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

[bhodges]

Bruce!

How was the Brahms PC1 with Lang Lang? 

Well...well...parts were very good, even better than that.  There is no question that he is prodigiously talented, but I felt that somehow he doesn't quite connect with this piece (the second movement, especially).  There seemed to be a bit of disconnect with Levine and the orchestra, too.  (I wonder how this concert came to pass, i.e., why Levine picked him as the soloist, since I'm sure he chooses whoever he wants.)

Some typical body language distractions, most notably in a passage when Lang Lang was *not* playing, but silently "conducting" from the piano bench ( ).  (Today a friend said there's a video on YouTube of him playing with Montreal where he cues the orchestra's entrance, causing a glare from Dutoit...have to find that!)

The guy is incredibly gifted, and most people seem to enjoy watching him, which means he's probably good publicity for classical music in general.  On the other hand...

--Bruce

[ChamberNut]

but I felt that somehow he doesn't quite connect with this piece (the second movement, especially).

Then quite frankly, I would have been greatly disappointed.  That second movement is one of my favorite Adagios of any composer.

[bhodges]

Then quite frankly, I would have been greatly disappointed.  That second movement is one of my favorite Adagios of any composer.

He was going through the motions, trying to play softly, leaning down with his face almost touching the keys, but at the same time, Levine and the orchestra seemed to be trying to follow him, not always successfully.  I dunno...wanting to find meaning in the piece, and actually finding it, are two different things.

I should add, in fair reportage, that my listening companion for the evening, who loves Brahms but had never heard Lang Lang, thought more highly of the performance than I did.

--Bruce

[MishaK]

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

--Bruce

It was a studio concert with Lucy Shelton. The announcement said "excerpts" but they ended up playing the whole thing.  http://www.eighthblackbird.com/studioconcert

They will be performing the whole thing again next season.

[bhodges]

It was a studio concert with Lucy Shelton. The announcement said "excerpts" but they ended up playing the whole thing.  http://www.eighthblackbird.com/studioconcert

They will be performing the whole thing again next season.

Fantastic!  I was thinking/hoping it might be Shelton, since she's made it one of her signature pieces.  I've heard her do it twice, and she is quite good at characterizing the texts (in addition to singing well). 

--Bruce

[DavidRoss]

Always glad to hear of a commission by a major orchestra.

The title B-Sides gives me pause, though 

For my wife and me, Bates's B-Sides was the highlight of the evening.  The first movement owed a lot to Adams's Short Ride in a Fast Machine, and the energy and percussive drive were sustained through the next four.  Bates performed the electronica with the orchestra from a laptop set up among the percussionists, and judging from the enthusiasm with which the orchestra played, the standing O given Bates when MTT brought him to the front of the stage, and the comments overheard among patrons at intermission, everyone else loved the piece as well.

If MTT records it, either with SFS or with his New World Symphony, I'd probably snap it up.  Hmmm--come to think of it, it would be dandy coupled with the Schuman VC and Gil Shaham!

[bhodges]

For my wife and me, Bates's B-Sides was the highlight of the evening.  The first movement owed a lot to Adams's Short Ride in a Fast Machine, and the energy and percussive drive were sustained through the next four.  Bates performed the electronica with the orchestra from a laptop set up among the percussionists, and judging from the enthusiasm with which the orchestra played, the standing O given Bates when MTT brought him to the front of the stage, and the comments overheard among patrons at intermission, everyone else loved the piece as well.

If MTT records it, either with SFS or with his New World Symphony, I'd probably snap it up.  Hmmm--come to think of it, it would be dandy coupled with the Schuman VC and Gil Shaham!

Just remembered that I heard a small excerpt from B-Sides called "Warehouse Medicine" on the recent YouTube Symphony Orchestra concert here.  (Bates was at the laptop, with MTT conducting.)  Liked it, but the evening had so many other distractions that it was difficult to focus on it.  But I'm glad to hear the entire piece made a positive impression.  You all are so lucky to be in MTT's orbit, IMHO...

--Bruce

[DavidRoss]

Just remembered that I heard a small excerpt from B-Sides called "Warehouse Medicine" on the recent YouTube Symphony Orchestra concert here.  (Bates was at the laptop, with MTT conducting.)  Liked it, but the evening had so many other distractions that it was difficult to focus on it.  But I'm glad to hear the entire piece made a positive impression.  You all are so lucky to be in MTT's orbit, IMHO...

Yes, that's the last movement, more techno-based than the others, interesting how he used orchestral sections to drive the pulse of the piece (reminding me vaguely of the Soft Machine guy who wrote the diamond industry ad theme--Karl Jenkins?) but it wasn't my favorite of the five, though it made for a big finale (completely opposite the end of Sibelius's 4th).

[Gabriel]

I came back a couple of hours ago from the Théâtre du Châtelet, where I attended Alfano's Cyrano de Bergerac with Plácido Domingo in the title role. It was really an incredible evening. It was the first time I listened to Plácido Domingo directly, and I was really impressed how he has managed to keep his voice young; if I had closed my eyes, it would have been perfectly possible that I was listening to a performance of the 1980s. Luckily I didn't close my eyes, because Roxana was sung by Nathalie Manfrino, whose voice is as marvelous as her physical beauty : her performance was memorable, to the point that in my view she matched Domingo's excellence on the stage. The mise en scène was really formidable and unfortunately I wasn't able from my position in the orchestre to listen in the best conditions the excellent playing of the Orchestre Symphonique de Navarre.

At the end there was a most moving ovation from all the theatre, that stood up for clapping the wonderful production.

Conclusion: if somebody from GMG, by any reason, would be around Paris on May 28th or 31st, I would very seriously advice not to miss this spectacle.

[imperfection]

June 6th
Mahler 6th
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
Bramwell Tovey

666 anyone? 

[Solitary Wanderer]

Next Friday the NZSO.

ROSSINI William Tell Overture
MAGNUS LINDBERG Clarinet Concerto
BERLIOZ Symphonie fantastique

PIETARI INKINEN Music Director
KARI KRIIKKU Clarinet

Rossini's William Tell Overture is full of well-loved melodies, finishing with that famous barnstorming finale. Berlioz' gorgeously orchestrated Symphonie Fantastique is surely the most evocative monument to unrequited love, touching every register from adoration to rage.  From Finland comes both soloist and Magnus Lindberg's clarinet concerto, which the BBC Music Magazine described as, "A marvellous vehicle for the amazing virtuosity of clarinettist Kari Kriikku ..."

Great programme!

[bhodges]

Next Friday the NZSO.

ROSSINI William Tell Overture
MAGNUS LINDBERG Clarinet Concerto
BERLIOZ Symphonie fantastique

PIETARI INKINEN Music Director
KARI KRIIKKU Clarinet

Rossini's William Tell Overture is full of well-loved melodies, finishing with that famous barnstorming finale. Berlioz' gorgeously orchestrated Symphonie Fantastique is surely the most evocative monument to unrequited love, touching every register from adoration to rage.  From Finland comes both soloist and Magnus Lindberg's clarinet concerto, which the BBC Music Magazine described as, "A marvellous vehicle for the amazing virtuosity of clarinettist Kari Kriikku ..."

Great programme!

Wow, looks like you are in for a real treat.  Kriikku is terrific.  And to couple the Lindberg with Rossini and Berlioz...all very interesting.

--Bruce

[karlhenning]

Very nice program, indeed!

And an opportunity to hear the Lindberg concerto live is most enviable.

[owlice]

I am being tempted by the following:

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Marin Alsop, conductor
Hilary Hahn, violin
Beethoven -  Egmont Overture
Jennifer Higdon -  Violin Concerto *
Dvorák -  Symphony No. 5

* BSO Co-Commission, East Coast Premiere

I have tickets to the BSO for next season to hear another Higdon concerto (for 2 violins and a double bass). So much music to hear, and so little time to hear it all; do I really need two Higdon concertos in one calendar year?

(Maybe I should go for the Dvorak! Is that justification enough? )

[bhodges]

I am being tempted by the following:

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Marin Alsop, conductor
Hilary Hahn, violin
Beethoven -  Egmont Overture
Jennifer Higdon -  Violin Concerto *
Dvorák -  Symphony No. 5

* BSO Co-Commission, East Coast Premiere

I have tickets to the BSO for next season to hear another Higdon concerto (for 2 violins and a double bass). So much music to hear, and so little time to hear it all; do I really need two Higdon concertos in one calendar year?

(Maybe I should go for the Dvorak! Is that justification enough? )

I would jump on that in a minute!  Very nice program, and the Higdon orchestral works I've heard have been really satisfying, e.g., her Concerto for Orchestra.  And to hear Hahn play *anything* IMHO is a treat.  The Dvorak Fifth isn't done that often.  I heard it a couple of years ago with the Cleveland Orchestra and thought, For some in the audience, this is going to be their favorite Dvorak symphony, and they've probably never heard it live.  (Ultimately I didn't quite like it as much as Nos. 6, 7 or 8, but it's well worth hearing.)

--Bruce

[owlice]

IIRC (and there are no guarantees that I am ), I have heard only one Higdon work, a short orchestral piece called Blue Sky which was commissioned by the National Symphony Orchestra. The NSO wanted new works for encores; I thought the piece would work better as an opener, as it was thoughtful and somber. She was writing it right after 9/11. I thought it a fine work.

I've heard Hahn in concert, and yes, to hear her play anything is a treat, even for someone as unfond of solo violin as I am!

I don't know that I've ever heard the Dvorak Fifth.

Oh, dear. Additional justification....

[owlice]

...or is that rationalization?

[bhodges]

Oh, dear. Additional justification....

...or is that rationalization?

  I hope you go, and enjoy, and do report back! 

Tomorrow night I'm hearing Stanley Drucker, principal clarinet in the New York Philharmonic who is retiring after 60 years with the orchestra, in Copland's Clarinet Concerto.

New York Philharmonic
Lorin Maazel, conductor
Stanley Drucker, clarinet
Philip Smith, trumpet

Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 4   
Haydn: Trumpet Concerto
Copland: Clarinet Concerto
Ravel: Boléro

--Bruce

[owlice]

Oh, heck, Bruce, maybe I'll join you at the NY Phil instead; except for the last work, that program is great!

:: does not like Boléro ::

:: checks tickets ::

A few still left, too! And man, Mahler Eighth coming up; I may need to hear that, too!

:: wanders off to ponder ::

[karlhenning]

The Fourth is usually my favorite Brandenburg!