Herbert Blomstedt began his conducting career as the 27-year-old chief conductor of the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra in the mid-1950s. There he laid the foundation for an international reputation that later led him to leading orchestras in several of the world's music capitals.
"That's where I started my career. It was my first orchestra and I have many wonderful memories from there," he says.
Give back
On March 25 and 26, he will conduct Brahms's Symphony No. 3 and No. 4 at De Geerhallen. Conducting the orchestra again is a way of giving back, especially as the orchestra has struggled with financial difficulties and threats of closure, he says:
"They have survived, and that makes me very happy, of course. But they need a lot of support to show how talented they are, and my visit is part of that support,"
Herbert Blomstedt describes his time in Norrköping as crucial for his artistic development. When other major orchestras were hesitant about young, untested conductors, the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra welcomed him with open arms.
"They were very happy and inspired to work with a young conductor. It was a huge boost for me to receive such wonderful support from the musicians," he says.
Despite his advanced age, Herbert Blomstedt is still active and in international demand. How does he manage?
"It's thanks to the music. The music we play is simply masterpieces. I go into it wholeheartedly, and the music gives back 150 percent," he says.
Beginner
However, the 98-year-old still sees himself as a beginner before every new project. If you think you're a complete expert, then you might as well quit, he believes.
"It's a death knell for a musician. I'm always a beginner, every time I start a program. I have more and more experience, but at the same time it demands more of me. It's a good spiral,"
The visit to Norrköping is also being followed by a documentary film crew from the BBC.
"They probably think it's an exciting undertaking, with an almost 100-year-old conductor making a fresh start with the same orchestra he began with," says Herbert Blomstedt.
Facts: Herbert Blomstedt
Born: In Massachusetts, USA, 1927.
Occupation: Conductor.
Selected background: Made his debut with the Royal Swedish Philharmonic Orchestra in 1954. He has been guest conductor with, among others, the Berlin Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony, the Chicago Symphony, the New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra. He has been chief conductor of, among others, the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, the Oslo Philharmonic, the Staatskapelle Dresden and the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig.
Current: Conducting the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra on March 25–26.
