What Allan is playing

[karlhenning]

Delighted to read this review, Allan! Take a bow!

[toledobass]

An up or down bow? 

[karlhenning]

Either, so long as it isn't . . . French 

[toledobass]

ouchie

[karlhenning]

 

YHM, Allan!

[toledobass]

A CityMusic Cleveland week begins with rehearsals tonight.

James Gaffigan, Music Director will be conducting the following program:

Jean Baptiste Lully: March for the Turkish Ceremony
Giaocchino Rossini: Overture to the opera Cinderella
Charles Gounod: Finale from the Petite symphonie
Jean Sibelius: Music for the play Belshazzar's Feast
Ludwig van Beethoven: Turkish March from the play The Ruins of Athens
Arcangelo Corelli: Christmas Concerto, Op.6, no.8
Franz Schubert: Entr'acte III from music for the play Rosamunde
Engelbert Humperdinck: Knusperwaltzer (Gingerbread Waltz) from the opera Hansel and Gretel

Schedule:

Rehearsals

Tonight 5:45 - 7:15 brass/ww sectional
           7:30-9 String sectional

Monday 1-4
            6:30-9:30

Tues  10-1 dress

Concerts:

Tues 7:30
Thurs7:30
Fri 7:30
Sat 7:30
Sun 3



Allan

[toledobass]

In a review of noteworthy (ha!) musical events in the Cleveland area between Rosenberg and Zach Lewis,  the Akron Symphony Severence performance of Mahler 2 under Zander was one of Rosenberg's choices.

Here is my final post from that series.

The Zach Lewis/Don Rosenberg artice Choices for memorable classical performances in Cleveland

Allan

[bhodges]

In a review of noteworthy (ha!) musical events in the Cleveland area between Rosenberg and Zach Lewis,  the Akron Symphony Severence performance of Mahler 2 under Zander was one of Rosenberg's choices.

Here is my final post from that series.

The Zach Lewis/Don Rosenberg artice Choices for memorable classical performances in Cleveland

Allan

Very cool, Allan!  That performance is in some pretty distinguished company.  Congrats!

--Bruce

[toledobass]

This weekend Bobby McFerrin will be conducting a program of Mozart's 29th and 40th.  He'll also be doing some improvisation stuff.  We had a double rehearsal yesterday which was our first back from our holiday break.  A little rusty here and there ensemble wise yesterday, but things just needed a day to settle.  As McFerrin said this morning, "ahhhh,  it just needed to marinate!!!!'   He's had some nice ideas: very easy going and just kind of puts some thoughts out without working the ensemble too hard on getting it exactly the way he hears it.   I've sort of been pondering if he has the ability to get us to do what he has in his head or if he likes leaving some room for the ensemble's own identity to also come through...whatever, it's working out well and the concert will be a lot of fun if judging by this morning's dress rehearsal.  Playing these two symphonies first thing in the morning is a truly glorious way to begin the day. 

Allan

[karlhenning]

. . . Playing these two symphonies first thing in the morning is a truly glorious way to begin the day. 

Yes, there are much worse ways to pass a morning, Allan! 

[toledobass]

I really enjoyed this weekend's concerts with McFerrin.  He's a great musician and what came out were some very natural and extremely fun performances.  Here and there, some tempo lagging was a little noticable on the repeats but nothing horrible. A few other details could perhaps have been tended to with a little more care but the performances had a giving and flowing quality that was just a pure pleasure to be part of.  Sure it would have been nice to take care of everything, but in the end, so much good stuff happening, those minute details didn't amount to so much. 

His improvisations were remarkable.  The agility of his voice is mind boggling and his understanding of counterpoint and harmony left me with a great respect for his musical knowledge.  The whole thing was a treat.

This week I play my first Masterworks concert with the Lansing Symphony Orchestra (I've had conflicts with all of the concerts in the fall.)  This is a lower tier regional orchestra in Michigan.  It is a per service orchestra meaning there are no full time musicians and we get paid for whatever services we play rather than being on a salary system with insurance, benefits, etc.  The orchestra is composed of quite a few of the music students from Michigan State as well as various free lance players from the area. 

This week we will be performing:

Capricio Italien  Tchakovsky
Piano Concerto Grieg
Concerto for Orchestra Bartok

Timothy Muffit is the Music Director and he will be conducting.  The soloist is Adam Golka

Rehearsal is as follows (all 7:30p to 10p):

Monday Bartok
Wed Tchaik, Bartok, Grieg (no soloist)
Thur Grieg (w/ soloist), Tchaik, Bartok
Fri Dress
Sat 8pm Concert


Allan

[Cato]

I really enjoyed this weekend's concerts with McFerrin.  He's a great musician and what came out were some very natural and extremely fun performances.  Here and there, some tempo lagging was a little noticable on the repeats but nothing horrible. A few other details could perhaps have been tended to with a little more care but the performances had a giving and flowing quality that was just a pure pleasure to be part of.  Sure it would have been nice to take care of everything, but in the end, so much good stuff happening, those minute details didn't amount to so much. 

His improvisations were remarkable.  The agility of his voice is mind boggling and his understanding of counterpoint and harmony left me with a great respect for his musical knowledge.  The whole thing was a treat.

This week I play my first Masterworks concert with the Lansing Symphony Orchestra (I've had conflicts with all of the concerts in the fall.)  This is a lower tier regional orchestra in Michigan.  It is a per service orchestra meaning there are no full time musicians and we get paid for whatever services we play rather than being on a salary system with insurance, benefits, etc.  The orchestra is composed of quite a few of the music students from Michigan State as well as various free lance players from the area. 

This week we will be performing:

Capricio Italien  Tchakovsky
Piano Concerto Grieg
Concerto for Orchestra Bartok

Timothy Muffit is the Music Director and he will be conducting.  The soloist is Adam Golka

Rehearsal is as follows (all 7:30p to 10p):

Monday Bartok
Wed Tchaik, Bartok, Grieg (no soloist)
Thur Grieg (w/ soloist), Tchaik, Bartok
Fri Dress
Sat 8pm Concert


Allan

Wow!  Quite a program for a semi-pro orchestra!  Tell us how everything sounds!  Especially the Bartok!   

[bhodges]

The concert sounds really great, Allan.  Do let us know how it goes.  I am also curious if you find the Bartók (one of my favorite works) fun to play. 

I've not yet heard McFerrin live, but have heard some of his improvisations on recordings.  He is totally marvelous.  I hear he is an excellent conductor, too, and has also conducted the New York Philharmonic.

--Bruce

[toledobass]

Bruce,

I wouldn't go so far as to say he is an excellent conductor.  He gets excellent results, but that isn't because of a gift for conducting.  I'm not trying to knock him or come accross in a negative manner:  I have a high respect for him and I would gladly welcome any opportunity to work with him again in any musical environment.  I think his gift is in his musicality and his ability to make you feel you can create something with him.  In the repertoire we played it worked extremely well.  With that said, and with some fundamental ensemble things that were minor problems during the concert that I alluded to in a previous post, I can't really imagine him putting together something that is a technically challenging piece on a conductor/ensemble level...I hope to be proven wrong though, because it is a joy to work with the man. 

I hope that make sense.

More on Lansing and CfO later,

Allan

[bhodges]

I think his gift is in his musicality and his ability to make you feel you can create something with him.  In the repertoire we played it worked extremely well.  With that said, and with some fundamental ensemble things that were minor problems during the concert that I alluded to in a previous post, I can't really imagine him putting together something that is a technically challenging piece on a conductor/ensemble level...

Well to be fair (supporting your observation) I've not seen him tackle anything that requires above-average technical skill (e.g., a Mahler symphony or say, a difficult contemporary work).  But musicality can go pretty far in smoothing out some rough spots.  And when you use the word "joy" that has to count for something. 

--Bruce

[toledobass]

So the Lansing symphony concert went relatively well.  It was nice to see good attendance out in the hall. 

So I've been thinking about the Bartok a lot ever since posting about it.  I will say that I do enjoy playing the piece.  Although it's not something I crave to play (if you were to ask me a list of my 10 favorite pieces to play, it wouldn't be on there.) Whenever I see it programed I do get pretty excited about another opportunity to revisit the piece.

I don't really think the piece is too technical.  There are a few tricky spots and there is some mixed meter stuff, but it's not terribly difficult.  I also get the feeling that the piece is very well known by the orchestra even if some may have never played it.  I think that where the problems lie is playing together as a group and playing with an overall musical idea.  Most of the time I was left a little cold by what was happening on our stage.  While some of the individual solos shined a lot of the section soli stuff was a little blank.

I guess where I'm getting at is that the piece seems like the notes aren't the problem for most ensembles anymore.  Taking it to the next level and really playing together and taking advantage of the music that was written is still still a struggle though.

Hope that makes some sort of sense,
Allan 

[karlhenning]

Perfect sense, Allan.

[toledobass]

Not too much to report lately performance wise. Some kids shows and other neighborhood kind of shows here and there. Economic things have been tightening up quite a bit.  We're not only seeing program changes for pieces that require loads of performers to smaller things that don't require the hiring of extras, but also seeing program changes due to rental part expenses being taken into account.  I'm scared.

Allan

[karlhenning]

Hang tight; positive vibes being sent to-you-ward.

[Cato]

Not too much to report lately performance wise. Some kids shows and other neighborhood kind of shows here and there. Economic things have been tightening up quite a bit.  We're not only seeing program changes for pieces that require loads of performers to smaller things that don't require the hiring of extras, but also seeing program changes due to rental part expenses being taken into account.  I'm scared.

Allan

Such a situation would seem to balance out eventually: would not the lack of rental fees at the publishing company lead to a reduction in fees?  Something is better than nothing.

At least Toledo still has an orchestra, as opposed to the football-crazed center of the state!