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

[LKB]

Got home about an hour ago from the Vienna Philharmonic performing Bruckner's Eighth, Thielmann conducting.

The orchestra was in very good form, richly balanced and blended. l was particularly impressed with the violins, basses, horns and woodwinds.

A very impressive and persuasive reading, though Thielmann still needlessly pushes the tempo in a few places.

Tonight's encore was Josef Strauss's Sphärenklänge, and it was perfection itself. 👍

[vandermolen]

I enjoyed the Sidcup SO concert on Saturday night. Obviously they are not the Vienna Philharmonic, although the standard was still high. I would guess that the orchestra consists of retired professional players and budding newcomers. The woodwind were especially impressive and the soloist in Beethoven's 4th PC was excellent in all respects. My wife, myself and a friend also enjoyed Dvorak's 8th Symphony (my favourite of his symphonies) and Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture as well as the Lebanese restaurant where we eat! I might go back in May for the next concert:
Gershwin' An American in Paris'
Falla 'Nights in the Gardens of Spain'
Mussorgsky (orch. Ravel) 'Pictures at an Exhibition'

[LKB]

I enjoyed the Sidcup SO concert on Saturday night. Obviously they are not the Vienna Philharmonic, although the standard was still high. I would guess that the orchestra consistes of retired professional players and budding newcomers. The woodwind were especially impressive and the soloist in Beethoven's 4th PC was excellent in all respects. My wife, myself and a friend also enjoyed Dvorak's 8th Symphony (my favourite of his symphonies) and Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture as well as the Lebanese restaurant where we eat! I might go back in May for the next concert:
Gershwin' An American in Paris'
Falla 'Nights in the Gardens of Spain'
Mussorgsky (orch. Ravel) 'Pictures at an Exhibition'

Sound's like a fun time, the next program also. 

[VonStupp]

A couple of warhorses are coming up that I am debating traveling to. I am probably most excited to see McCreesh and Antonini nearby, but I feel lucky to have many choices around me.

Chicago SO w/ Osmo Vänskä - this weekend
Orff: Carmina Burana

Minnesota Orchestra w/ Paul McCreesh - end of March
Haydn: The Creation

Milwaukee SO w/ Ken-David Masur - end of March
Mendelssohn: Elijah

CSO w/ Giovanni Antonini (May)
Vivaldi: Gloria, et al.

Milwaukee SO w/ Ken-David Masur (June)
Mahler: Symphony 2 'Resurrection'

CSO w/ Riccardo Muti (June)
Beethoven: Missa Solemnis

[brewski]

A couple of warhorses are coming up that I am debating traveling to. I am probably most excited to see McCreesh and Antonini nearby, but I feel lucky to have many choices around me.

Chicago SO w/ Osmo Vänskä - this weekend
Orff: Carmina Burana

Minnesota Orchestra w/ Paul McCreesh - end of March
Haydn: The Creation

Milwaukee SO w/ Ken-David Masur - end of March
Mendelssohn: Elijah

CSO w/ Giovanni Antonini (May)
Vivaldi: Gloria, et al.

Milwaukee SO w/ Ken-David Masur (June)
Mahler: Symphony 2 'Resurrection'

CSO w/ Riccardo Muti (June)
Beethoven: Missa Solemnis

Nice! I would travel for many of these. (I can attest that Minnesota has been on fire lately, having watched their livestreams or listening on Minnesota Public Radio.)

-Bruce

[brewski]

Tomorrow night, thanks to Minnesota Public Radio, listening live online to this concert, with cellist Johannes Moser, conductor Michael Francis, and the Minnesota Orchestra.

https://www.yourclassical.org/schedule/classical-mpr/2023-03-17

Beethoven/Cadenbach - Grosse Fuge for String Orchestra
Shostakovich - Cello Concerto No. 1
Montgomery - Strum
Mozart - Symphony No. 41, Jupiter

-Bruce

[brewski]

Tonight a longtime friend is celebrating his birthday at the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, with conductor Stéphane Denève and pianist Vikingur Ólafsson. Earlier he was texting me photos of his pre-concert dinner with "wish you were here," and I was hoping they might be broadcasting live, but alas.

Never mind: they're airing it on Saturday, here.

Prokofiev: The Love for Three Oranges Suite
Grieg: Piano Concerto
Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances

-Bruce

[Mapman]

I'm planning to see the complete Beethoven works for Cello and Piano this weekend.

[brewski]

I'm planning to see the complete Beethoven works for Cello and Piano this weekend.

That sounds like a marathon! Who and where?

-Bruce

[Mapman]

That sounds like a marathon! Who and where?

-Bruce

It's two concerts, on Friday and Sunday (still a lot of music for them to learn, though). The cellist is a professor. More information is here: https://www.music.msu.edu/assets/Programs/2023.03.17_Bagratuni-Beethoven.pdf

[Brian]

Already hyped for this concert that is still 52 weeks away:

Rameau: Suite in A minor
Mozart: Sonata No 12
Mendelssohn: Variations sérieuses
Beethoven: Hammerklavier

Daniil Trifonov
Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas
March 12, 2024

[Mapman]

I'm planning to see the complete Beethoven works for Cello and Piano this weekend.

The first part was great! 12 Variations on 'See the conqu'ring hero comes', WoO 45 are an excellent set of variations; the minor variations are especially beautiful and the 3/8 finale is a clever transformation of the theme. I was also impressed with the first theme of Sonata No. 1, op. 5/1 — it's one of Beethoven's better melodies.

The cello and piano could combine for an impressively powerful sound at times. The sonatas were played without repeats, which I find acceptable given the ambitious program.

[Brian]

Tomorrow at Dallas' symphony hall:

CHRISTIAN SCHMITT organ
(many of you may have heard his work on the CPO label)

BACH Passacaglia and Fugue
ARVO PÄRT Annum per annum (Year by Year)
FRANCK Chorale No. 3
THEO BRANDMÜLLER "Die Kruezigung" (The Crucifixion) & "Pieta" from Sieben Stücke zur Passionszeit (Seven Works for Passiontide)
CHARLES MARIE WIDOR "Moderato" from Symphony No. 10, "Romane"
LISZT Prelude after J. S. Bach "Cantata Weinen Klagen Sorgen Zagen"

[vandermolen]

Sound's like a fun time, the next program also. 

I  agree. All are popular works (American in Paris, Pictures at an Exhibition) plus Nights in the Gardens of Spain but they are all works which I enjoy.

[ultralinear]

Tonight, the first of two all-Rachmaninov recitals by Nikolai Lugansky :

10 Preludes Op.23
Variations on a Theme of Corelli Op.42
Etudes-tableaux Op.39

To be broadcast on March 31st.

[Ganondorf]

Wagner's Siegfried next week's Thursday. Hopefully no anxiety attacks this time. Great expectations.

[Brian]

Tomorrow at Dallas' symphony hall:

CHRISTIAN SCHMITT organ
(many of you may have heard his work on the CPO label)

BACH Passacaglia and Fugue
ARVO PÄRT Annum per annum (Year by Year)
FRANCK Chorale No. 3
THEO BRANDMÜLLER "Die Kruezigung" (The Crucifixion) & "Pieta" from Sieben Stücke zur Passionszeit (Seven Works for Passiontide)
CHARLES MARIE WIDOR "Moderato" from Symphony No. 10, "Romane"
LISZT Prelude after J. S. Bach "Cantata Weinen Klagen Sorgen Zagen"

This was very interesting. Not the most colorful concert but intellectually interesting because Schmitt assembled a lot of works (at least three) built on repetition: passacaglia, variations, and in Pärt the variations suggested the passage but steadiness of time. There was more for the head than the heart on the program, but a couple of polite nods toward Easter as well. For me, it helped confirm my personal preference for French romantic (really, French pre-Messiaenic) organ repertoire above the other styles.

Lots of big loud powerful endings, which was great. There is nothing, nothing, like the moment when you realize what chord an organ piece is going to end on, and then the satisfaction when it actually gets there and the organist lets that big last chord rumble through the concert hall extra-long. It feels great!

Schmitt was personable and gave little talks before the Pärt, Brandmüller, and Liszt. He praised the organ and the concert hall (he'd come early to catch an orchestral concert), and he also played an encore: Jean Langlais' "Alleluia" study for pedals (feet) only. That was a lot of fun too! It was also a little bit funny/silly, watching the organist essentially moonwalk across the pedals doing glissandi.