In conversation

At age 35, British conductor Daniel Harding has led the world's great orchestras. His current positions include principal guest conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra and principal conductor of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. His longest-standing collaboration, however, is with arguably the world's youngest major orchestra, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, having worked with it since its founding in 1997.

In a three-year residency in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and its principal conductor gave wildly cheered performances in Dortmund and Essen in late May 2011. Deutsche Welle spoke with Harding there.


Deutsche Welle: How would you describe the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, and your relationship to it?

Harding: The orchestra is as old as the time we've been working together. That is to say, what, 14 years? ... We've known know each other since we were basically just trying to finish being kids. Over the years, we got to know each others' way of making music very well, but we've also seen it change, and I think we've grown and changed together.

Selfishly, the thing that stands out for me about working with the MCO is that this is the place where I feel I can work and be myself. It's not the only place, but its one of the places. It’s a group of people who are wonderful players, who are very dedicated to the music they play, and dedicated to the group.

Compared to many orchestras, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra is known for its relative youth.

I often hear it said about the orchestra, 'Oh they are special because they're young, and they're curious, and they're energetic.' I don’t really know what that means. Another thing is I'm acutely aware of is the fact that we're not nearly as young as we were when we started! And however young we are now, we ain't gonna be young for long… so I do hope that there's something that's more interesting than just being young.

Speaking of youth, most conductors start their careers much later than you did. Can you imagine doing this for another 60 years?

I guess I made my professional debut when I was 17, which means that in one way or another I've been conducting for more than half my life. And the weird thing is - no, not weird at all - the kind of frustrating thing is, I still look back on pretty much everything I did before six months ago, and think: 'Well, up until that point I hadn't got a clue about how this works, and maybe now I'm just starting to figure it out.'

But that happens every six months! And you look back and think, 'Goodness, I don't know how anybody put up with me back then.' And in a way I hope that never stops. I think it's wonderful if you can look back and be embarrassed -- if you know why you are embarrassed. Because it means hopefully then you've made some kind of progress. So in that sense, yeah, another 60 years, that's nothing.

Several young conductors are making headlines these days - for example Gustavo Dudamel, Robin Ticciati, and you. It has set off something of a 'young conductors: for or against?' debate in the culture press. Where do you stand?

I think starting young has its advantages. It takes a long time to learn how to do this, and these big pieces take a long time to figure out. And I don't think just starting when you're older is the shortcut. I think a lot of it has to do with time and experience.

In my case I started young, and I hope that gives me a chance to have a good run at it. But I don't think that any number of human years is every going to be enough to feel that you've got anywhere near the challenge.

People have been playing great works of Mozart, Bach and Beethoven for hundreds of years, and nobody has solved them. So why do we think that being 70 is going to be the key to it? We all of us come along in our own little way, and try to contribute to the general understanding and love of these great pieces. And that's all you can do.

What motivates you as a conductor?

I suppose I play music because I love it. And because it makes me happy and makes me feel fulfilled. I think it's a natural human need, when you experience something and find it beautiful - or you find it terrifying or upsetting - to share it.

It's this thing: You hear a piece of music in your head a certain way, and it makes you so inspired. It's not enough to have it inside, you need to get it outside. You say to other people, 'Do you hear that? Do you hear what I hear?' And for me that is when I come alive.

When you are conducting, do you ever have a moment when you are completely transported? And if so, is that moment private or public?

I don't think I know the answer. There are concerts where it takes incredible concentration and it's very hard work, and there are concerts where things just seem to flow in a totally self-explanatory way. There are concerts that feel great, and concerts that feel awful. There are concerts which you find terribly moving and concerts where you feel very detached. And the weird thing is, the way that you feel it is, doesn't seem to relate to the way that anyone else perceives it. So I don't know how much of that matters for anyone else.

I know there is a physical or emotional addiction to conducting. I do it because I love the feeling it gives me. To be physically involved with the music is a wonderful thing. And every musician knows there is a very important relationship between those of us playing on stage and the people who are listening. It's not easy to quantify but everybody knows the difference between those evenings where there is a connection with the audience and those evenings where there isn't.

Enjoyment is a massive part of it. But we enjoy the pain as much as the pleasure.

Rick Fulker interviewed Daniel Harding
Editor: Jennifer Abramsohn