Manfred Honeck’s devotion to his faith impresses even clergymen, says Father
Ludescher. "He knows very well that all the success and all the good things in
his life comes not only from him, and he is very thankful to God."
Mr. Honeck attends Mass not only on Sunday but also during the week. "He
looks to get a Holy Mass wherever he is," Father Ludescher says. "If he is in
Stockholm or Tokyo or Pittsburgh, he looks for somewhere to pray."
Case in point is his studio in the house he and Christiane built in Altach in
1998. It is attractive, with steeply pitched roofs, but modest. The focal point
is a living room turned music studio on the first floor, where the small cellos
of the youngest children, Simeon, 8, and Theresa Maria, 5, sit for practice next
to an upright piano. Photos of the children and family fill the walls of the
stairs and second floor. On the third is the conductor’s studio.
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Manfred Honeck’s ‘house chapel’ in the studio of his house in Altach, Austria. Click photo for larger image. |
At first blush, it looks like
any conductor’s studio — stereo equipment and music scores line the walls. But
to one side, behind the cross beams of this attic room, he points out, is a
small "house chapel," which had been a "big wish" of his for their new house.
"I thought to do it in the cellar somewhere, to have the silence," he says,
gesturing with his hands as if he is conducting. "But then I saw all these
crosses here and said let’s integrate it in my room. Here the family prays
together. It is very important for the family to have a half an hour just to be
together as a family."
For Mr. Honeck, finding the time is not a problem. "I clean my teeth every
day so … why not my soul?" he asks. "My relationship with God is like … if
you want to have a close a relationship [with a friend], then you call them
everyday. The more you speak with your friend, the more you know him."
He has "an open heart to God," says Father Ludescher.
Honeck’s religion is personal –"far away from being fundamentalist," he
says. He doesn’t evangelize but leads by example. His eldest son, Joachim, 25,
now in training to be a priest, was never pushed.
This deep commitment to his faith finds ample coupling with Mr. Honeck’s
interpretations on the podium. "I think what is special to him is his deep
spirituality in his conducting," says Dr. Angyan.
"He has deep ideas, I respect him so much," says Ola Karlsson, principal
cellist of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Honeck led that ensemble
from 2000 to 2006. "Too many conductors nowadays are more flashy and don’t work
enough. The real ones dig deep. He is a deep digger."
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