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

Started by Siedler, April 20, 2007, 05:34:10 PM

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Lilas Pastia

Wow, Peter, this must have been a fantastic night at the symphony!  :D

pjme

Yes Lilas, an impressive experience.

The Concertgebouw will do more Messiaen in 2008 :

Poèmes pour Mi ( one of my favorite Messiaen works) with Measha Bruggergosman / David Robertson
l'Ascension (Myung Whun Chung conducting)
Eclairs sur l'au-delà (Ingo Metzmacher)
Turangalila Symph. (Mariss Jansons / Jean Yves Thibaudet )


Novi

I've only been to a handful of concerts since the summer, so I'm happy to get back into the live music groove with a couple this weekend:

COPLAND   Music for the Theatre (2')
MILHAUD   Le Bouf sur le Toit (15')
TURNAGE   A Prayer out of Stillness (15-18') UK premiere
TÜÜR   Oxymoron (Music for Tirol) (19') Scottish premiere

Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Olari Elts  - Conductor
John Patitucci  - double bass/ six string bass guitar

No idea about how any of this sounds ???, but I'm always ready to hear something new. Apparently the concert is a fusion of classical and jazz styles which 'can make for a memorable, edge of the seat music-making.' Seems like a very short programme though.


The Dunedin Consort - Buxtehude Anniversary Concert
Director John Butt

Buxtehude 'Der Herr ist mit Mir'
Bach 'Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit', Cantata 106
Beamish New commission

More familiar territory here :D. I really like the Dunedin's Bach and can't wait to hear the Actus Tragicus.
Durch alle Töne tönet
Im bunten Erdentraum
Ein leiser Ton gezogen
Für den der heimlich lauschet.

bhodges

Quote from: Novitiate on November 12, 2007, 03:55:46 AM
I've only been to a handful of concerts since the summer, so I'm happy to get back into the live music groove with a couple this weekend:

COPLAND   Music for the Theatre (2')
MILHAUD   Le Bouf sur le Toit (15')
TURNAGE   A Prayer out of Stillness (15-18') UK premiere
TÜÜR   Oxymoron (Music for Tirol) (19') Scottish premiere

Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Olari Elts  - Conductor
John Patitucci  - double bass/ six string bass guitar

No idea about how any of this sounds ???, but I'm always ready to hear something new. Apparently the concert is a fusion of classical and jazz styles which 'can make for a memorable, edge of the seat music-making.' Seems like a very short programme though.

Wow, what a great program.  The Copland and Milhaud aren't done often enough, and the other two sound intriguing.  Please report back... :D

--Bruce

bhodges

After yesterday's concert with Gustavo Dudamel and the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela, they're back for round two tonight, and this time I'm much more excited by the repertoire.  Dudamel is conducting the Bartók, and Simon Rattle is doing the Shostakovich.

Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10

--Bruce

Greta

#345
Quote from: Greta on October 22, 2007, 10:23:05 AM
Looking forward to doing this double bill on November 11:

Jones Hall, Houston, TX

2:30pm
Houston Symphony
Hans Graf, conductor


Mozart: Serenade for Winds in c minor, K. 388
Berg: Lyric Suite
Zemlinsky: Lyric Symphony

8:00pm
UBS Verbier Festival Orchestra
Charles Dutoit, conductor
Martha Argerich, piano


Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3

Both of these concerts were just fantastic...and the Verbier Festival Orchestra was insanely great, they fairly took the roof off Jones Hall last night.

First, the Houston SO concert:

To my delight, it was announced at the beginning this was being recorded for a release in early 2008 on Naxos. And there were certainly a lotta microphones! The audience (mostly geriatric) was admonished to stay quiet, and then we had a gorgeous Mozart Serenade, extremely well-prepared with 8 of the wind players and finely conducted by Hans Graf, somewhat a Mozart specialist. The Berg Lyric Suite was a real treat to hear, couched with an explanation to the audience that Berg is difficult, beware, though it was very enjoyable and beautiful music.

The Zemlinsky Lyric Symphony was the highlight by far, it's ravishing stuff. The soloists were Roman Trekel and Twyla Robinson, both excellent. The orchestra played with fine control and balance, it should be a nice new recording of this gem of a piece. I was very proud of the audience for staying quiet, rare down here. I felt the concentration of the audience was radically better too as a consequence!

The Verbier Festival Orchestra:

I described this incredible experience in great detail here. Man, if you get the chance, go see this group. The current youth orchestra phenomenon is truly something to behold - this international group of young musicians played their hearts out and produced a searing performance, the most exciting orchestral concert I've perhaps ever been to. I almost couldn't believe how fantastic their Symphonie Fantastique was (pun!), and Dutoit conducted it marvelously.

The vibe in the room was palpable, the chemistry, the occasion...I won't forget the experience for a long, long time. Argerich was awesome too in Prokofiev 3rd, dynamic and graceful. We called her back for an encore finally, Chopin and some other piece we couldn't identify...and the orchestra also encored, with a cracking, vivacious rendition of Chabrier's España.

All in all, a truly exhilarating concert, and a treasure of an experience. (And a pleasure to meet GMG member brian_rein, who ended up going with us at the last minute!)

They play 3 more times in the US this week, in Chicago and New York, and next week in Europe.

toledobass

Quote from: 12tone. on October 29, 2007, 06:22:31 PM
Our (CAN) Vancouver Symphony Orchestra has 0 programs this year that look remotely interesting.

What are you looking for?  I wouldn't mind seeing every one of those Masterwork Diamond programs.

Allan

toledobass

Quote from: rubio on November 10, 2007, 05:53:25 AM
I wonder about these two concerts in Oslo.

First 29th of March 2008:

NDR Sinfonieorchester Hamburg
Christoph von Dohnanyi
Yefin Bronfman

Program:
BEETHOVEN pinao concerto no. 4
STRAVINSKY Firebird, complete

 

I vote yes.  It seems like a no-brainer to me. (I don't comment on the other offering since I don't know his work.)

Allan

Brian

Houston, Texas at Rice University on Saturday November, 17: The Best Place to Be on Earth!!

Take a look at the program:

From morning to evening for an entire day, music of Eastern Europe performed by students of the Shepherd School

Concert I - 10:00 a.m.
Bartók - Piano Quintet, DD.77 (1903-4)
Proto - Quartet for Basses (1964)
Bartok - String Quartet No. 3 (1927)
Shostakovich - String Quartet No. 8 (1960)

Concert II - 12:00 noon
Saint-Saëns - Fantasie, Op. 124 (1907)
Glière - Duets for Two Cellos, Op. 53 (1911)
Schubert - Rondo in A Major, D. 951, for piano four-hands (1828)
Tchaikovsky - String Quartet in D Major, Op. 11 (1871)
Dvorák - String Quintet in G Major, Op. 77 (1875)

Concert III - 2:00 p.m.
Stravinsky - Octet for Wind Instruments (1923, rev. 1952)
Arensky - String Quartet, Op. 35 (1894)
Martinu - Promenades, for flute, violin, and piano (1940)
Dvorák - Piano Quintet in A Major, Op. 81 (1887)

Concert IV - 4:00 p.m.
Lutoslawski - Variations on a Theme of Paganini for Two Pianos (1941)
Janácek - String Quartet No. 2, "Intimate Letters" (1928)
Messiaen - Quartour pour la Fin de Temps (1941)

Concert V - 6:00 p.m.
Smetana - Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 15 (1855)
Shostakovich - Trio for Violin, Cello, and Piano, Op. 67 (1944)
Dvorák - String Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 51(1879)
Prokofiev - Quintet in G Minor, Op. 39 (1924)

Concert VI - 8:00 p.m.
Martinu - Piano Quartet No.1 (1942)
Rózsa - String Quartet No. 1, Op. 22 (1949, 50)
Husa - Deux Preludes (1966)
Brahms - String Quintet No. 2 in G Major, Op. 111 (1891)


.................when am I going to eat??!??!  :o ;D

Florestan

Quote from: brianrein on November 14, 2007, 07:32:17 PM
Houston, Texas at Rice University on Saturday November, 17: The Best Place to Be on Earth!!

Take a look at the program:

From morning to evening for an entire day, music of Eastern Europe performed by students of the Shepherd School

Concert I - 10:00 a.m.
Bartók - Piano Quintet, DD.77 (1903-4)
Proto - Quartet for Basses (1964)
Bartok - String Quartet No. 3 (1927)
Shostakovich - String Quartet No. 8 (1960)

Concert II - 12:00 noon
Saint-Saëns - Fantasie, Op. 124 (1907)
Glière - Duets for Two Cellos, Op. 53 (1911)
Schubert - Rondo in A Major, D. 951, for piano four-hands (1828)
Tchaikovsky - String Quartet in D Major, Op. 11 (1871)
Dvorák - String Quintet in G Major, Op. 77 (1875)

Concert III - 2:00 p.m.
Stravinsky - Octet for Wind Instruments (1923, rev. 1952)
Arensky - String Quartet, Op. 35 (1894)
Martinu - Promenades, for flute, violin, and piano (1940)
Dvorák - Piano Quintet in A Major, Op. 81 (1887)

Concert IV - 4:00 p.m.
Lutoslawski - Variations on a Theme of Paganini for Two Pianos (1941)
Janácek - String Quartet No. 2, "Intimate Letters" (1928)
Messiaen - Quartour pour la Fin de Temps (1941)

Concert V - 6:00 p.m.
Smetana - Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 15 (1855)
Shostakovich - Trio for Violin, Cello, and Piano, Op. 67 (1944)
Dvorák - String Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 51(1879)
Prokofiev - Quintet in G Minor, Op. 39 (1924)

Concert VI - 8:00 p.m.
Martinu - Piano Quartet No.1 (1942)
Rózsa - String Quartet No. 1, Op. 22 (1949, 50)
Husa - Deux Preludes (1966)
Brahms - String Quintet No. 2 in G Major, Op. 111 (1891)


.................when am I going to eat??!??!  :o ;D

Are you going to attend them ALL???  :o
Every kind of music is good, except the boring kind. — Rossini

Brian

Quote from: Florestan on November 14, 2007, 10:32:34 PM
Are you going to attend them ALL???  :o
Well, I might skip the first halves of I and VI. Have to have a meal sometime  8)

Florestan

Quote from: brianrein on November 15, 2007, 05:24:28 AM
Well, I might skip the first halves of I and VI. Have to have a meal sometime  8)

Even so, it's way too much for one day...
Every kind of music is good, except the boring kind. — Rossini

bhodges

Quote from: brianrein on November 14, 2007, 07:32:17 PM
Houston, Texas at Rice University on Saturday November, 17: The Best Place to Be on Earth!!

Take a look at the program:

From morning to evening for an entire day, music of Eastern Europe performed by students of the Shepherd School

Concert I - 10:00 a.m.
Bartók - Piano Quintet, DD.77 (1903-4)
Proto - Quartet for Basses (1964)
Bartok - String Quartet No. 3 (1927)
Shostakovich - String Quartet No. 8 (1960)

Concert II - 12:00 noon
Saint-Saëns - Fantasie, Op. 124 (1907)
Glière - Duets for Two Cellos, Op. 53 (1911)
Schubert - Rondo in A Major, D. 951, for piano four-hands (1828)
Tchaikovsky - String Quartet in D Major, Op. 11 (1871)
Dvorák - String Quintet in G Major, Op. 77 (1875)

Concert III - 2:00 p.m.
Stravinsky - Octet for Wind Instruments (1923, rev. 1952)
Arensky - String Quartet, Op. 35 (1894)
Martinu - Promenades, for flute, violin, and piano (1940)
Dvorák - Piano Quintet in A Major, Op. 81 (1887)

Concert IV - 4:00 p.m.
Lutoslawski - Variations on a Theme of Paganini for Two Pianos (1941)
Janácek - String Quartet No. 2, "Intimate Letters" (1928)
Messiaen - Quartour pour la Fin de Temps (1941)

Concert V - 6:00 p.m.
Smetana - Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 15 (1855)
Shostakovich - Trio for Violin, Cello, and Piano, Op. 67 (1944)
Dvorák - String Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 51(1879)
Prokofiev - Quintet in G Minor, Op. 39 (1924)

Concert VI - 8:00 p.m.
Martinu - Piano Quartet No.1 (1942)
Rózsa - String Quartet No. 1, Op. 22 (1949, 50)
Husa - Deux Preludes (1966)
Brahms - String Quintet No. 2 in G Major, Op. 111 (1891)


.................when am I going to eat??!??!  :o ;D

Wow!  That is quite a fantastic line-up.  I wouldn't even worry about food: just stuff a few PowerBars in your pocket and settle in for the day.  ;D

Do report back on all that.  Hard to choose, but I'd definitely want to catch concerts III and IV, the latter with the Messiaen. 

--Bruce

PerfectWagnerite

Quote from: brianrein on November 14, 2007, 07:32:17 PM
Houston, Texas at Rice University on Saturday November, 17: The Best Place to Be on Earth!!

Take a look at the program:


All chamber music? Looks pretty boring. But it's free right?

Anyway I am looking forward to the Feb. 2 performance of Die Walkuere at the MET conducted by Maazel. That should be interesting. There is James Morris as Wotan (a role he pretty much owns nowadays), Lisa Gasteen (I guess she is singing Brunnhilde) and Michele DeYoung (what is she singing? Fricka?).

MishaK

I just found out that I will be going to go hear the Magic Flute at the Met next Saturday with my in-laws. Diana Damrau is the Queen of the Night, Kirill Peternko conducting. I am stoked!

bhodges

Quote from: O Mensch on November 16, 2007, 01:28:53 PM
I just found out that I will be going to go hear the Magic Flute at the Met next Saturday with my in-laws. Diana Damrau is the Queen of the Night, Kirill Peternko conducting. I am stoked!

You are going to have a fantastic time.  Damrau is terrific (although I've not heard her in this).  Do report back!

--Bruce

Lilas Pastia

There's a youtube vid of Damrau as the Queen of the Night. She is quite fantastic (check also her sizzling and funny Martern aller arten).

Brian

Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on November 15, 2007, 06:37:09 PM
All chamber music? Looks pretty boring. But it's free right?
Yep, it's free.

Not sure about boring though!  ;)

Brian

#358
These are the concerts I attended during the chamber music festival:
Quote from: brianrein on November 14, 2007, 07:32:17 PM
Houston, Texas at Rice University on Saturday November, 17: The Best Place to Be on Earth!!
Concert II - 12:00 noon
Saint-Saëns - Fantasie, Op. 124 (1907)
Glière - Duets for Two Cellos, Op. 53 (1911)
Schubert - Rondo in A Major, D. 951, for piano four-hands (1828)
Tchaikovsky - String Quartet in D Major, Op. 11 (1871)
Dvorák - String Quintet in G Major, Op. 77 (1875)

Concert III - 2:00 p.m.
Stravinsky - Octet for Wind Instruments (1923, rev. 1952)
Arensky - String Quartet, Op. 35 (1894)
Martinu - Promenades, for flute, violin, and piano (1940)
Dvorák - Piano Quintet in A Major, Op. 81 (1887)

Concert V - 6:00 p.m.
Smetana - Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 15 (1855)
Shostakovich - Trio for Violin, Cello, and Piano, Op. 67 (1944)
Dvorák - String Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 51(1879)
I wanted to see the Shostakovich SQ 8, but arrived too late; the doors were shut. :( I also wanted to see the Shostakovich piano trio, but the violinist had broken her arm and the performance was called off.

The Saint-Saens Fantasie for Harp and Violin was a surprisingly interesting piece, though the harp held my attention far more than the violin did and in general it seemed to go on for quite a while. The Gliere duets were rather roughly performed, but I loved the No. VIII from this set - it sounds like baroque music from Brazil! The Schubert Rondo sounds like an inferior imitation of his own piano sonata in the same key (A major); the two works even open in the same way. The Tchaikovsky quartet was, of course, one of the highlights of the afternoon, though I noticed that the piece relies on the first violin for nearly all its good melodies. It doesn't matter: I love the work, one of the greatest chamber pieces of all time, and the first two movements are truly moving. In the ensuing Dvorak quintet only the third movement really caught my attention - truly beautiful! - although I thought to myself, "this came from his American period," and then looked at the program and saw it said 1875!

During the Stravinsky Octet I moved to a seat next to the exit so I could boot my computer and send a piece in to the school paper before the deadline hit. I listened, though, but the music didn't catch my interest, except a variation in the second movement based on a rather silly oompah-waltz. By contrast, the first seconds of the Arensky quartet for violin, viola and two cellos snared my attention so that I left my computer (bad idea!) and returned to my seat. The work owes a lot to the Tchaikovsky quartet, with its slow, beautiful beginning and gradual rise in action, but the second cello and minor key mean that this piece is the perfect foil. If the Tchaikovsky quartet is a rich treat, the Arensky is dark chocolate. Sunny moments appeared and then were replaced by the resumption of the powerfully somber opening passage. This performance had the feel of a real "discovery", and the players were correspondingly enthusiastic (unfortunately the violinist's enthusiasm got in the way of his technique on occasion). The second movement was a set of variations on a theme by Tchaikovsky; I have, just now, learned there is a third movement. It wasn't played! Why? Sadly, the same must be asked of the Dvorak piano quintet, in which the first three movements were played and the last again omitted! (In the interim, Martinu's Promenades was a very satisfying diversion, though marred by some unfortunate violin playing.)

Smetana's piano trio was a moving experience, aided by some truly exceptional playing, especially from the pianist, who has an incredibly tough role. The piano part seems in some places to be much like Rachmaninov! This was far more emotionally engaging than anything I had heard since the Arensky. It was, however, no match for what followed (since the Shostakovich had been canceled): Dvorak's string quartet in E-flat. I had heard this piece in a recording by the New Zealand String Quartet and disliked it. These students proved me wrong. The violist and cellist were especially captivating, both to watch and to hear. They were two of just three performers all afternoon to really let the music's power come through in their body language and, especially, facial expressions. This is an absolutely beautiful quartet from first second to last, and I was so overjoyed by the performance that I left immediately in case anything that followed proved disappointing. The afternoon therefore ended on probably the highest note I heard all day.

All told, I listened to 6 of the 12 hours of music on offer. I was able to fit in two meals and some bathroom breaks  ;D  . What a glorious Saturday at Rice University!

My main regrets are missing the Shosty Eighth Quartet - this was one of the things I was most looking forward to - as well as having to miss Janacek's "Intimate Letters" during my dinner break, and Brahms' String Quintet, the last piece of the day.

bhodges

On Thursday, Nov. 29, Gustavo Dudamel will make his debut with the New York Philharmonic, and since the program is very interesting, I can't wait.  I can't recall ever hearing the Chávez in concert.

Chávez: Symphony No. 2, Sinfonía India
Dvorák: Violin Concerto (with Gil Shaham)
Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5

--Bruce