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

[Florestan]

The horror, the horror! 

It was, and would be, way more fun and exciting than the sit-stiff-and-still-for-two-or-even-four-hours-and-surrender-yourself-to-the-divine-spirit-of-music nonsense (which is physically and psychologically impossible, anyway). 

Good day to you, Andrei.

Good day, Rafael.

[Valentino]

Perfect concert with the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra +++ yesterday.
Musical thrills a plenty, like mixing Biber and Xenakis in a single piece, mad English songs, Weimar German songs, Piazzola, mayhem on the podium to Battaglia a 10. To top it off an "Is there a doctor in the audience?" moment just at the start of the Encore, which was an arrangement of Chandelier by Sia.
You leave the hall and think What was that?!

[bhodges]

Tomorrrow night (Thursday Oct. 13th) the Brno PO are at the Anvil Basingstoke (Southern England about an hour by train south west of London) playing a fun programme for a touring orchestra;

Janáček Taras Bulba
Martinů Cello Concerto no. 1
Janáček Jealousy
Dvořák Symphony no. 8

OK I get that the Dvořák is the "pops" to get bums on seats but the first half is a cracker.  Especially as Brno is Janacek's home town band and those types of orchestras are just about the last ones left whose players grew up/trained in those countries too so they have a idiomatic sound and style I love.

The Anvil is a tremendous modern hall for orchestras as well - as good as any modern London venue I reckon.

Great program! Totally agree about the first half vs. the second, but having just heard the Dvořák twice last week (with the Philadelphia Orchestra), it's awfully good when played well.

-Bruce

[bhodges]

Perfect concert with the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra +++ yesterday.
Musical thrills a plenty, like mixing Biber and Xenakis in a single piece, mad English songs, Weimar German songs, Piazzola, mayhem on the podium to Battaglia a 10. To top it off an "Is there a doctor in the audience?" moment just at the start of the Encore, which was an arrangement of Chandelier by Sia.
You leave the hall and think What was that?!

Biber + Xenakis = Why not? 

Nice description of what sounds like a truly stimulating concert.

-Bruce

[bhodges]

I say, by all means, bring back the applause not only between movements, but during movements as well, it was not only customary behaviour, but even sought after by composers (cf. Mozart's Paris Symphony, consciously calculated to ellicit exactly this kind of response). Also, bring back repeat of movements at the audience's request. Better still, bring back the old-style concerts, mixing vocal solos, chamber music, instrumental solos and orchestral works (not necessarily complete). Bring back piano recitals during which the pianist extemporizes on themes suggested by the audience or plays works at the audience's request. Allow drinks and refreshments to be served during intervals. Allow commenting the music while it unfolds. In short, bring back the thrill, excitement and fun which were traditionally associated with concerts and which were destroyed by the (Late) Romantic music-as-religion, performance-as-divine-office, concert-hall-as-temple attitude.

I'd be in favor of at least trying this out now and then. Perhaps publicize it well, e.g., "Audience members are encouraged to applaud, whistle, or whoop at any time during this concert." And add in all the spontaneity you mention, too. (OK, granted, I might not personally like people shouting during a Bruckner adagio but OTOH, maybe some others might feel so moved.)

-Bruce

[Florestan]

I'd be in favor of at least trying this out now and then. Perhaps publicize it well, e.g., "Audience members are encouraged to applaud, whistle, or whoop at any time during this concert." And add in all the spontaneity you mention, too. (OK, granted, I might not personally like people shouting during a Bruckner adagio but OTOH, maybe some others might feel so moved.)

-Bruce

Well, sure, not all music is suited, or was written, for such an environment (Bruckner and Mahler being prime examples) but I'd say that most music written before 1850 and not a few works written after would fit in such a format just fine and make for a great evening.

[ritter]

Andrei, you forgot to include (in your "thrilling, exciting and fun" concert experience) singing along. 

[Florestan]

Andrei, you forgot to include (in your "thrilling, exciting and fun" concert experience) singing along. 

I doubt there were many in the audience who sang along Maria Malibran, Jenny Lindt or Pauline Viardot. They were, on the contrary, speechless, or if you prefer, bouche bée.

[Brian]

I am copying this without permission, from Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News music critic. (This is his social media posting, not an article.) Impressions on the new acoustic renovations for the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher David Geffen Hall. Not sure if there is a specific thread for renovations so just putting it here in the concert thread.

"First impressions, from from a single NYP concert, in a single seat on the left aisle:

"Visually very warm and appealing, so different from the sterile white geometries of previous walls and ceiling, and that hideous stage shell. Seat count reduced from 2700 to 2200. Lobbies much more spacious, open and welcoming.

"Sound very clear, with what audiophiles call precise imaging, well projected into the hall, with a bit of envelopment that wasn't there before. Only maybe a second of upper midrange reverberation with a full house—drier than I expected. As with so many newer halls, I'd like a little more lower midrange warmth, and a little more sonic spaciousness.

"The Walker digital organ pedals, heard in Respighi "Pines" imposing, but artificiality is betrayed by each note speaking instantly, not with the natural bloom of real pedal pipes.

"Other seats and other concerts, and adjustment of reflecting panels overhead, will likely yield different impressions."

[bhodges]

I am copying this without permission, from Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News music critic. (This is his social media posting, not an article.) Impressions on the new acoustic renovations for the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher David Geffen Hall. Not sure if there is a specific thread for renovations so just putting it here in the concert thread.

"First impressions, from from a single NYP concert, in a single seat on the left aisle:

"Visually very warm and appealing, so different from the sterile white geometries of previous walls and ceiling, and that hideous stage shell. Seat count reduced from 2700 to 2200. Lobbies much more spacious, open and welcoming.

"Sound very clear, with what audiophiles call precise imaging, well projected into the hall, with a bit of envelopment that wasn't there before. Only maybe a second of upper midrange reverberation with a full house—drier than I expected. As with so many newer halls, I'd like a little more lower midrange warmth, and a little more sonic spaciousness.

"The Walker digital organ pedals, heard in Respighi "Pines" imposing, but artificiality is betrayed by each note speaking instantly, not with the natural bloom of real pedal pipes.

"Other seats and other concerts, and adjustment of reflecting panels overhead, will likely yield different impressions."

Thanks for this. I'm eager to hear for myself, especially given all the mostly-positive comments. It does appear that they got it right this time—finally.

Tonight the Jerusalem Quartet (new to me) in this program:

Mendelssohn: Quartet in E-Minor, Op. 44, No. 2
Webern: Langsamer Satz
Tchaikovsky: Quartet in D Major, Op. 11

-Bruce

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Someone, now I forget who (maybe Relm?) talked about a concert in San Francisco that would have now been last week being rebroadcast today (Thursday).  I set a reminder on my computer....alas I don't know the time of the rebroadcast!  Any help here?  Trying to remember what all it was of too.   

In the meantime, whilst checking this morning, I did see several concerts that are still available to listen to.  Lots of Sibelius and other cool-looking pieces too.

Morning coffee first however. 

PD

[Wanderer]

Tonight, at the Greek National Opera:

Mozart: Don Giovanni

Don Giovanni
Dionysios Sourbis

Donna Anna
Myrsini Margariti

Don Ottavio
Vassilis Kavayas

The Commendatore
Petros Magoulas

Donna Elvira
Cellia Costea

Leporello
Yanni Yannissis

Masetto
Nikos Kotenidis

Zerlina
Miranda Makrynioti

With the Orchestra and the Chorus of the Greek National Opera

Conductor
Ondrej Olos

Stage director
John Fulljames

Revival stage director
Aylin Bozok

Sets
Dick Bird

Costumes
Annemarie Woods

Choreography
Maxine Braham

Lighting
Fabiana Piccioli

Lighting revival
Neill Brinkworth

Video design
Will Duke

Chorus master
Agathangelos Georgakatos

[Brian]

Tonight!

Haydn | Symphony No. 44 "Trauer-Sinfonie"
Ravel | Piano Concerto in G
Ginastera | Variaciones Concertantes
Debussy | Iberia

Javier Perianes, piano
Dallas Symphony
Juan Jose "Juanjo" Mena

[Florestan]

Currently on Lowestoft, en route to tonight's performance of The Rape of Lucretia at the Snape Maltings.

Have been looking forward to it since Spring, and only my second live Lucretia!


Updated to add: It was an excellent musical performance: the chamber orchestra were spot-on, the vocalists very impressive. I'd also never seen the Maltings configured with a "pit" and a proscenium arch before, so that worked well. I also worried about having very mid-front-row seats (the cheap ones at £10 a pop!), but the acoustics were fine where we were and I don't think paying more would have enhanced the experience any. My one regret is the staging/production. It's meant to be set in ancient Rome (or a battlefield just outside it), not someone's sitting room, circa 1990. The Roman generals are supposed to be Roman generals, not members of the Parachute Regiment armed with assault rifles. Why a member of the Parachute Regiment circa 1990 would suddenly yell 'my horse! my horse!' I haven't the faintest idea... and neither did the producer/director, I suspect. The terrific night-ride to Rome should be sung front-and-centre stage by the Male Chorus; ours sang it from the back of the set as Tarquinius tossed and turned in disturbed sleep... so I guess the ride was just a dream? Bianca's funny line about 'only a Tarquin would gallop on a cobbled road' also made no sense: a Parachute Regiment member would surely take a motor vehicle across tarmac... and so on and on.

So, musically wonderful. But the production was illiterate. (I notice the Telegraph calls it "intelligent", but I beg to differ!)

Still glad I went, though!

Looks like you had your first encounter with Regietheater. 

[Florestan]

Reminds me of a Verdi Macbeth I saw in Dresden some years ago, which was done in full modern combat gear complete with automatic weapons and grenades. Birnam Wood didn't so much march to Dunsinane as get airdropped from a Chinook.

And someone directly involved in the operatic production at the National Opera in Bucharest told me they were invited to a Rigoletto in Munich (I think; in any case, a major German opera house) in which 99% of the time the Duke of Mantova wore nothing but a towel aaround his hips; the other 1% was when he dropped it altogether. 

[Florestan]

It's unfortunately not my first! But I certainly hope it will be my last

I like my operas to have dragons and horses and dwarves and giants, not metaphysical reinterpretations of the same. Call me a literalist, boring old fogey if you must... 

Oh, I'm with you all the way. Regietheater is trash.

[Lisztianwagner]

It's unfortunately not my first! But I certainly hope it will be my last

I like my operas to have dragons and horses and dwarves and giants, not metaphysical reinterpretations of the same. Call me a literalist, boring old fogey if you must... 

Oh, I'm with you all the way. Regietheater is trash.

+1

I completely concur.

[Florestan]

Oh I've been to shows like that.   A Salome at Covent Garden.  Or - less excusably - a Rake's Progress in Vienna performed largely in the nude, only the character of Nick Shadow remaining severely suited throughout.  Perhaps unwisely I had taken as my guests two Viennese grandes dames - my landlady and her friend - to whom I had promised a bright and entertaining evening.  As I was apologising profusely afterwards, and they were graciously insisting that No no, they had enjoyed themselves really, one of them remarked that her only regret was - and here I am quoting verbatim - We didn't get to see the bad man's penis.

Nice story! I can imagine your embarrassment, especially during the performance.

Well, my informant --- a lady too --- didn't get to see the bad man's penis either because the Duke dropped the towel (during the last bars of La donna e mobile) while going off stage, his back turned to the audience. As different from your lady, though, mine was only too grateful for that. 

[Mapman]

In a few weeks, I have tickets to see the Berliner Philharmoniker perform Mahler's 7th during their US tour!

[bhodges]

In a few weeks, I have tickets to see the Berliner Philharmoniker perform Mahler's 7th during their US tour!

Excellent! Great orchestra, great piece. Feel free to report back.

-Bruce