Mark Volpe on James Levine's Resignation

Jim commented on Backstage With Brian Bell on 03.03.11
This was an excellent interviews. Unlike the treatment this topic received on Emily Rooneys TV and radio shows. Please find below my comment on the TV show on which Avi Nelson suggested that, in his opinion, Mr. Levine was on antipsychotic drugs! Tonight’s discussion on James Levine was appalling. To have someone with the commanding ignorance of Avi Nelson discuss such serious matters would be like me discussing hockey. NOT a good idea. Mr. Levine is a figure of worldwide stature. I was there the night he fell after Beethovens 9th. Two thousand people, in a split second, went from stomping, ecstatic appreciation to absolute total silence. There was palpable fear and concern in the hearts of everyone there, relieved only by Mr. Levines rising up, brushing himself off, and doing a little jig to show us all that he was all right. Thank god for Brian Bell. His comments were well informed, sensitive, intelligent and interesting. On the other hand, we had the walking personification of the Philistine, the Babbitt, Mrs. Grundy while being haughty and condescending as well! For me there have been two people in Boston who were leaders and teachers for those of us who love music but are not musicians James Levine and Richard Dyer. It was always deeply interesting to go to symphony on Thursday and then read Dyer in the Friday Globe. It would be twice as interesting if Dyer wrote about great musicians such as Levine. Which is not to say that I am a "modernist" in the way that they both are. I am not. BUT, I was overwhelmed by hearing Schoenbergs Gurrelieder for the first time a couple of years ago. So much so that when we found out that they were repeating it at Tanglewood, my wife and I immediately bought tickets. This for a piece of music I never knew existed before hearing it at Symphony Hall under James Levine. So he taught me something. He brought me along. He opened my mind. He introduced a previously unknown and unimagined pleasure into my life. With the highest standards, the finest singers and musicians. What more could one ask? Yes, of course, I know...I could ask for more of the same. But meanwhile, I am incredibly grateful to James Levine and pray for his recovery. Oh...and if Bill Belicheck needs some public advice on future trades and he comes on this show, Id be happy go come on and offer my opinions. Ive seen a few games and, when I was a young man, I could really throw a ball. Really, Im available.