Critic's Limits: Boston Symphony and the Question of Musicians' Judgment

A critical essay by Orlando Alonso responds to New York Times critic David Allen's recent piece on the Boston Symphony Orchestra, questioning the validity of dismissing the musicians' collective support for music director Andris Nelsons. Alonso argues that Allen, who is not a musician, fails to take seriously the judgment of the orchestra's players, who have publicly defended Nelsons. The essay highlights the reported Susanna Mälkki incident as an example of incomplete evidence, noting that confidential conductor evaluations by the musicians are unavailable, making the public record necessarily incomplete. Alonso challenges Allen's implication that Nelsons' 12-year tenure has run its course, citing historical examples of long tenures (Karajan, Haitink, Ormandy, Mravinsky, Szell) that produced greatness. He also defends the importance of traditional repertoire alongside contemporary music, arguing that programming should enrich tradition rather than replace it. Alonso concludes that critics should approach musicians' judgments with curiosity and respect, asking what they know that others do not, before concluding they are mistaken. The essay is published on Orlando Alonso's Substack, 'When Critics Forget Their Limits'.