75th anniversary of Yuri Khatuevich Temirkanov

Today is 75th anniversary of Yuri Khatuevich Temirkanov, a unique person, a fantastic musician, one of the most outstanding conductors in the world.

Temirkanov is a legend. Pupil of our great Russian Musin conductor school, he became the Patriarch of conducting who fostered a whole galaxy of unique conductors of the world level. Head for the past quarter of a century of one of the most honored and respected orchestras in Russia. Bright interpreter of Russian and foreign music, the unique interpreter of the symphony programs, which entered the history of music as a reference. One of the last of the Great Romantics on the stage.

It is the great happiness that I have the opportunity to talk to you and consider myself a close friend of yours for the past 10 years, and play along with various orchestras, first and foremost, of course, with Your pride, honored orchestra of St. Petersburg Philharmonic. It is a great honour for me to go on stage with the orchestra, because each concert turns into a unique living playing music. I’ve always shared your idea, that spontaneous birth of interpretation on the stage is the most important thing in creative work. And, indeed, on the rehearsals with You orchestra and soloist get what can be called a «sense of fraternity», a sense of teamwork. But the main miracle of birth of the music is created in an auditorium. And every concert with You, Maestro, offering Your unique interpretation and fantastically supporting my interpretation on the stage - this is primarily an invaluable lesson and simultaneously an endless happiness for me. 

I want to congratulate You, and wish to remain the same romantic, with a surprisingly subtle ironic note, save Your fantastic sense of humor and an amazing ability to speak and play «between the lines». I wish You to be on stage as long as possible and sincerely hope that we’ll have a lot of new projects and performances together.

This day we can't but mention. December 14, together with amazing musicians on the stage of the Great Hall of the St Petersburg Philharmonic, we will perform a concert for George Khatuevich, which according a long-established tradition he will watch from his personal theatre box. I am looking forward for this concert. Broadcast of the concert can be seen on the TV channel «Culture» on the same day, December 14.

I wish You health, amazing concerts and marvelous romanticism and as always joint improvisations on stage!

Embrace You,

Your Denis Matsuev.