In 1948, the Indians were playing the Braves in the World Series. The men of the Cleveland Orchestra were listening to a game on the radio. Then they had to go to the stage to rehearse. They weren’t very happy about this.
Their conductor was George Szell, a refugee from Europe, and a supreme taskmaster (as well as a supreme conductor). He was not a man you trifled with.
When Szell gave the downbeat, the men had the temerity to begin playing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” Of course, Szell had no idea what they were talking about. What they were playing. It was explained to him. I think he was okay with it, but I’m not entirely sure.
I thought of this when Scott Immergut, the Ricochet impresario, sent me this clip of Riccardo Muti, wearing a Cubs jersey (with his name on the back). He is conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, of which he is music director. They are performing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.”
I had to smile in memory of Szell.
P.S. Earlier this year, I was in Chicago, talking with Muti about Falstaff (the opera by Verdi). If you’re interested in the resulting piece, go here.
P.P.S. There was an athlete present at one of Muti’s rehearsals of Falstaff, though not a baseball player: a basketball player, a Chicago Bull, Pau Gasol of Spain. Wonderfully gracious man (and lover of music).