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

[Novi]

Bloody hell! After four hours of Xenakis (well, take off 50 minutes for intervals and stage reshuffles), my ears begging for mercy. Currently sat at the computer with a beer, listening to some nice, easy-going Ravel via Spotify. It was an amazing day. At 1pm, various young people (Sankorfa and the Guildhall Percussion Ensemble) blasted their way through an hour of visceral percussion music. Special honours should go to Catherine Ring and her heroic, fascinating solo Rebonds, but my fave was the eardrum-shredding Persephassa; the swirling, surging climax of that piece was astounding.

I didn't bother with the various films in the afternoon. Call me a philistine, but I was happy to walk around the City and grab a samosa on Brick Lane.

The main event in the evening lasted almost three hours and was split into three parts. I really liked the symmetry of the event: two large-scale orchestral works (Tracées, Anastenaria), a choral work (Sea-Nymphs) a piano work (Mists), and choral work (Nuits) and two orchestral works (Troorkh, Antikhthon). OK, big-medium-small-medium-big isn't especially sophisticated, but I found it satisfying. Hearing Antikhthon live, the first piece by Xenakis that I got to know and love almost 30 years ago, was a thrilling.

There was a much bigger turn-out for this Total Immersion event than for the Stockhausen not so long ago, which I thought was interesting.

Sounds intense! I'm not familiar with this repertoire at all, but do enjoy reading your reports though. The only thing close to this kind of 'immersion day' that I've been to was a Messiaen Day at the university last year: a couple of talks in the afternoon followed by a couple of performances in the evening. There was a Stockhausen Day recently, but I only went to the piano recital at the end of the day.

[SonicMan46]

Well, tomorrow (i.e. Sunday - change in Daylight Savings time!) - the Winston Salem Symphony (i.e. North Carolina, east coast USA) is having a guest conductor, JoAnn Falletta - program in the attached image - looking forward to attending this performance - 

[karlhenning]

Herbie comes to Boston!

Saturday, 14 March
8:00pm
Symphony Hall

Nielsen, Helios Overture
Mozart, Pf Cto № 18 in B-flat Major, K.456 (Richard Goode)
Brahms, Symphony № 4 in E Minor
Herbert Blomstedt, guest conductor

The Boston Symphony Orchestra

I still feel that he ought to be conducting a Nielsen symphony, but we'll go hear the concert anyway 

[Rabbity Baxter]

SPRING PIANO SERIES 2009
at the
SCHOTT RECITAL ROOM LONDON





Eight innovative pianists from six countries have come together to devise this
fresh concert series held in Schott's brand-new recital venue in central London.

Their programmes combine classics of the piano repertoire (Beethoven, Schubert, Liszt and Albeniz)
with more rarely heard music from the early 20th-century (Medtner, Scriabin, Karg-Elert and
Mosolov) and new pieces ranging in style from the Jazz-inspired and post-minimalist to experimental.


All concerts start at 6.30pm.
Tickets are sold on the door: £8/£5 (concessions).

48 Great Marlborough Street
London W1F 7BB
Underground: Oxford Circus
Tottenham Court Rd
020 7292 6090

2 April      Chisato Kusunoki
Chopin Nocturnes op.27 no.1, op.62 no.2
Medtner Sonata op.22
David Hackbridge Johnson New work
Balakirev Sonata

Chisato's programme reflects both her love of standard piano repertoire and her committment to contemporary music. She has also made a special study of the music of Russian Romantic Nikolay Medtner, on whose works she worked closely with Hamish Milne.

9 April       Mary Dullea
Cowell Banshee, Aeolian Harp
Nancarrow Sonatina
Crumb Gnomic Variations
Mawhinney Batu
Albeniz Almeria, Triana

Irish pianist Mary Dullea is in demand as both soloist and chamber musician; she has recently been exploring and performing repertoire that incorporates the use of the inside and the outside of the piano, and this programme places music employing these extended techniques by US composers, alongside other 20th-century works, in turn virtuosic and evocative, that in their own individual ways make extraordinary use of the keyboard and the sonic capacity of the piano.

16 April      Jørgen Hald Nielsen
Nielsen Chaconne
Bach-Møller Chaconne
Ravel-Sorabji Rhapsodie espagnole
Hinton Variations and Fugue on a theme of Grieg

Two chaconnes by his Danish countrymen open this programme (Jørgen worked with Møller, who died young), and these are well complemented by the perfumed and colourful palette of Sorabji's Ravel transcription. Hinton's huge and fantastically varied work ‒ which Jørgen has performed often in Denmark, but which has not been heard in the UK for 15 years ‒ completes the bill.



23 April          Composer Double Bill:
John White
Beethoven Sonata op.110
Liszt Weinachtsbaum (extracts); La Lugubre gondola no.2
Karg-Elert Miniatures including Ritornello à la Brahms, Poema esaltata à la Skrjabin, Crucifixus etiam pro nobis à la Reger
White Sonatas nos.162, 165, 156, 166

John White returns to the German roots of his musical personality with this late Beethoven work he studied with Arthur Alexander, a friend of Bax and Medtner, over half a century ago. The highly individual and evocative music of late Liszt and Karg-Elert have both had influences on John's own work, recent examples of which end his selection.

Dave Smith
Smith Toccantella, Al contrario, Stuck with Robert, selections from 42 1-minute pieces

Dave is well known to London audiences for his engaging performances of his own music, which is variously allusive, thought-provoking and entertaining, but always original and brilliantly written for the piano.

30 April      Jonathan Powell
Schubert Reliquie Sonate
Kornauth Fantasie
White Sonata no.168
Mosolov Turkmenian Nights
Scriabin Sonata no.6
Finnissy Skryabin in Itself
Haydn Adagio

Juxtaposing the musical worlds of Vienna, early 20th-century Moscow and contemporary Britain, this programme reflects not only Jonathan's broad tastes but also his areas of special interest. Kornauth's music is unknown in the UK, but its rich pallette and similarity to Mahler and Strauss are sure to endear it to audiences here. Mosolov's impressively thunderous take on central Asian folk music is simply a must-hear!



7 May      Ivo de Greef
A Tribute to Keith Jarrett

Originally conceived in 2008 by Ivo De Greef and the Portuguese radio station Antena 2, this project combines the music of Keith Jarrett with new
compositions in hommage to this pianist-composer. The individual approaches of Gustavo Beytelmann, Robert Mitchell, Jonathan Powell, Sergio Azevedo and Kris Defoort (all pianist-composers themselves) highlight different aspects  of Jarrett's musical legacy and create a dialogue with original Jarrett compositions (from the Köln Concert through to The Melody at Night With You). The varied backgrounds of these composers accentuate the multi-faceted output, influence and appeal of Keith Jarrett. Belgian pianist Ivo De Greef is sought-after in the fields of contemporary (with London-based ensemble Noszferatu) and tango music (with Quinteto El Después), having performed across the world.

      
14 May      Simon Mawhinney
Messiaen Vingt regards sur l'enfant Jésus

Simon's career embraces performing, composing (go to Mary Dullea's concert on 9 April to hear one of his pieces) and teaching at Queen's University, Belfast. His compositions have been performed from USA to Korea and range from pieces for symphony orchestra to electroacoustic music. As a pianist, he has a particularly interest in works of longer duration and in 20th-century and contemporary repertoire. His recent Belfast performance of this Messiaen work earned him a standing ovation.



www.schott-music.co.uk

[bhodges]

30 April      Jonathan Powell
Schubert Reliquie Sonate
Kornauth Fantasie
White Sonata no.168
Mosolov Turkmenian Nights
Scriabin Sonata no.6
Finnissy Skryabin in Itself
Haydn Adagio

Juxtaposing the musical worlds of Vienna, early 20th-century Moscow and contemporary Britain, this programme reflects not only Jonathan's broad tastes but also his areas of special interest. Kornauth's music is unknown in the UK, but its rich pallette and similarity to Mahler and Strauss are sure to endear it to audiences here. Mosolov's impressively thunderous take on central Asian folk music is simply a must-hear!

Great programs!  Quite interesting series, there.  This one above looks especially tasty, but it's a very fine line-up.

--Bruce

[Novi]

Looking forward to a trip down to London town this week :

First up:

Dr Atomic at the ENO

In this UK premiere, director PENNY WOOLCOCK's (Channel 4's Klinghoffer) inventive staging features designs by Improbable's JULIAN CROUCH (Satyagraha). The award-winning baritone GERALD FINLEY 'repeats his triumph' (Evening Standard) as Oppenheimer, and dynamic young conductor LAWRENCE RENES leads the ENO Orchestra and Chorus in a night of devastating creative potency

CAST:
Edward Teller Brindley Sherratt; J Robert Oppenheimer Gerald Finley; Robert Wilson Thomas Glenn; Kitty Oppenheimer Sasha Cooke; General Leslie Groves Jonathan Veira; Frank Hubbard Roderick Earle; Captain James Nolan Christopher Gillett; Pasqualita Meredith Arwady (Feb 25, 28 Mar 05, 11, 13, 16) Morag Boyle (Mar 07, 18, 20)

Then the two RCO concerts at the Barbican:

Mozart Symphony No 35 in D major 'Haffner'
Debussy La mer
Beethoven Symphony No 7 in A major

Schumann Piano Concerto
Bruckner Symphony No 9 in D minor

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Bernard Haitink conductor
Murray Perahia piano

And finally, a lunchtime recital at Wigmore Hall before I toddle back home:

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet piano
Monday 16 March 2009 - 1:00 PM

Haydn Piano Sonata in D HXVI:24
Ravel Menuet sur le nom de Haydn; Miroirs: Noctuelles; Oiseaux tristes; Une barque sur l'océan; Alborada del gracioso; La vallée des cloches
Debussy Hommage à Haydn; Images Book 2: Cloches à travers les feuilles; Et la lune descend sur le temple qui fût; Poissons d'or

Londoners, can I have some advice please: can anyone tell me if Regent's Park is nice to run in? I'm staying near Baker St, which I understand is just around the corner, and was wondering if I should bring my running shoes . Cheers!

[Novi]

And this one before I head out of town:

Scottish Chamber Orchestra

Beethoven   Overture, Egmont (9')
Tchaikovsky   Violin Concerto (33')
Beethoven   Symphony No 7 (36')

Louis Langrée    Conductor
James Ehnes    Violin

Bread and butter repertoire, but I guess it's cost effective as they probably don't have to source the scores and hire any ring-ins, and Beethoven gets the punters in, I suppose. But I've never heard the Tchaik live before, so I'm looking forward to that.

[Renfield]

And this one before I head out of town:

Scottish Chamber Orchestra

Beethoven   Overture, Egmont (9')
Tchaikovsky   Violin Concerto (33')
Beethoven   Symphony No 7 (36')

Louis Langrée    Conductor
James Ehnes    Violin

Bread and butter repertoire, but I guess it's cost effective as they probably don't have to source the scores and hire any ring-ins, and Beethoven gets the punters in, I suppose. But I've never heard the Tchaik live before, so I'm looking forward to that.

Oh sh**, I'd forgotten about that concert!

Blast. I hope there's any tickets still available.

[ChamberNut]

And this one before I head out of town:

Scottish Chamber Orchestra

Beethoven   Overture, Egmont (9')
Tchaikovsky   Violin Concerto (33')
Beethoven   Symphony No 7 (36')

Louis Langrée    Conductor
James Ehnes    Violin

Bread and butter repertoire, but I guess it's cost effective as they probably don't have to source the scores and hire any ring-ins, and Beethoven gets the punters in, I suppose. But I've never heard the Tchaik live before, so I'm looking forward to that.

Our local boy, James Ehnes!    Wish I were at that concert.  Ironically, I have heard all 3 of these works live, but on 3 separate concerts.  Hope you enjoy the concert.

[Bruckner is God]

Londoners, can I have some advice please: can anyone tell me if Regent's Park is nice to run in? I'm staying near Baker St, which I understand is just around the corner, and was wondering if I should bring my running shoes . Cheers!

Regent's Park is one of London's most beautiful parks, and very suitable for running. So do bring your running shoes.
Enjoy your concerts and London. I am going to the Haitink concerts myself. Very much looking forward to it. RCO/Haitink rarely disappoint

[MDL]

Regent's Park is one of London's most beautiful parks, and very suitable for running. So do bring your running shoes.
Enjoy your concerts and London. I am going to the Haitink concerts myself. Very much looking forward to it. RCO/Haitink rarely disappoint

It's a beautiful park, but can get very busy during the day, so do your running early before the crowds descend. On a vaguely related note, I regularly walk home or into town along the South Bank riverside walk and get a bit p*ssed off with a lot of the runners and cyclists who seem to think that they have a right of way over the majority of ordinary pedestrians. Inconsiderate bastards. I hope you're a considerate runner.

[Novi]

Oh sh**, I'd forgotten about that concert!

Blast. I hope there's any tickets still available.

Hope there are a couple left for you . The last time Langrée was here, he led a phenomenal Mozart concert, besides which the blue rinse stalwarts enjoy watching 'nice young men' and you get two this concert so I suspect it might be sold out. It's probably worth giving the box office a call to see if there are any returns as well.

Our local boy, James Ehnes!    Wish I were at that concert.  Ironically, I have heard all 3 of these works live, but on 3 separate concerts.  Hope you enjoy the concert.

KammerNuss, your lad Ehnes has been busy over here. It seems like every time I switch on the radio, they're broadcasting his performances . Do you get to hear him a lot?

[Novi]

Regent's Park is one of London's most beautiful parks, and very suitable for running. So do bring your running shoes.
Enjoy your concerts and London. I am going to the Haitink concerts myself. Very much looking forward to it. RCO/Haitink rarely disappoint

Thanks, Bruckner is God! I'm most looking forward to the Bruckner. Mind you, my first thoughts were that the 9th seems a bit too apocalyptic for a Sunday matinée .

It's a beautiful park, but can get very busy during the day, so do your running early before the crowds descend. On a vaguely related note, I regularly walk home or into town along the South Bank riverside walk and get a bit p*ssed off with a lot of the runners and cyclists who seem to think that they have a right of way over the majority of ordinary pedestrians. Inconsiderate bastards. I hope you're a considerate runner.

Rest assured, MDL, I'm a considerate runner on all counts. I'm terribly genial, and smile and nod at passing pedestrians, mums with prams, dogs, swans, ducks, cyclists ... But more importantly, I'm not anywhere fast enough to be inconsiderate . I'd probably get lapped by someone hustling for the bus .

[Renfield]

Hope there are a couple left for you . The last time Langrée was here, he led a phenomenal Mozart concert, besides which the blue rinse stalwarts enjoy watching 'nice young men' and you get two this concert so I suspect it might be sold out. It's probably worth giving the box office a call to see if there are any returns as well.

Hahah, I bet.

And I did find a seat, literally the last one left! Will we be accidentally bumping into each other, then, maybe?

[ChamberNut]

KammerNuss, your lad Ehnes has been busy over here. It seems like every time I switch on the radio, they're broadcasting his performances . Do you get to hear him a lot?

Last September was the first time I've heard him live (performing the Korngold concerto).  I think he makes it a habit to perform in his home province on a regular basis.  We're lucky to have Ehnes, because we don't get all that many high-profile soloists who perform in Winnipeg.  Too small potatoes for the "big stars". 

[Bogey]

Kind of a concert :

http://vintagevoltageexpo.eventbrite.com/

Falls right on my birthday.  The planets will be aligned.

[Christo]

Saturday afternoon: Arvo Pärt, Passio domini jesu christi secundem ioannem - in the Dome Church, here in Utrecht.

Next week, Saturday evening: Hendrik Andriessen, De Veertien Stonden [The Fourteen Hours, a passion music drama from the 1940s by the leading Catholic Dutch composer of his generation, father of Louis Andriessen] - in the Geertekerk (St. Gerhard's Church) in the old town of Utrecht as well.

Performers? Well, yes, many performers; hopefully they'll be serving the music 

[Novi]

And I did find a seat, literally the last one left! Will we be accidentally bumping into each other, then, maybe?

Renfield, your mailbox is full .

But the plan sounds good .

[Renfield]

Renfield, your mailbox is full .

But the plan sounds good .

Mailbox is no longer full. It now has room for two (2) more messages!

And good to hear. Looking forward to this entirely accidental meeting.

[jlaurson]

Sat 14 Mar 2009, 7:30pm
Konzerthaus, Vienna, Vienna

Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor
Solveig Kringelborn soprano
Juha Uusitalo bass-baritone

Schoenberg   Verklärte Nacht
Zemlinsky   Lyric Symphony

=====================

Sun 15 Mar 2009, 7:30pm
Konzerthaus, Vienna, Vienna

Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor
Mitsuko Uchida piano

Schoenberg   Piano Concerto
Mahler   Symphony No. 9