{"id":44598,"date":"2022-06-24T08:57:04","date_gmt":"2022-06-24T06:57:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cervovolante.com\/2022\/06\/24\/paavo-jaervi\/"},"modified":"2023-12-06T09:41:51","modified_gmt":"2023-12-06T08:41:51","slug":"paavo-jaervi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cervovolante.com\/en\/2022\/06\/24\/paavo-jaervi\/","title":{"rendered":"Paavo J\u00e4rvi about \u00abCreating future traditions\u00bb"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In spring 2021, a Swiss -Estonian brand Cervo Volante launched collaboration with Paavo J\u00e4rvi, Chief Conductor of Z\u00fcrich Tonhalle Orchestra, to develop sustainable and locally produced bespoke accessories for musicians also keeping the intricate needs of conductors in mind: a scores bag, shoes to wear on stage and little cases for keeping an iPad, cables, pencils etc. These products are offered to the wider musicians\u2019 community and to the public under the credo \u201cCreating future traditions by Paavo J\u00e4rvi\u201d.\u00a0 A part of the proceeds is allocated to paavoj\u00e4rvifoundation.org that is supporting young musicians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1. What does sustainability mean for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sustainability is an old concept, which is going through a process of transformation. In the past, all peasants were sustainable. They mended things and didn\u2019t throw anything away. All this needs to be reinvented and brought back to our contemporary society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But when I think of sustainability, I mostly think about culture. For us, Estonians, sustainability is an old concept, especially if it comes to preservation of our culture and language. Our past has been bloody and hard: various foreign powers have ruled over us. For centuries we had to fight foreign powers and harsh conditions. Despite all that, we have stayed alive as a proud and caring nation. Because of this, for me, sustainability is about survival, particularly in terms of culture and language. National and cultural heritage is in my opinion a prerequisite for a mindset of environmental and economic sustainability that is passed down from generation to generation.\u00a0 As an example, for Estonians, the only way to achieve sustainability is to speak Estonian, sing Estonian, to nurture and cultivate our Estonian cultural richness. Music is still the only thing that will survive and help throughout the generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And this is the base for our home and our country to survive and develop sustainably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I like all things wild, all things that have not been polished too much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 Paavo J\u00e4rvi<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>

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3. Why did you agree to work with Cervo Volante?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your story is fascinating, and I can relate to it. As I mentioned before, first and foremost, sustainability for me is the preservation and continuation of culture, our small nation, and our language. On one hand, the founders of Cervo Volante contribute to sustainability and environmentally friendly traditional ways of production and on the other hand, you come from Estonia, so I do want to contribute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Why \u201ccreating future traditions\u201d?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTradition\u201d is an interesting word. It refers to something that has stood the test of time. Today, I see traditions being in danger. People pay much more attention to immediate pleasure and ephemeral experience. They do not think, if things last and will be there in ten or fifty years. I consider it a menacing tendency \u2013 to our survival, to the survival of old cultures and our languages. That is why I chose \u201ccreating future traditions\u201d as my motto. We should look into the future but not throw out the past. We want our creation to be sustainable \u2013 so we need to create traditions for the future. What we see as innovation today, should be a tradition in the future. Cervo Volante seems to do exactly that with their products. An innovative, yet classical product of today will still be well-loved and cherished in ten years. Hence, a new tradition has been created.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. \u00a0One of our main features is \u201cwild\u201d as we show nature as it is, untamed, with scars, scratches and wrinkles. Is it something you can relate to?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I like all things wild, all things that have not been polished too much. But I would rather use the word authentic or idiosyncratic. Authenticity is more appropriate for Cervo because here, I can really see the meaning of it \u2013 scars and flaws are not ironed out, they are exactly as they come from nature, and you don\u2019t try to hide them. They are there for a reason, you make that very clear. And therefore, every product is unique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Kaja \u2013 This trio of exquisite cases holds your tablet, travel documents, pencils, erasers and the like.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u00a06. How is this authenticity expressed in your work, do you make everything unique in your music?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a musician, it\u2019s my job to play music the way the composer wrote it. However, if you are a strong personality, there is still certain individuality in the performance. If you\u2019re not, then everything is fine superficially, but the performance lacks individuality. I possess a steadfast belief in my abilities, I\u2019m confident that I have chosen a correct path and I am not afraid to pursue my vision. It comes from experience and age, and confidence. Having knowledge and facts is another thing. You can\u2019t be convincing about anything if you don\u2019t know the topic profoundly. You can talk about politics. But if you don\u2019t know the nitty-gritty, your words are empty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Are there any pieces of music that fit particularly well with the essence of Wild?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stravinsky\u2019s \u201cRite of Spring\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Koosk\u00f5la\u2019 the partiture bag<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

8. Would you like to say something about swissness, wildness and Tonhalle?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s rather complicated because the Tonhalle orchestra is old and legendary, combining it with wildness is tricky. And the music hall itself expresses the power of old culture. Classical music is super-sophisticated. We cannot be wild randomly. If a piece must be played wildly, the score says so. We\u2019re well trained and educated, hence sometimes we cannot and dare not show the wild side, even if the composer tells us to. For example, in Stravinsky\u2019s \u201cThe Rite of Spring<\/em>\u201d you need primal power and primal thinking. It\u2019s my job to give that courage and to demand \u201cwild\u201d playing when needed and very subtle playing when needed and everything in between.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9.<\/strong> Your relationship with Tonhalle Orchestra?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each orchestra has its individuality and its own face. No two orchestras are the same. They have their inside traditions and their own culture. This is what I expect from an orchestra. The stronger and more developed the culture, the better the orchestra. Tonhalle orchestra has an exceptionally well-developed culture. Our collaboration is about finding a common language. If you want to achieve something, you need a partner who understands you. As a young man, I believed that I can do everything on my own, but the truth was, I could not do anything. Nobody has ever achieved anything alone. But it\u2019s hard to admit when you\u2019re young. You\u2019ve got to find a partner that you can do things with. And I have found such a partner in Tonhalle orchestra. We have inexplicable mutual chemistry. We trust each other and thus our performance is brilliant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shop Paavo J\u00e4rvi \u201cSymphony\u201d Collection<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n