Virtuoso in mid-air discord after priceless viola da gamba locked in toilet
One of the leading stars of the Edinburgh International Festival, the Spanish virtuoso Jordi Savall, has been involved in a mid-air incident on his journey to the capital.
Mr Savall, 66, a pioneering soloist, conductor and composer, described as "one of the great musicians of our time", was interviewed by police after his flight from Spain to Scotland.
Mr Savall, known for his work with the ancient viola da gamba instrument, strongly objected to the staff of his FlyGlobespan flight moving his "priceless" instrument from his side as the plane came into land in Edinburgh on August 5.
The Catalonian musician, who is credited with bringing the viola da gamba to life for contemporary audiences, wanted to travel with the instrument at his side.
However, airline staff informed him that the delicate instrument, which dates from 1697, could not be in the seat beside him for take-off and landing. After a discussion, the instrument was placed in a toilet cubicle for take-off.
Mr Savall, it is understood, was under the impression he had agreed with staff it was acceptable for the instrument to be secured in the seat beside him for the whole flight after take off.
He removed it from the toilet for the duration of the flight, and when it came to land in Edinburgh, an altercation took place between the musician and staff when they tried to put it back in the lavatory. This led to the flight crew calling the police on the ground.
It is understood one member of the crew suffered damage to her ankle during the incident and is now off work.
It is believed that Mr Savall objected to one member of the cabin crew when they reached for the instrument, which he had placed in the seat beside him.
Lothian and Borders Police last night said a 66-year-old man had been interviewed after the flight but was released without charge.
A spokesperson for FlyGlobespan sad: "We are very disappointed that the gentleman did not follow the sensible compromise agreed by the captain, to store the instrument in the toilet for take-off and landing.
"If, however, he agrees to that stipulation for the return journey then we will be happy to take him."
Mr Savall has since performed a series of concerts at the festival, including a recital at the Queen's Hall which was given a five-star review by The Herald's music critic Michael Tumelty on Tuesday.
A spokesman for the EIF said: "We understand the incident arose from a misunderstanding between FlyGlobespan cabin crew over Mr Savall's priceless 1697 viola da gamba for which he had bought seats.
"We understand Mr Savall complied with all that was asked of him on the flight, and that cabin crew appear to have changed the arrangements during the flight.
"After giving a statement on his arrival at the airport, Mr Savall completed his journey to Edinburgh without any action being taken."
He added: "The Festival regrets that a musician of Mr Savall's standing should have such an unfortunate introduction to Scotland.
"Thankfully, he was able to put this incident behind him and has been delighting our audiences with his virtuosity. He was only travelling with this airline one way and had already made other arrangements for his return home."
Mr Savall was unavailable for comment last night.
© All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without
permission is prohibited.
Posted by: BM, Glasgow on 10:22am Wed 15 Aug 07
Having read the headline, I thought it meant that he was sitting in the toilet playing the thing while a long queue formed outside!
Having read the headline, I thought it meant that he was sitting in the toilet playing the thing while a long queue formed outside!
Posted by: maviscruett, Glasgow on 10:38am Wed 15 Aug 07
It's quite simple really - it pays for it's own window seat , it's x-rayed, belted in securely and stays in its seat for the whole flight. Doesn't eat or drink, read large newspapers, nor does it require to climb over everyone else in the row to go to the loo. It's conversation is a little limited, but other than that, it's the perfect traveller. Why airlines find this difficult to get their heads round, I'll never understand.
It's quite simple really - it pays for it's own window seat , it's x-rayed, belted in securely and stays in its seat for the whole flight. Doesn't eat or drink, read large newspapers, nor does it require to climb over everyone else in the row to go to the loo. It's conversation is a little limited, but other than that, it's the perfect traveller. Why airlines find this difficult to get their heads round, I'll never understand.
Posted by: Lisa Firth, Edinburgh on 5:20pm Wed 15 Aug 07
[bold]I was sitting a few rows behind and This article fails to mention that the singer assualted the crew member, but pulling her arm and pushing her back.
[bold]bold[/bold][/bold]
I was sitting a few rows behind and This article fails to mention that the singer assualted the crew member, but pulling her arm and pushing her back.
Posted by: Jonathan Dunford, Paris, France on 9:55am Thu 16 Aug 07
I am one of Savall's ex-students. He is not a singer. I also fly all over the world with my priceless Salomon viol built in 1741. There are only three that have survived from the 18th century.
Like Mr. Savall's instrument they are part of human history, like the Louvre, or the Pyramids and are often destroyed by the airlines. We would not accept that somebody would treat a Van Gogh painting by putting it in the restroom woul we?
If youd' like to see what airlines have done to precious gems of our history in the past look here :
http://www.vanedward
s.co.uk/40a.htm
or here :
http://launch.ph.gro
ups.yahoo.com/group/
ViolaDaGamba/photos/
view/c2e3?b=5
I am one of Savall's ex-students. He is not a singer. I also fly all over the world with my priceless Salomon viol built in 1741. There are only three that have survived from the 18th century.
Like Mr. Savall's instrument they are part of human history, like the Louvre, or the Pyramids and are often destroyed by the airlines. We would not accept that somebody would treat a Van Gogh painting by putting it in the restroom woul we?
If youd' like to see what airlines have done to precious gems of our history in the past look here :
http://www.vanedward
s.co.uk/40a.htm
or here :
http://launch.ph.gro
ups.yahoo.com/group/
ViolaDaGamba/photos/
view/c2e3?b=5
Posted by: Jonathan Dunford, Paris, France on 10:01am Thu 16 Aug 07
I realized after posting that the URLs are posted on this site with spaces in them. To view the damage on a theorbo, then on a viol take all spaces out of the links in the post above.
I realized after posting that the URLs are posted on this site with spaces in them. To view the damage on a theorbo, then on a viol take all spaces out of the links in the post above.
Posted by: Jonathan Dunford, Paris, France on 9:39am Fri 17 Aug 07
Another [bold]important[/bold] point to make is this airline company did not respect International security law (as I understand it).
Here is the law in the hope that the airline company in question will "discover" it and for any future musicians travelling by air =
[bold]FAR for musical instruments:[/bold]
> These include the "Special Federal Air Regulations "
> (SFAR), also
> known as "Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations,"
>
> "Carriage of cargo in passenger compartments" (14
> CFR 121.285), and
> read as follows: "(c) Cargo may be carried aft of a
> bulkhead or
> divider in any passenger compartment provided the
> cargo is restrained
> to the load factors in 25.561 (b) (3) and is loaded
> as follows: (1)
> It is properly secured by a safety belt or other
> tiedown having
> enough strength to eliminate the possibility of
> shifting under all
> normally anticipated flight and ground conditions.
> (2) It is packaged
> or covered in a manner to avoid possible injury to
> passengers and
> passenger compartment occupants. (3) It does not
> impose any load on
> seats or the floor structure that exceeds the load
> limitation for
> those components. (4) Its location does not restrict
> access to or use
> of any required emergency or regular exit, or of the
> aisle in the
> passenger compartment. (5) Its location does not
> obscure any
> passenger's view of the 'seat belt' sign, 'no
> smoking' sign, or
> required exit sign, unless an auxiliary sign or
> other approved means
> for proper notification of the passenger is
> provided." (Doc. No.
> 6258, 29 FR 19202, Dec 31, 1964, as amended by Amdt.
> 121-179, 47 FR
> 33390, Aug. 2, 1982)
>
> There are also special instructions in each
> airline's flight
> attendant manual (the "bible" they consult when they
> don't know what
> the Hell they are doing) dealing with cargo in
> seats. I refer to this
> also. Here is the one for United:
>
> United Airlines Flight Attendant Handbook pg.
> 3.110.21 lists
> acceptable seat stowage locations for oversized
> musical instruments.
Another
important point to make is this airline company did not respect International security law (as I understand it).
Here is the law in the hope that the airline company in question will "discover" it and for any future musicians travelling by air =
FAR for musical instruments:
> These include the "Special Federal Air Regulations "
> (SFAR), also
> known as "Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations,"
>
> "Carriage of cargo in passenger compartments" (14
> CFR 121.285), and
> read as follows: "(c) Cargo may be carried aft of a
> bulkhead or
> divider in any passenger compartment provided the
> cargo is restrained
> to the load factors in 25.561 (b) (3) and is loaded
> as follows: (1)
> It is properly secured by a safety belt or other
> tiedown having
> enough strength to eliminate the possibility of
> shifting under all
> normally anticipated flight and ground conditions.
> (2) It is packaged
> or covered in a manner to avoid possible injury to
> passengers and
> passenger compartment occupants. (3) It does not
> impose any load on
> seats or the floor structure that exceeds the load
> limitation for
> those components. (4) Its location does not restrict
> access to or use
> of any required emergency or regular exit, or of the
> aisle in the
> passenger compartment. (5) Its location does not
> obscure any
> passenger's view of the 'seat belt' sign, 'no
> smoking' sign, or
> required exit sign, unless an auxiliary sign or
> other approved means
> for proper notification of the passenger is
> provided." (Doc. No.
> 6258, 29 FR 19202, Dec 31, 1964, as amended by Amdt.
> 121-179, 47 FR
> 33390, Aug. 2, 1982)
>
> There are also special instructions in each
> airline's flight
> attendant manual (the "bible" they consult when they
> don't know what
> the Hell they are doing) dealing with cargo in
> seats. I refer to this
> also. Here is the one for United:
>
> United Airlines Flight Attendant Handbook pg.
> 3.110.21 lists
> acceptable seat stowage locations for oversized
> musical instruments.
Posted by: jim mctyre, edinburgh on 5:49pm Fri 17 Aug 07
I was on this flight and i am a keen golfer and have flew with flyglobespan many times before and i am not allowd to take my golf clubs on the aircraft,, so why the hell was he allowed to take his instrument on the aircraft.
Flyglobespan need to look at there rules, you cant have one rule for some and another for others, this also fails to say that this man assulted the cabin crew member which was awful behaviour for an elderly gentleman.
By flyglobespan agreeing to take this man on a return fligh they are welcoming his disgusting behaviour in assulting a lady. Flyglobespan need to take a good look at there rules!!
This article is pathetic, this man clearly is an idiot to assult a member of flyglobespans staff over his instrument, disgusting behaviour for an airline to accept, what next????
I was on this flight and i am a keen golfer and have flew with flyglobespan many times before and i am not allowd to take my golf clubs on the aircraft,, so why the hell was he allowed to take his instrument on the aircraft.
Flyglobespan need to look at there rules, you cant have one rule for some and another for others, this also fails to say that this man assulted the cabin crew member which was awful behaviour for an elderly gentleman.
By flyglobespan agreeing to take this man on a return fligh they are welcoming his disgusting behaviour in assulting a lady. Flyglobespan need to take a good look at there rules!!
This article is pathetic, this man clearly is an idiot to assult a member of flyglobespans staff over his instrument, disgusting behaviour for an airline to accept, what next????
Posted by: Jonathan Dunford, Paris, France on 1:44pm Sat 18 Aug 07
I'm sorry Mr. Mctrye to disagree with you.
Some points :
1 - Jordi Savall paid a full priced ticket for the instrument. Therefore it was not carry on baggage, it was a full priced passanger.
2 - Your golf clubs are not in this category. Did you pay a full price ticket?
3 - Anybody could use a golf club to assault and even worse in a plane as well as a golf course.
4 - Can you compare your golf clubs to a priceless musical instrument made in London in the 17th century? Would you be as tolerant if the airline requested that a Rembrandt painting be put into the restrooms?
5 - The FAR regulation I quoted above makes much sense. The in cabin cargo [bold]must be strapped in place[/bold] . In the restroom the priceless viol could be banged around during take off and landing resulting in damage to itself but possible to anything in the restroom. Shattered glass from a broken mirror wouldn't be great in a suddenly depressurized cabin, for instance, would it?
Secondly I have know Jordi Savall since 1980 and he is a gentle and quite man. I can't imagine him "assaulting" anybody!
He may have blocked a cabin crew member from snatching this priceless part of human history.
If he actually assaulted someone please be specific : Did he punch or otherwise physically agress someone or did he just keep someone from snatching and possibly destroying a full priced ticketed passanger that was totally within the required International security regulations.
This incident and the way the captain and crew reacted remind me of the dramatization of the recent film "Flight Plan", remember what happened at the end?
I'm sorry Mr. Mctrye to disagree with you.
Some points :
1 - Jordi Savall paid a full priced ticket for the instrument. Therefore it was not carry on baggage, it was a full priced passanger.
2 - Your golf clubs are not in this category. Did you pay a full price ticket?
3 - Anybody could use a golf club to assault and even worse in a plane as well as a golf course.
4 - Can you compare your golf clubs to a priceless musical instrument made in London in the 17th century? Would you be as tolerant if the airline requested that a Rembrandt painting be put into the restrooms?
5 - The FAR regulation I quoted above makes much sense. The in cabin cargo
must be strapped in place . In the restroom the priceless viol could be banged around during take off and landing resulting in damage to itself but possible to anything in the restroom. Shattered glass from a broken mirror wouldn't be great in a suddenly depressurized cabin, for instance, would it?
Secondly I have know Jordi Savall since 1980 and he is a gentle and quite man. I can't imagine him "assaulting" anybody!
He may have blocked a cabin crew member from snatching this priceless part of human history.
If he actually assaulted someone please be specific : Did he punch or otherwise physically agress someone or did he just keep someone from snatching and possibly destroying a full priced ticketed passanger that was totally within the required International security regulations.
This incident and the way the captain and crew reacted remind me of the dramatization of the recent film "Flight Plan", remember what happened at the end?
Posted by: Joanna Fielding, New Zealand on 11:10pm Mon 20 Aug 07
I have long been a fan of Jordi Savall - and admire his skill- and his viols too! A more artistic, principled, gentle-natured man you could not hope to meet.
However the [bold]key fact here - which is glossed over in the news report - is whether the viol case could be secured by the seat belt.[/bold] If it could be contained with the belt, then the flight crew were wrong to request that the case and its contents be moved to the toilet compartment. If it could not, then the crew were right - on the grounds that an unsecured viol in its case, sliding around the aisles - or worse - could cause considerable damge to other passengers (or to the viol) in the event of an emergency manoeuvre by the plane during landing/take-off.
I have long been a fan of Jordi Savall - and admire his skill- and his viols too! A more artistic, principled, gentle-natured man you could not hope to meet.
However the
key fact here - which is glossed over in the news report - is whether the viol case could be secured by the seat belt. If it could be contained with the belt, then the flight crew were wrong to request that the case and its contents be moved to the toilet compartment. If it could not, then the crew were right - on the grounds that an unsecured viol in its case, sliding around the aisles - or worse - could cause considerable damge to other passengers (or to the viol) in the event of an emergency manoeuvre by the plane during landing/take-off.
Posted by: Jonathan Dunford, Paris, France on 9:45am Tue 21 Aug 07
You have brought up a [bold]very important point,[/bold] and I thank you!
Personally every time I fly on boarding I ask the cabin crew right away for a seat belt extension. They usually talk with me a little bit and usually I'm one of the first passengers on the plane. This gives me time to explain that I travel often with my instrument, what it is and usually what and where I'm performing. I've made many friends with airline staff this way.
I also make a point of telling the ground crew even before boarding that I need to board first so I won't block the other passengers.
For the last 20 years this has always worked as a charm. Air France in the 1990's even let my viol fly first class (they were enamored by the film [italic]Tous les Matins du Monde[/italic] .
So if Savall's viol was not secured by a seat belt you are right and this would have been dangerous. But I think Jordi who spends 200 days a year in planes must have known better.
In any case this debate is [bold]very[/bold] important to everyone, musicians, passengers and airline staff alike. If any of the people above that were on the flight could now confirm or not whether Jordi Savall attached his viol or not the rest will become clear.
You have brought up a
very important point, and I thank you!
Personally every time I fly on boarding I ask the cabin crew right away for a seat belt extension. They usually talk with me a little bit and usually I'm one of the first passengers on the plane. This gives me time to explain that I travel often with my instrument, what it is and usually what and where I'm performing. I've made many friends with airline staff this way.
I also make a point of telling the ground crew even before boarding that I need to board first so I won't block the other passengers.
For the last 20 years this has always worked as a charm. Air France in the 1990's even let my viol fly first class (they were enamored by the film
Tous les Matins du Monde .
So if Savall's viol was not secured by a seat belt you are right and this would have been dangerous. But I think Jordi who spends 200 days a year in planes must have known better.
In any case this debate is
very important to everyone, musicians, passengers and airline staff alike. If any of the people above that were on the flight could now confirm or not whether Jordi Savall attached his viol or not the rest will become clear.
News
INDEX
Comment | Read Comments (10)
