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

[ChamberNut]

104 Haydn Symphonies                    10+ Mahler Symphonies
                                         ∆


Seems balanced

I was thinking the same thing David! 

[bhodges]

Yeah, that balance looks about right. 

So at say, three symphonies per concert--no wait, let's do four--that's 26 concerts.  So basically an entire month of Haydn. 

(Purely speculative: someone must have done this, no?)

--Bruce

[Brian]

Yeah, that balance looks about right. 

So at say, three symphonies per concert--no wait, let's do four--that's 26 concerts.  So basically an entire month of Haydn. 

(Purely speculative: someone must have done this, no?)

--Bruce

Ah, but I hear Celibidache is conducting for this event. We'll need at least 106 nights.

[ChamberNut]

Yeah, that balance looks about right. 

So at say, three symphonies per concert--no wait, let's do four--that's 26 concerts.  So basically an entire month of Haydn. 

(Purely speculative: someone must have done this, no?)

--Bruce

Perfect Bruce!  Opening night would include the Symphony No. 94 "Surprise".  After the concert, the conductor turns around and announces "Surprise!  This month's Haydn marathon will also include all Mozart symphonies as well!"

[bhodges]

Perfect Bruce!  Opening night would include the Symphony No. 94 "Surprise".  After the concert, the conductor turns around and announces "Surprise!  This month's Haydn marathon will also include all Mozart symphonies as well!"

[Now I really *am* going to pass out.]



--Bruce

[karlhenning]

Bruce, I had no idea that Ray had it in for you so 

[ChamberNut]

Bruce, I had no idea that Ray had it in for you so 

Oh no Karl.  If I did, I'd include the Die Meistersinger von Nuremburg in one of the "break nights". 

[Renfield]

Perfect Bruce!  Opening night would include the Symphony No. 94 "Surprise".  After the concert, the conductor turns around and announces "Surprise!  This month's Haydn marathon will also include all Mozart symphonies as well!"

"Surprise! We'll be doing a Segerstam symphonic retrospective over the intervals."

[karlhenning]

Oh no Karl.  If I did, I'd include the Die Meistersinger von Nuremburg in one of the "break nights". 

Surgically done, Ray Bruce, you've been Big-Bertha'ed 

[DavidRoss]

"Surprise! We'll be doing a Segerstam symphonic retrospective over the intervals."

What?  No Hovhaness?

[Bunny]

That sounds terrific, Bruce.  Your companion is right about Ms DeYoung is usually effing aMAzing, so I've no doubt your companion was right.  I'd love to hear her in Das Lied (good as Thomas Hampson was in the MTT/SFS recording, I still think I'd've preferred her).  That's wonderful that you were able to be there for the Mahler cycle, Bruce.  Remind me to be good, please, so I might have a chance of coming back in the next life as you.

--Dave

Everyone can hear her in Das Lied.  She has made an amazing recording with Jon Villars and the Minnesota Symphony, led by Eiji Oue (Reference Recordings).  It's my favorite recording of that work.



Here's what the Hurwitzer had to say about it:
10/10
"Eiji Oue has made some great recordings for Reference (most notably his Strauss disc, containing "Ein Heldenleben" and the "Frau Ohne Schatten" symphonic fantasy), but this one is simply extraordinary.  In its expressive intensity this performance clearly belongs with the best ever recorded; just listen to the way he and Michelle DeYoung sustain phrases like "blauen licht die fernen" in the final song, "The Farewell". This is greatness, folks, and Oue is very lucky to have an orchestra superbly responsive to his direction, a young tenor willing to risk his vocal career on the "Drinking Song of Earth's Misery," and in DeYoung a true "Mahler" alto sensitive to every line of the text. Villars is excitingly direct, sounding sort of like a young Ernst Haefliger, but what DeYoung does with phrasing and breath control verges on the sublime. Has the difficult middle section of the fourth song, "Of Beauty," ever been so clearly and effortlessly articulated? The only comparison that comes to mind is the young Christa Ludwig (for Klemperer on EMI). Add to all of this sonics of drop-dead demonstration quality, and the result is without question a recording for the ages. Stunning."
--David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

[matti]

"Surprise! We'll be doing a Segerstam symphonic retrospective over the intervals."

He composed his 200th symphony in July 2008, and counting... even Wikipedia can't follow this weasel of a symphony scribbler fast enough. I'm no expert but I suspect he's streching the concept of "symphony" a bit too much for comfort.

And speaking of comfort... I've heard a few of his works which are "free pulsating" according to the composer himself. Well, I'd certainly be "free of pulse" after even a minor Segerstam marathon.

Just to clarify, I'm a huge fan of the man, I think he is hilarious and very, very talented. He also knows it himself, to the point that he appears to suffer from a very happy and productive case of extreme egomania. No harm done there.

[Brian]

"Surprise! We'll be doing a Segerstam symphonic retrospective over the intervals."

We have a winner 

[bhodges]

Keys to the Future
Concert 1 of 3
Greenwich House
Tuesday, May 19, 2009, 8PM
Marina Lomazov, Blair McMillen, Lisa Moore, Tatjana Rankovich, Joseph Rubenstein, pianists

Joseph Rubenstein: Romance No. 3 (labyrinth)* (2007) Rubenstein
Aaron Kernis: Before Sleep and Dreams (1990) Rankovich
Bruce Stark: Fanfare (2003) Rankovich
Radiohead (arr. O'Riley): Knives Out (1997) Moore
John Adams: American Beserk (2001) Moore
Karen Tanaka: Crystalline II (1996) McMillen
Chester Biscardi: Piano Sonata (1986) McMillen
Carter Pann: Three Strokes (2000) Lomazov
William Bolcom: The Serpent's Kiss (1969) Lomazov

*World premiere

--Bruce

This recital was quite good.  Surprisingly, the Radiohead transcription didn't really work for me: some of the good stuff in the original, such as the vocals (!) and the electronics, are gone, which makes the result a little bland.  The final Bolcom was the undeniable hit of the evening, requiring the pianist to slap hands on the wood above the keyboard and make small cricket-like noises, in addition to some very difficult ragtime playing.  The concert as a whole worked very well, although I would have liked just a little more variety in the pieces.  But it's good to hear a lot of recently composed works that owe a debt to jazz and blues.

--Bruce

[bhodges]

Tonight, this concert at Carnegie.  I have heard Lang Lang sound marvelous on some occasions, and terrible on others, so tonight is anyone's guess.  But I suspect the Stravinsky will be excellent, in any case.

The MET Orchestra
James Levine, Music Director and Conductor
Lang Lang, Piano

Stravinsky: Pétrouchka (1947 version) 
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1

--Bruce

[MishaK]

Off to go hear excerpts from Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire with eighth blackbird in a few hours.

[bhodges]

Off to go hear excerpts from Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire with eighth blackbird in a few hours.

Wow, that should be great!  Do you know who's singing?  (I looked on their site but couldn't find the concert listed.) 

--Bruce

[bhodges]

Tomorrow night, this interesting line-up from Either/Or:

Tenri Cultural Institute

Either/Or
Richard Carrick - piano
Jennifer Choi - violin
Michael Ibrahim - saxophones
David Shively - percussion and organ

John Luther Adams: Red Arch, Blue Veil. for piano, percussion, and fixed media (2002)
Andrew Byrne: A Ringing World, for bells and gongs, written for Either/Or (2009, world premiere)
Richard Carrick: la scene miniature for saxophone, violin, piano and percussion (2009, world premiere)
David Franzson: The Negotiation of Context, for piano and pedal organ, written for Either/Or (2009, world premiere)
Helmut Lachenmann: Toccatina for solo violin (1988)
Hans Thomalla: Lied for saxophone, piano, and vibraphone (2008, US premiere)

--Bruce

[ChamberNut]

Bruce!

How was the Brahms PC1 with Lang Lang? 

[karlhenning]

Off to go hear excerpts from Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire with eighth blackbird in a few hours.

A great piece, which is even better live!