor to study at Tanglewood 1993 & 1994. It was during this time that I got my respect for Maestro Ozawa. Watching and listening to him make music moved/touched me deeply, and he will always have my musical heart & respect. Thank you for making this video 👍
What strikes me about this interview is appreciating how worldly classical musicians are and how open they are to absorbing the best from all cultures. That’s more common than not.
Seiji Ozawa is above all -- the greatest conductor in the history of the orchestra music category. If only he could continue to pass on the baton, he can still be able to conduct. After all, so many wind orchestras like the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra and the Philharmonic Youth Winds have their own conductors who leads the music with a baton -- but not Seiji Ozawa. He could do that using just his own hands. Whether it is in Broadway musicals, orchestra plays, or any Shiki musical plays, Mr. Seiji Ozawa's got it. Imagine this -- Seiji Ozawa, in a hall of windwood, stringed and percussion instruments that make up the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra, about to play the Little Mermaid's "Part of Your World" in its Shiki musical form by one Japanese singer who plays Ariel. If Seiji Ozawa can't quit -- neither will us. He can conduct great music at top notch.
"THE greatest conductor in the history of the orchestra music"... ABSURD ! He's surely a GREAT conductor... but saying "THE greatest" doesn't make sense.
Seiji Ozawa lives in Seijo, which is one of the famous place for the wealthy in Tokyo. I'm amazed. I've forgotten him completely until I happened to see his photo from some story related to his son in a magazine.
