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

[HIPster]

On Friday, December 15th, I caught an excellent performance of Bruckner's 7th Symphony, performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, led by Michael Tilson Thomas.

This was my first ever Bruckner concert. 

Here's a review of the prior evening's performance:

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-mtt-la-phil-review-20171216-story.html

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

An unmissable concert on Feb. 17, bringing together two of my favorite things - craft beer and chamber music:

http://spektralquartet.com/concerts/2018/2/11/close-encounters-sipping-a-glass-of-1908-vienna

[Alek Hidell]

The Philharmonic here in Oklahoma City doesn't draw me in too often - they tend to play the usual Beethoven/Brahms/Dvořák stuff (not that any of those are bad, mind you - in fact I attended their performance of Dvořák's 9th a couple of years ago cuz it's me favorite symphony).

But this year's schedule is a bit more imaginative, and I'm considering buying a ticket for this interesting program next month:

• Ginastera: Estancia: Four Dances
• Haydn: Cello Concerto in C Major (Joshua Roman, cello)
• Sibelius: Symphony No. 2

[king ubu]

Dec 21st:
Maria João Pires, Tonhalle Orchestra, Bernard Haitink: KV 595, Bruckner 4 (sold out since a few weeks at least)

Dec 22nd:
Donizetti: La Fille du régiment (Zurich Opera, w/Sabine Devieilhe, cond: Speranza Scappucci, )

Dec 30th:
Puccini: La fanciulla del West (Zurich Opera, w/Catherine Naglestad, cond: Marco Armiliato, prod: Barrie Kosky)

[Christo]

So jealous!

Not so many years ago, she would be performing in the Dome church in Utrecht (Netherlands) with a local ensemble, both of her parents including. Free saturday afternoon concerts that I frequented (still do). 

[bhodges]

Last night, the JACK Quartet at National Sawdust, in Georg Friedrich Haas String Quartet No. 9. (Heard it twice, with a dinner break in between.) Like his Third quartet, the Ninth is to be performed in total darkness -- and I mean TOTAL. Every light source, including the exit signs, was extinguished. How the musicians were able to communicate with each other was pretty astounding.

Here's the group doing the piece from last November -- likely the premiere, in Vienna:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dk_2bg3utv8

--Bruce

[king ubu]

Dec 21st:
Maria João Pires, Tonhalle Orchestra, Bernard Haitink: KV 595, Bruckner 4 (sold out since a few weeks at least)

Fantastic concert last night ... it was announced as Ms Pires' very last live appearance in Europe - whatever that means (I think she has done as many "final" tours as any aging rock act, right?) ... she was presented with a lovely artwork of a cake in the shape of a piano at the end, and how she and Haitink worked together in that wonderful concerto was just amazing. I sat front row, centre, about 2 metres from Ms Pires, so it was quite an experience - they did two nights, both sold out.

For those that read German, here's a review of the first night by Peter Hagmann, seasoned (and trusted) music critic:
http://www.peterhagmann.com/?p=1463

His comment on Bruckner and the trombones does not relate much though, from where I was (right behind Haitink after the piano was shifted to the back of the stage), there were no such problems. But while it was a great performance, it still failed to really convince me that Bruckner 4 is a great coherent piece (it still sounds like a bit of a pastiche to my ears, or rather like in some spots he didn't find ways to move from one idea to the next and used lotsa duckt tape to fix that, instead of fixing it with musical means ... but then what do I know).

[Mahlerian]

Fantastic concert last night ... it was announced as Ms Pires' very last live appearance in Europe - whatever that means (I think she has done as many "final" tours as any aging rock act, right?) ... she was presented with a lovely artwork of a cake in the shape of a piano at the end, and how she and Haitink worked together in that wonderful concerto was just amazing. I sat front row, centre, about 2 metres from Ms Pires, so it was quite an experience - they did two nights, both sold out.

For those that read German, here's a review of the first night by Peter Hagmann, seasoned (and trusted) music critic:
http://www.peterhagmann.com/?p=1463

His comment on Bruckner and the trombones does not relate much though, from where I was (right behind Haitink after the piano was shifted to the back of the stage), there were no such problems. But while it was a great performance, it still failed to really convince me that Bruckner 4 is a great coherent piece (it still sounds like a bit of a pastiche to my ears, or rather like in some spots he didn't find ways to move from one idea to the next and used lotsa duckt tape to fix that, instead of fixing it with musical means ... but then what do I know).

Great report, and fantastic that you got to see Pires play one last time.  I disagree about the Bruckner Fourth, but I can understand where the impression comes from (for this or any of his other works).  Bruckner's Fourth is really based on a pretty small group of ideas, and that one from the beginning of the symphony plays a role in all of the other movements (well, except for the scherzo, really, but that's because he rewrote the original).

I'm probably too accustomed to Bruckner's logic to understand other perspectives, though.

[listener]

M.-A. CHARPENTIER: Messe de minuit
as part of the Christmas Eve mass at the "bells and smells" high Anglican church here, with chorus, strings and organ.

[king ubu]

Great report, and fantastic that you got to see Pires play one last time.  I disagree about the Bruckner Fourth, but I can understand where the impression comes from (for this or any of his other works).  Bruckner's Fourth is really based on a pretty small group of ideas, and that one from the beginning of the symphony plays a role in all of the other movements (well, except for the scherzo, really, but that's because he rewrote the original).

I'm probably too accustomed to Bruckner's logic to understand other perspectives, though.

Thanks - and actually I was a bit puzzled myself about my reaction to Bruckner. I guess there's hardly anyone better to explore him than Haitink these days (last season he did 9 with Tonhalle and it was amazing - again coupled with a mighty piano concerto then, the emperor w/Schiff, Haitink seems to love these monstrous programmes). Also I have listened to 4 probably about 20 times since last summer, and had the impression that I eventually started to figure it out. But I was exhausted during the concert and probably lacked some of the alertness to really get it all. Too bad, but real life (which is just fine but quite exhilarating - started a new job in December, a week off for x-mas now, luckily) cannot be shut out all the time, alas.

[Judith]

Seeing Joshua Bell with ASMF in three weeks.  Its like a "dream come true" for me. 
They will be performing
Vivaldi   Four Seasons
Guest Edgar Meyer  TBA
Beethoven 2nd symphony

[Kontrapunctus]

Pianist Alexander Gavrylyuk in San Francisco May 20th. Looks like quite a finger-twisting program!

BACH/BUSONI Toccata and Fugue in D minor
HAYDN Sonata No. 47 in B minor, Hob. XV1:32
CHOPIN Etudes, Op. 10 (selections)
SCRIABIN Sonata No. 5
RACHMANINOV Preludes, Op. 23 (selections)
RACHMANINOV Sonata No. 2

[ritter]

It's several months away, but I've just received confirmation that I've been awarded the tickets I requested for Bayreuth this summer!  Parsifal (Semyon Bychkov - Uwe Eric Laufenberg), Tristan und Isolde (Christian Thielemann - Katharina Wagner)  and Die Meistersinger (Philippe Jordan - Barrie Kosky) on three successive nights (August 18 to 20).

[kishnevi]

It's several months away, but I've just received confirmation that I've been awarded the tickets I requested for Bayreuth this summer!  Parsifal (Semyon Bychkov - Uwe Eric Laufenberg), Tristan und Isolde (Christian Thielemann - Katharina Wagner)  and Die Meistersinger (Philippe Jordan - Barrie Kosky) on three successive nights (August 18 to 20).

Congratulations!
At least you have time to prepare your survival kit.

[Spineur]

Musée de Grenoble  January 21th 2018

Nathalia Milstein, piano
Schumann :  Fantasiestücke op. 12
Nicolas Baldeyrou, clarinette et le Quatuor Ardeo
Brahms : Quintette pour clarinette et cordes en si mineur op. 115

[Jaakko Keskinen]

It's several months away, but I've just received confirmation that I've been awarded the tickets I requested for Bayreuth this summer!  Parsifal (Semyon Bychkov - Uwe Eric Laufenberg), Tristan und Isolde (Christian Thielemann - Katharina Wagner)  and Die Meistersinger (Philippe Jordan - Barrie Kosky) on three successive nights (August 18 to 20).

Parsifal is coming to Finnish National opera at Spring season, Rafael (was it Rafael?), and I very much would like to see it, even though I have seen this production before (in fact, Parsifal was the first Wagner opera which I saw live.)

I hope you enjoy your Bayreuth trip!

[Pat B]

Seeing Joshua Bell with ASMF in three weeks.  Its like a "dream come true" for me. 
They will be performing
Vivaldi   Four Seasons
Guest Edgar Meyer  TBA
Beethoven 2nd symphony

Nice. I have seen Bell twice. Once playing Mendelssohn early in his career (around 1990) and then playing Glazunov in 2011.

TD: I was gifted tickets to see Gil Shaham play Tchaikovsky, plus Rachmaninov's 3rd Symphony, later this month.

[Mirror Image]

TD: I was gifted tickets to see Gil Shaham play Tchaikovsky, plus Rachmaninov's 3rd Symphony, later this month.

Conductor? Orchestra?

[Christo]

Conductor? Orchestra?

Yes. #allofthem 

[Pat B]

Conductor? Orchestra?

John DeMain. Madison Symphony.