September 3, 1958
MITROPOULOS: (From a review by Minos Dounias of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra concert at the Herod Atticus Theater, directed by Dimitris Mitropoulos) – «… As soon as Mitropoulos lifted his baton for Beethoven’s Second Symphony to begin, everyone immediately realized that the entire orchestra was hypnotized by a personality that exhudes music. One wonders how this difficult piece that is so tender but also so passionate, could flow with such positive clarity, while the leader appeared to remain just an observer of the events. Although Mitropoulos uses a baton, he rarely allows it to play its customary role as he avoids dictating the rhythm with movement. He prefers to conduct everything with his left hand – literally shaping the sound with his hand; he makes it a visible incarnation of his intentions. Obviously there are many risks inherent in this «expressive» technique, particularly in an open-air theater and in a premiere performance. There was much that was rhythmically indistinct, but nevertheless the musical content was delivered with a vibrant energy and ultimately, this is what is important in art.
