Celebrating Czech Music's Centennial
The Czech Philharmonic is currently on a North American tour to mark the end of the 100th anniversary Year of Czech Music. This event, held every decade in the year ending in 4, showcases the rich musical heritage of the Czech Republic. Bychkov, despite having undergone lumbar decompression surgery in September after finishing the new production of Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde" at the Bayreuth Festival, is leading the orchestra with determination. He limps slightly at Carnegie Hall this week, using a podium railing and music stands for support as he moves on and off the stage. After the tour, he is scheduled to have a hip replacement.The Connection to Czech Composers
Czech composers have a unique connection to years ending in 4. Bedřich Smetana was born in 1824 and died in 1884, Leoš Janáček in 1854, and Antonín Dvořák in 1904. Bychkov's tour programs feature these great composers along with Gustav Mahler, who was born in what is now the Czech Republic. This connection adds a special significance to the tour.Bychkov believes that the music is an innate part of his musicians. He cited the Vltava (Moldau) section of Smetana's "Má vlast (My country)," which premiered in 1875. "They were still playing from the original parts. You can hardly see the notes," he said. This shows the timelessness and depth of Czech music.
Precision and Perfection
When Bychkov introduced a new critical edition, he caused a bit of panic in the orchestra. Jana Boušková, the harp leader since 2005, said, "He really thinks about every single note and he wants preciseness and really wants everything to be perfect." This attention to detail is what sets him apart as a conductor.Bychkov was born in Leningrad to Jewish parents and his family left Russia for Vienna in 1974, then settled in the U.S. one year later. He attended the Mannes School of Music and got to know Julius Rudel, New York City Opera's general director. He became music director of the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra from 1980-85 and gained U.S. citizenship.
Career Highlights
Bychkov made his Berlin Philharmonic debut on Jan. 8, 1985, as a replacement for Riccardo Muti. In 1969, he was arrested while trying to sneak through an open window into a Berlin Phil concert led by Herbert von Karajan. A few weeks after his Berlin debut, he returned to the Philharmonie when Eugen Jochum canceled and met Karajan for the first time.He succeeded Rudel as music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra from 1985-89 and then took similar roles at the Orchestre de Paris from 1989-98 and the WDR Symphony Orchestra in Cologne, Germany, from 1997-2010. He first conducted the Czech Philharmonic in 2013 and was appointed chief conductor in 2017-18.
The Orchestral Connection
When Josef Špaček, one of the first concertmasters, entered Bychkov's dressing room after a performance, he expressed the orchestra's desire for Bychkov to be their next music director. "You bring the best in us and we'd like you to be our next music director and we want you to be our daddy," Špaček said. Bychkov, who had no thoughts of accepting a permanent position since leaving Cologne in 2013, was touched by the orchestra's request.Off stage, Bychkov is a chain-smoker, but on the podium, he is elegant with balletic side-to-side arm sweeps. He wears loose black clothes resembling pajamas, and his bushy gray hair is accentuated by the lights. His tenure as chief conductor of the Czech Philharmonic will have spanned a decade by the end of 2027-28.
Personal Life and Favorites
Bychkov lives on the French Basque coast with his second wife, pianist Marielle Labèque. His favorite airport is in Biarritz. "Why? Because when I arrive, 15 minutes later I'm in my house," he said. But it's also the one he hates most. "Because every time I leave, I'm depressed."