The eminent conductor Sir Roger Norrington joined the Handel and Haydn Society in the 2006-2007 Season as Artistic Advisor. He sat down with the Society during a visit to Boston to discuss historically informed performance, vibrato, and the music he will conduct in the 2006-2007 Season.

How does it feel to return to Boston, conducting the Handel and Haydn Society?

RN: Great! It's very nice to be here again. I have very fond memories of working with the Boston Early Music Festival and with the Boston Symphony. I've been conducting many modern instrument orchestras over the years, and, in a sense, coming to Handel and Haydn is returning to my roots.

How did you get involved in the historically informed performance movement?

RN: As a child I always felt comfortable around early music. At home we used to sing William Byrd, Palestrina and other English madrigalists. Everything really started with the Schütz Choir, which I founded in 1962. The repertoire we presented was early so we had to find out how to perform it. And gradually that led to what kind of instruments one should use. And then I ran into like-minded instrumentalists and singers and who incited me and I incited them, and things got going.

How has historically informed performance evolved over time?

RN: It isn't in the forefront like it used to be 15 years ago. I mean, of course it's still there, but it's ceased to be shocking. It's much more main stream. But what's happened to it as far as I'm concerned is that I'm really taking it to the modern orchestras. In a sense coming to Handel and Haydn is returning to the roots and finding out what we can do with the orchestra here, whereas in a sense the frontline is moved on to what one can do with the Cincinnati Symphony and the Vienna Philharmonic, both of which I've conducted. But, of course, that always needs feeding with work on original instruments and reminding one self how they sound. 

How do you approach bringing historical performances to modern orchestras?

RN: When I first starting conducting them I would work on seating, size, bowing, articulation, and tempo. Now I focus on creating a pure orchestral sound with no vibrato. It's a glorious, gritty, and exciting sound. Last week I conducted the Cincinnati Symphony in music by Haydn. You couldn't see a hand move and the musicians were fantastic. They adored it.

Why is vibrato important?

RN: Vibrato doesn't just concern early instruments or singers. You know, prior to the 1940's, the whole world was a non-vibrato world. Everything sounded completely different and amazingly it wasn't that long ago. Even singers like Caruso had a small vibrato. The change to heavy vibrato was like smoking. Smoking became very fashionable in the 1920's. And now, where are the smokers? They're standing outside looking miserable.

What will it be like working with Handel and Haydn Society?

RN: I will be able to do what I want in 5 minutes with the Handel and Haydn Society, but it might take a week with a modern orchestra. Early music orchestras all speak the same language as I do. It's why it's so important to have groups like the Handel and Haydn Society around. They remind people what the music actually sounded like in the time it was written.

In Handel and Haydn's 2006-2007 season, you're conducting music by Haydn. Why did you choose his music?

RN: Haydn is the "king." He's just stunning. His symphonies are engaging, witty, and grand. They're also very difficult to play. That's one of the attractions for me. It's a bit like mountaineering.

What are the challenges?

RN: A lot of them are technical such as note length, tempo, articulation, phrasing, and where the music's going. In Tchaikovsky, it's pretty clear what's happening, but with Haydn it isn't that obvious.

What do you look forward to in preparing and presenting Haydn's The Seasons, which you will conduct here next spring?

RN: It's a beautiful piece-even better than The Creation. If you don't know how to play Haydn, you may as well not start doing it, but if you do, it's very simple: the story unfolds, the beautiful pictures of the countryside. the music praises itself. The orchestration is perfect, the singing parts are perfect. It's a very, very beautiful, touching work and I love to do it. Actually, the first piece I ever conducted in Boston was The Seasons, in 1987.

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