Previn Quits as Philharmonic Music Director

Citing dissatisfaction with the administration of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Music Director Andre Previn unexpectedly resigned his post Tuesday.

Previn’s decision to abandon the $500,000-a-year-plus position that he held for only three years caught much of the Los Angeles and international music worlds by surprise. It has been widely rumored in music circles that Previn clashed with the Philharmonic’s longtime managing director, Ernest Fleischmann, but the conductor just last year signed a new contract extending his term through the end of the 1990-91 season.

The resignation is effective at the end of the 1988-89 season on June 4, but Previn’s last appearance with the Philharmonic as music director will be May 7 at the Music Center, conducting music by Beethoven and Richard Strauss, with Jessye Norman as guest soloist. After that, Previn, who turned 60 this month, will continue to appear with the orchestra as a guest conductor.

“I have decided that, in the current structure of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, it has become obvious to me (that) there is no room for a music director,” Previn told the orchestra’s Board of Directors, according to a statement released by the Philharmonic.

Reached late Tuesday afternoon after a recording session, Previn said, “the statement in the press release was totally self-explanatory.”

When it was observed that the musicians seemed upset, and even hostile, Previn responded, “Well, I am too.”

Michael J. Connell, president of the Philharmonic board, said, “We regret he (Previn) is relinquishing his post as music director, but we are delighted that he will continue with the orchestra for substantial periods as a guest conductor.”

Officials said they will immediately launch a search for a replacement. That undertaking promises to be a difficult one, however, because Previn’s move forces the 70-year-old Philharmonic to go looking for a music director at an unusual time when top music organizations based in New York, Paris, Berlin and elsewhere are also searching for new principal conductors.

All will be making their selections from a very limited group of world-class conductors. Among the names being mentioned in the music world as possible replacements for Previn are Esa-Pekka Salonen, a young Finnish conductor who appeared with the Philharmonic last season, or, less likely, the adventurous Simon Rattle, music director of the City of Birmingham (England) Symphony orchestra and the Philharmonic’s principal guest conductor.

Acknowledge Discord

In interviews with The Times last summer, Previn and Fleischmann acknowledged discord over Fleischmann’s effort to name Salonen a principal guest conductor of the Philharmonic. Fleischmann’s agreement with Salonen infringed on some of Previn’s contractual prerogatives, and Previn’s objections canceled the appointment.

Previn’s resignation came one day after the famed Herbert von Karajan resigned as music director of the Berlin Philharmonic. Earlier this season, Zubin Mehta announced that he will not seek another contract with the New York Philharmonic, and Daniel Barenboim was fired from Opera Bastille in Paris and took over the top post of the Chicago Symphony from the retiring Georg Solti.

“It’s a very exciting week in the music world,” commented Marvin Schofer, a New York-based artist’s manager specializing in conductors. “Herbert von Karajan resigns and Previn resigns. . . .

“Los Angeles is a very, very important orchestra and the music director’s job is a very important post, so a great deal of attention will be paid to whomever succeeds him,” Schofer said. “And at the same time, Andre Previn is a very, very important conductor. He is a conductor of world stature, and I can well imagine his phone will be ringing with a lot of orchestras wanting his time and attention.”

Won’t Comment

Fleischmann and other Philharmonic officials declined to discuss the resignation and would not comment beyond the orchestra’s prepared statement.

Although Previn’s move was unexpected, the friction between him and Fleischmann was well known to Philharmonic insiders. There have been reports of conflicts between the two over Previn’s selections and editing of musical pieces performed by the Philharmonic as well as personnel and financial matters.

One orchestra member contacted Tuesday acknowledged that the musicians were aware of the difficulties between the two men.

“This is a very touchy, very thorny business,” the musician said. “Previn is not without his special talents and abilities. . . . I can see it both ways.”

An orchestra member leaving the recording session said: “I don’t like the circumstances. I don’t like anything about it.”

Another suggested that the musicians’ immediate response had been orchestrated, saying, “No one is commenting, and no one will give you their names.”

“It’s too early in the game,” said Paul Geller, the Philharmonic’s production manager. “This is a shock for everybody. We’re all going to need to sleep on it before we can make a comment.”

Previn, who has been music director of orchestras in Houston, Pittsburgh and London and is the winner of four Academy Awards for film scoring, was named music director-designate of the Los Angeles Philharmonic in April, 1984, after the resignation of Carlo Maria Giulini. He took over the podium in January, 1986, with an initial contract that ran through the end of this season.

Will Perform

Previn’s original contract as music director called for him to be in residence with the orchestra for a minimum of 14 weeks during the regular season. In his statement Tuesday, Previn said he “will return for seven weeks during the 1989-90 season, and for six weeks each during 1990-91 and 1991-92.” He also will lead the orchestra in recordings, on a U.S. tour in May, 1990, and in the opening concerts of the Carnegie Hall centennial season in September, 1990.

Previn’s current recording sessions--of music by Prokofiev on Monday, and a Debussy/Dukas/Ravel program Tuesday--marks his ninth and 10th recordings with the Philharmonic.

Previn’s repertory with the Los Angeles Philharmonic has been marked by British and French specialties, the music of Prokofiev and Shostakovich and premieres of pieces by relatively conservative contemporary composers. A composer and pianist in his own right, Previn’s tenure included performances of his own Piano Concerto, with soloist Vladimir Ashkenazy, and his “Every Good Boy Deserves Favor,” a work for actors and orchestra written in collaboration with playwright Tom Stoppard. He appeared as piano soloist with his orchestra in concertos by Mozart and Gershwin and in nine chamber music programs.

Fleischmann, who began his reign at the Philharmonic with the summer season at Hollywood Bowl in 1969, is noted for his sometimes abrasive style. “I’m not the greatest diplomat in the world,” Fleischmann said in an interview last summer. “I’m always willing to be surprised by what is being done, but if I don’t like it, I don’t make any bones about it. There is too little time in the day to beat around the bush.”

Henken is a free-lance music critic. Contributing to this article were Times music critic Martin Bernheimer, Calendar staff writers Daniel Cariaga and Barbara Isenberg and Calendar intern Pam Johnson.

BERNHEIMER ON PREVIN

Music Critic Martin Bernheimer assesses Andre Previn’s tenure as music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Calendar