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

[Baron Scarpia]

The 8th symphony was presented in the original version, the one with the loud ending in the first movement. Other salient departures from the more familiar definitive version include a totally different Trio in the second movement, a differently scored and gauged climax in the Adagio (6 cymbal clashes !) and a more diffuse ending to the Finale (a single C major chord instead of the peremptory downward arpeggio which 'nails' the coda so magnificently.

I know the original version of the 8th through the Imbal recording, and if, I recall correctly, a passage in the coda which is perhaps my favorite passage in all of classical music is not there. It is a tumultuous passage that ends with the orchestra going silent, leaving trumpets barking in unison, which which halt abruptly, followed by the quiet ending. So I, for one, am glad that Bruckner revised the 8th.

[André]

That's the ending of the first movement. That change is a major improvement over the original version, probably the most noticeable too. The coda of the finale is tauter and better orchestrated, too.

[André]

Next in line will be May 23, in Amsterdam: the London Symphony under Michael Tilson Thomas will play an all Sibelius program: violin concerto (Janine Jansen) and symphonies 6 and 7.

Will anybody from the Netherlands attend ? 

[Mirror Image]

Next in line will be May 23, in Amsterdam: the London Symphony under Michael Tilson Thomas will play an all Sibelius program: violin concerto (Janine Jansen) and symphonies 6 and 7.

Will anybody from the Netherlands attend ? 

I would if I could. Sibelius is one of those composers whose music I'd love to see in concert.

[Pat B]

Last night Augustin Hadelich played that same Tchaikovsky concerto. He was standing in for Hilary Hahn who, being with child (no 2) could not be in town. Hadelich has been named 2018 Instrumentalist of the Year by Musical America. Our own Bruce penned an article on him earlier this year  . The Tchaikovsky concerto was the odd man out among the woks programmed, and it was probably a good decision considering the other works' difficulty. Hadelich's intensity was startling. This is the first time I witness a standing ovation after the first movement of a concerto. Frankly, it was well-deserved. Hadelich is a champion of new, modern works, but choosing one would have been quite a gamble.

Hadelich played the Dvořák here earlier this year. Unfortunately I missed it. But I did see a standing ovation after the first movement of the Tchaikovsky when Gil Shaham came to town. Shaham's youtube videos suggest he gets that a lot.

Friday I saw the local orchestra do Janáček's Glagolitic Mass. The music doesn't have a Mass vibe, so the surtitles were a bit of a distraction. Otherwise it was an awesome experience (though my companion was not enthusiastic). Also, Christopher O'Reilly did Mozart's PC 22, which was fine.

[André]

Wowie ! The Glagolitic Mass must be quite something, esp if there is a good organ in the hall.

[Pat B]

Wowie ! The Glagolitic Mass must be quite something, esp if there is a good organ in the hall.

I don't have much basis for comparison on the organ, but it sounds good to me.

[André]

Just checked opera performances at Milan's La Scala for the time I will be there: tickets start at 240€  .

I think I'll visit their store instead 

[GioCar]

Just checked opera performances at Milan's La Scala for the time I will be there: tickets start at 240€  .

I think I'll visit their store instead 

Some seats at lower prices might be released at the very last minute - the same day or so. If you haven't planned anything else in advance, I'd suggest to pay a visit to their ticket office. BTW which performances are you interested in?

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Does La Scala have standing room tickets? They'd probably be very cheap if you can get a hold of them the day before or the day of a performance—depending on the availability of course.

[André]

I'll be in Milan May 23-26. The only opera performance running for these dates is Aida  (my favorite grand opera). I'm not familiar with last minute tickets business  .

[ritter]

Just bought tickets for Bernd-Alois Zimmerman's Die Soldaten at the Teatro Real here in Madrid. It's fot June 3 (the last performance of the run—the Spanish premiere will be on May 16.)

The conductor will be Pablo Heras-Casado, and the producer Calixto Bieito. I'm really looking forward to this rare opportunities of seeing one of the seminal operas of the 20th century fully staged. It might be a shattering (but also, I hope, very fulfilling)  experience. 

[GioCar]

I'll be in Milan May 23-26. The only opera performance running for these dates is Aida  (my favorite grand opera). I'm not familiar with last minute tickets business  .

Does La Scala have standing room tickets? They'd probably be very cheap if you can get a hold of them the day before or the day of a performance—depending on the availability of course.

@ André
The May 23 performance looks like to be fully booked...anyway, if you are lucky enough, you still might find some returned (seat) tickets the same day at the ticket counter, beside the 140 standing-room tickets (in answer to Jessop) which are on sale two hours and a half before each performance. Yes, those tickets are quite cheap (10-15€) but with very limited view, and you have to be there many hours before to have some chances to get in...

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Just bought tickets for Bernd-Alois Zimmerman's Die Soldaten at the Teatro Real here in Madrid. It's fot June 3 (the last performance of the run—the Spanish premiere will be on May 16.)

The conductor will be Pablo Heras-Casado, and the producer Calixto Bieito. I'm really looking forward to this rare opportunities of seeing one of the seminal operas of the 20th century fully staged. It might be a shattering (but also, I hope, very fulfilling)  experience. 

Extremely jealous!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Yep, it's confirmed, Parsifal in Finnish National Opera on 24th of May. I saw the same production at the very same place in April 2011 but Parsifal is always Parsifal. It deserves a second run (at least!).

[André]

@ André
The May 23 performance looks like to be fully booked...anyway, if you are lucky enough, you still might find some returned (seat) tickets the same day at the ticket counter, beside the 140 standing-room tickets (in answer to Jessop) which are on sale two hours and a half before each performance. Yes, those tickets are quite cheap (10-15€) but with very limited view, and you have to be there many hours before to have some chances to get in...

We arrive in PM, book at the youth hostel at 7:30pm... just too tight for any last minute arrangement. I'll have to settle with the LSO in Amsterdam 

[bhodges]

Just bought tickets for Bernd-Alois Zimmerman's Die Soldaten at the Teatro Real here in Madrid. It's fot June 3 (the last performance of the run—the Spanish premiere will be on May 16.)

The conductor will be Pablo Heras-Casado, and the producer Calixto Bieito. I'm really looking forward to this rare opportunities of seeing one of the seminal operas of the 20th century fully staged. It might be a shattering (but also, I hope, very fulfilling)  experience. 

Adding my envy, too! Do report back. I was lucky to see the huge Ruhr Triennale production when it came here in 2008. (Hard to believe it's been ten years -- my memory of it is still pretty vivid.)

Tonight at Carnegie Hall, my first experience with Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla -- based on reports, I am quite excited. Don't know the mezzo-soprano, either.

The MET Orchestra
Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, Conductor
Anita Rachvelishvili, Mezzo-Soprano

DEBUSSY Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
MUSSORGSKY Songs and Dances of Death (orch. Shostakovich)
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 4

--Bruce

[Draško]

Tonight:

Dvorak - Noonday Witch
Dvorak - Piano Concerto
Schubert - Symphony No.3

Yeol Eum Son (piano)
Belgrade Philharmonic
Howard Griffiths (cond.)

[Judith]

Last Saturday at Leeds Town Hall

Dresden Philharmonic
Michael Sanderling
Soloist Jennifer Pike

Performing
Weber Overture Euryanthe
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
Beethoven Symphony no 5

Wasn't the best concert I had been to.
The overture wasn't too bad and the violin concerto was performed well even though she wasn't Joshua, but when it came to Beethoven, noticed in the first movement that some of the notes were stopped abruptly and in the quieter parts of the symphony, was so quiet that it couldn't be heard.

Be interested to know if anyone else has come across this orchestra and conductor

[Ainsi la nuit]

On the assumption that I can secure a ticket - which costs only 20 euros for students when bought on the day of the performance - I'm seeing my first-ever Parsifal today. Needless to say, I'm bursting with excitement.

On Wednesday I'm seeing Leila Josefowicz in a performance of Bernd Alois Zimmermann's Violin Concerto, with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra under Hannu Lintu. They will also perform Schumann's 1st symphony, which is always a treat to a die-hard Schumann-lover like me. That concert will also be the last of this season, and I'll have to wait until August for my concert activities to resume. But I've heard like 35 concerts this season, so I can't really complain... And the season 2018-19 in Helsinki is absolutely bursting with treats of all kinds.