What concerts are you looking forward to? (Part II)

[MishaK]

Yeah, I'll be there for that. Even without Boulez and Messiaen, still looks like a good concert. Review already here:

http://chicagoclassicalreview.com/2013/03/macelaru-fills-in-again-at-cso-with-largely-successful-results/

What were your thoughts? Our general consensus was: brilliant solo work (Bronfman, Dufour, Izotov, Martin), meh conducting. Macelaru clearly knew the pieces and didn't really make any mistakes, but there was no chemistry between the orchestra and the conductor and it was more the orchestra leading the conductor (e.g. ritards started before indicated by the conductor) than the other way around.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

What were your thoughts? Our general consensus was: brilliant solo work (Bronfman, Dufour, Izotov, Martin), meh conducting. Macelaru clearly knew the pieces and didn't really make any mistakes, but there was no chemistry between the orchestra and the conductor and it was more the orchestra leading the conductor (e.g. ritards started before indicated by the conductor) than the other way around.

I think he did a good job considering the circumstances. The playing, both solo and collective, was brilliant enough that I hardly paid attention to the conducting. Still, I wish it had been Boulez instead.

Also I was sitting in my favorite place behind the orchestra (Terrace), which is not the best place for a concerto, balance-wise.

BTW do you know what piece Bronfman played for an encore?

[MishaK]

I think he did a good job considering the circumstances. The playing, both solo and collective, was brilliant enough that I hardly paid attention to the conducting. Still, I wish it had been Boulez instead.

Also I was sitting in my favorite place behind the orchestra (Terrace), which is not the best place for a concerto, balance-wise.

BTW do you know what piece Bronfman played for an encore?

Oh, we should have met up. I was in row C of the Terrace behind the percussion. The encore was Paganini-Liszt: Étude in E-flat Major.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Oh, we should have met up. I was in row C of the Terrace behind the percussion. The encore was Paganini-Liszt: Étude in E-flat Major.

Thanks for the info. I was on the other side, next to the tuba & trombones (great place to be for visceral impact).

Let's meet up some other time, OK? I'm out in the burbs now, but can get into the city quite easily.

[MishaK]

Thanks for the info. I was on the other side, next to the tuba & trombones (great place to be for visceral impact).

Let's meet up some other time, OK? I'm out in the burbs now, but can get into the city quite easily.

Sure thing. The next few concerts I have tickets for is the Emerson SQ and the Aimard recital.

[bhodges]

Tonight at Carnegie, with a pretty spectacular cast:

André Previn: A Streetcar Named Desire (semi-staged performance) (NY Premiere)

Renée Fleming, Soprano (Blanche DuBois)
Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Baritone (Stanley Kowalski)
Susanna Phillips, Soprano (Stella Kowalski)
Anthony Dean Griffey, Tenor (Harold Mitchell, "Mitch")
Victoria Livengood, Mezzo-Soprano (Eunice Hubbell)
Dominic Armstrong, Tenor (Steve Hubbell)
Andrew Bidlack, Tenor (A Young Collector)
Georga Osborne (Nurse)
Bill Nabel (Doctor)
Brad Heikes, Brendan Irving, Kevin Reed, Patrick Stoffer, Brett Zubler (Men of New Orleans)
Orchestra of St. Luke's
Patrick Summers, Conductor
Brad Dalton, Director
Alan Adelman, Lighting Designer
Johann Stegmeir, Costume Designer

--Bruce

[Brian]

Oh, phooey, the Dallas Symphony's live Mahler 6 isn't this weekend, it was last weekend. 

Bruce, that concert looks fantastic - and indeed, a spectacular cast - Fleming, Rhodes, Patrick Summers (longtime Houston Opera director), and the Orchestra of St Luke's I believe gave the first concert I saw when I moved to England.

[bhodges]

Oh, phooey, the Dallas Symphony's live Mahler 6 isn't this weekend, it was last weekend. 

Oh noooo....

Dang, and with van Zweden conducting, too. Have only heard him once - in Mahler 1 here - and was quite impressed. But what's with that odd pairing - OK, maybe endearing - with two Vivaldi recorder concertos!?!? 

--Bruce

[Senta]

I just randomly happened to be lurking and perusing this thread... 

I saw the Concertgebouw's video webcast of the above! Or, at least, I saw about 2/3rds of it, around fighting a constantly buffering feed, and having to like, work as well. 

It was impressive, Dallas sounded fantastic.

A few years ago, when we were stuck on hurricane evacuation, I saw them do M5, when Van Zweden had only been there a few months, and was struck by their chemistry. That was a hell of a read, kind of raw hang-on-for-dear-life, and the players were totally there all the way.

(I also happened that week to see their premiere of Stucky's August 4, 1964 - super cool to see that finally got Grammy-nominated.)

I can really tell Van Zweden has settled in more now, he was very in control of the situation, conducting quite far ahead, focusing strongly on musicality. The slow mvmt was gorgeous!

Very solid interpretation and the players showed a lot of musical communication, really first-rate. Proud to see they're doing so well, I need to make it up there to see them again.

I guess I will now post a concert I'm looking forward to - been working so much I haven't made it to much symphony lately, only chamber, but this weekend:

Saturday, March 16

Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis
Haydn: Symphony No. 98
Walton: Belshazzar's Feast

Hannu Lintu, conductor
Stephen Powell, baritone
Houston Symphony
Houston Symphony Chorus

Never heard the VW or Walton live, very excited...my uncle who is a chorister is coming as well.

I almost feel sorry for Hannu Lintu, he has been to Houston so many times in the last few years, I figured he'd be named to succeed Hans Graf, but instead they chose someone I hadn't heard of.

Andrés Orozco-Estrada? (http://en.orozcoestrada.com/biografie) Anyone know anything of him? Reminds me a bit of Dudamel...apparently they had one or two private rehearsals and the chemistry sealed the deal.

Curious, planning to go to a concert or two of his next season...their centennial season has a killer lineup.

[Lisztianwagner]

Just booked a ticket for:

Richard Wagner
Götterdämmerung, Der Ring des Nibelungen

Daniel Barenboim

Siegfried  Ian Storey
Gunther  Gerd Grochowski
Alberich  Johannes Martin Kränzle
Hagen  Mikhail Petrenko
Brünnhilde  Iréne Theorin
Gutrune  Marina Poplavskaya
               Anna Samuil
Waltraute  Waltraud Meier
Die erste Norn  Margarita Nekrasova
Die zweite Norn  Waltraud Meier
Die dritte Norn  Marina Poplavskaya
                         Anna Samuil
Woglinde  Aga Mikolaj
Wellgunde  Maria Gortsevskaya
Flosshilde  Anna Lapkovska

Next May, at Teatro alla Scala; so so happy!!!

[MishaK]

Oof! Wish I could hear that!

[dylanesque]

I'm looking forward to Mahler 4 tonight at Bridgewater Hall in Manchester. I'll be interested to compare with my Maazel and Klemperer versions
The warm up is Papa Haydn London Symphony which I have only heard briefly.
I decided on a seat in the Gallery having read good reviews on the venue.

[listener]

Being of 'a certain age' I've heard most of the standard rep live, so the Vancouver Symphony's offerings for next year aren't very exciting.   Yefim Bronfman playing all 5 Beethoven concertos, Alexander Gavrylyuk the 4 Rachmaninoff maybe.  But someone out there may find the concert of April 27, 2014 of interest:  FELDMAN: Madame Press Died Last Week at Ninety, Kurt WEILL Violin Concerto, James ROLFE: Juggle   Edward TOP:Time Passes Like the Wind and STOCKHAUSEN Kontrapunkte.
At least they've taken out The Four Seasons, Beethoven's 9th and Carmina Burana from the subscription series and programmed them as specials for people who want to hear only pieces they already know (or know about).

[HIPster]

Being of 'a certain age' I've heard most of the standard rep live, so the Vancouver Symphony's offerings for next year aren't very exciting.   Yefim Bronfman playing all 5 Beethoven concertos, Alexander Gavrylyuk the 4 Rachmaninoff maybe.  But someone out there may find the concert of April 27, 2014 of interest:  FELDMAN: Madame Press Died Last Week at Ninety, Kurt WEILL Violin Concerto, James ROLFE: Juggle   Edward TOP:Time Passes Like the Wind and STOCKHAUSEN Kontrapunkte.
At least they've taken out The Four Seasons, Beethoven's 9th and Carmina Burana from the subscription series and programmed them as specials for people who want to hear only pieces they already know (or know about).

Very cool, Listener!

I'm looking forward to Mahler 4 tonight at Bridgewater Hall in Manchester. I'll be interested to compare with my Maazel and Klemperer versions
The warm up is Papa Haydn London Symphony which I have only heard briefly.
I decided on a seat in the Gallery having read good reviews on the venue.

Awesome, dylanesque.  Enjoy.

If you get a chance to post your thoughts, I'd love to read them.

Thanks.

Tallis Scholars on Friday night for me.  Stoked for this one.

[Sergeant Rock]

I'm looking forward to Mahler 4 tonight at Bridgewater Hall in Manchester. I'll be interested to compare with my Maazel and Klemperer versions
The warm up is Papa Haydn London Symphony which I have only heard briefly.
I decided on a seat in the Gallery having read good reviews on the venue.

My kind of concert! I'm envious. Who's conducting? And who is the soloist?

Sarge

[dylanesque]

Cheers Sarge and Peter.

Sir Mark Elder conductor
Ailish Tynan soprano
To be honest don't really know much about the Conductor or Soloist. Ill post my impressions later
Regards Darren

[Lisztianwagner]

Cheers Sarge and Peter.

Mahler No.4
Sir Mark Elder conductor
Ailish Tynan soprano
To be honest don't really know much about the Conductor or Soloist. Ill post my impressions later
Regards Darren

I've read about that concert, it shall be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 this evening; I'm looking forward to listening to it.

[MishaK]

Cheers Sarge and Peter.

Sir Mark Elder conductor
Ailish Tynan soprano
To be honest don't really know much about the Conductor or Soloist. Ill post my impressions later
Regards Darren

Elder's been a regular guest here in Chicago for some reason. Very solid, but not exactly breathtaking. Nonetheless did a very fine Dvorak here a few seasons ago (they let him do a complete Dvorak cycle for no apparent reason). Since it's Manchester, I assume he's conducting the Hallé which is his band, so they should follow his every whim and not be as lukewarm about him as the CSO. 

[jlaurson]

Ionarts-at-Large: Dallas SO and @violincase in Munich

...with their second of two programs: Wagner's Prelude & Liebestod, Steven Stucky's Elegy from August 4, 1964,
and Richard Strauss' Suite from Der Rosenkavalier pivoting around the constant of the two programs, Erich Korn-
gold's Violin Concerto...

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2013/03/ionarts-at-large-dallas-so-and.html

[jlaurson]

The Shtick, Shpil, and Spheres of Daniel Hope

...Then Philip Glass' Echorus, which is the good man at his Glassian best and better yet: a piece originally written for Menuhin which allows Daniel Hope one of his "did you know I studied with Menuhin?!" plugs. No... really? Tell us more. ...

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-shtick-shpil-and-spheres-of-daniel.html