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

[Brahmsian]

Finally: my first orchestral concert!


The Symphony Orchestra of India are finally coming out of Bombay. So far, apart from a tour to Russia, I don't think they have toured anywhere.

Excellent news!  I still remember my first orchestral concert, and it was unbelievable.  I really don't think it can be appropriately described, except it is powerful!! Even hearing the orchestra tune before the start of a piece was like "WOW"!   

[Opus106]

MD (music director), or rather the concertmaster?

He's the music director. According to their website, the concert master is one Fabrizio Bono.

[bhodges]

Finally: my first orchestral concert!


The Symphony Orchestra of India are finally coming out of Bombay. So far, apart from a tour to Russia, I don't think they have toured anywhere.


Here's the programme:

Sunday, February 27 at 7.00 pm Chennai

Mikhail Glinka: Russian and Ludmilla Overture
Isaac Albeniz: Asturias from the Suite Española
Tommaso Vitali: Chaconne
Georges Bizet: Carmen Suites (No.1 and 2)
Maurice Ravel: Bolero

Marat Bisengaliev – Violin (he's also the MD of the SOI)
Conductor – Zane Dalal

Congratulations! Sounds fantastic--what a great program. That Glinka overture is one of my favorites--fast, giddy fun--and the Ravel heard live is just extraordinary.

Have a wonderful time, and do report back.

--Bruce

[Opus106]

Excellent news!  I still remember my first orchestral concert, and it was unbelievable.  I really don't think it can be appropriately described, except it is powerful!! Even hearing the orchestra tune before the start of a piece was like "WOW"!   

One the one hand, I'm slightly bummed that the programme does not get very close to the vaulted Core Repertoire, but on the other, it's rather encouraging to see the most famous pieces are by Bizet and Ravel.

[Opus106]

Congratulations! Sounds fantastic--what a great program. That Glinka overture is one of my favorites--fast, giddy fun--and the Ravel heard live is just extraordinary.

Have a wonderful time, and do report back.

--Bruce

Thanks, Bruce.

[bhodges]

One the one hand, I'm slightly bummed that the programme does not get very close to the vaulted Core Repertoire, but on the other, it's rather encouraging to see the most famous pieces are by Bizet and Ravel.

I would definitely put the Ravel in the "core" category, with the Bizet and Glinka not far behind. The Albeniz is an interesting choice, full of brilliant colors. Don't know that Vitali piece at all, but it's apparently his most famous work.

If you could have programmed the concert, what would you have included? 

--Bruce

[MishaK]

I would definitely put the Ravel in the "core" category, with the Bizet and Glinka not far behind.

Indeed. It doesn't get much more core-repertoire-y than Bolero.

[Opus106]

I would definitely put the Ravel in the "core" category, with the Bizet and Glinka not far behind. The Albeniz is an interesting choice, full of brilliant colors.

Indeed. It doesn't get much more core-repertoire-y than Bolero.

Okay, then. Make that the core of the core repertory.

If you could have programmed the concert, what would you have included? 

--Bruce

At least one Beethoven symphony.

[bhodges]

At least one Beethoven symphony.

Ah...gotcha.  (And "at least" noted... )

--Bruce

[bhodges]

Tonight, this concert, part of the Tune-In Festival at the Park Avenue Armory (huge space):

Frederic Rzewski: Coming Together (1972) (arr. Matt Albert ) Performed by: eighth blackbird
John Cage: Credo in US (1942) Performed by: red fish blue fish
David T. Little: sweet light crude (2007) Performed by: Newspeak
Stefan Weisman: I Would Prefer Not To (2007) Performed by: Newspeak
Matt Marks: A Portrait of Glenn Beck (2009) Performed by: Newspeak
Louis Andriessen: Worker's Union (1975) Performed by: eighth blackbird, Newspeak, red fish blue fish, Doug Perkins, Steven Schick, Lisa Moore, Blair McMillen, Josh Rubin, Kamala Sankaram, Mellissa Hughes, Abby Fischer, Nina Faia

--Bruce

[Brian]

Matt Marks: A Portrait of Glenn Beck (2009) Performed by: Newspeak

I don't know that I like the idea that an artist, any artist, has spent valuable time working on a portrayal or even an acknowledgement of the existence of Glenn Beck.

[bhodges]

I don't know that I like the idea that an artist, any artist, has spent valuable time working on a portrayal or even an acknowledgement of the existence of Glenn Beck.

--Bruce

[Brahmsian]

Okay, then. Make that the core of the core repertory.

At least one Beethoven symphony.

Yes, that would be nice!

Or "at least" one Bruckner and one Mahler symphony.  That surely isn't asking for much, is it? 

[jlaurson]

semi-on-topic:




Side Notes: The Conductor Trading Game (Vasily Petrenko Succeeds Jukka-Pekka Saraste in Oslo)
http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2011/02/side-notes-conductor-trading-game.html

[Brian]

About your last line: Liverpool has Petrenko locked up through 2014-15. He could hardly choose two better orchestras for the juggle-two-jobs gig: making lots of waves in Liverpool and tending a major ensemble in Oslo. Plus, that's a short flight. Back when I lived in Detroit, our music director was Neeme Jarvi - dividing his time between D-town and Gothenburg!

And yes, I appreciated the sports free agency analogy a little too much.

[Mirror Image]

semi-on-topic:




Side Notes: The Conductor Trading Game (Vasily Petrenko Succeeds Jukka-Pekka Saraste in Oslo)
http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2011/02/side-notes-conductor-trading-game.html

This will be great! I would like to see Petrenko perform more Scandinavian composers. I would like to hear him tackle some Sibelius, Pettersson, Alfven, Rautavaara, and Nielsen.

[jlaurson]

And yes, I appreciated the sports free agency analogy a little too much.

You can't be a Vikings fan and not still be pained about Herschel Walker.
And I didn't even live in MN/ND at the time.

Commute: Beats Marin Alsop's Baltimore <--> Sao Paulo.

[bhodges]

Tonight, this rather wild-sounding line-up at the Tune-In Festival. (PS, the concert is supposed to be about 3 hours long.)

Georg Friedrich Haas: in vain (2000)
Performed by: Argento Chamber Ensemble

Kurt Schwitters: UrSonate (1922-32)
Vocals performed by: Steven Schick
Electronics composed and performed by: Shahrokh Yadegari
Video by: Ross Karre

Johann Sebastian Bach: Chaconne from Partita in D Minor (1717-23)
(arr. Matt Albert )
Performed by: eighth blackbird, red fish blue fish, Lisa Moore, Josh Rubin, Blair McMillen, Mellissa Hughes, Kamala Sankaram, Nina Faia, Abby Fischer

Steve Reich: Music for 18 Musicians (1974-76)
Performed by: eighth blackbird, red fish blue fish, Lisa Moore, Josh Rubin, Blair McMillen, Mellissa Hughes, Kamala Sankaram, Nina Faia, Abby Fischer

--Bruce

[Brahmsian]

Tomorrow night:

Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major

Bruckner - Symphony No. 7 in E major

Anton Kuerti - piano

Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra
Alexander Mickelthwate, conductor

REALLY looking forward to the concert, particular for the Bruckner, as it will be my first time attending a live performance for a Bruckner symphony.   

A tremendous concert!  Kuerti gave an outstanding performance in the Beethoven Concerto, but the highlight of the night no doubt for me was the Bruckner symphony.   

This was the first attack by the WSO w/Mickelthwate for Bruckner, and they did not disappoint.  Even at all of the climatic parts (and there are many in this symphony), the orchestra held it together extremely well.  I was worried about how the brass section would handle some of these passages but I was worried for nothing.  The WSO had not featured Bruckner in the last 6 or 7 years, and as for the Bruckner 7th goes, it had not been performed since 1982!    Hearing the performance of the Adagio was probably one of the most satisfying, heart swelling experiences I've ever felt.  Seeing and hearing the Wagner tubas was also great.

[bhodges]

A tremendous concert!  Kuerti gave an outstanding performance in the Beethoven Concerto, but the highlight of the night no doubt for me was the Bruckner symphony.   

This was the first attack by the WSO w/Mickelthwate for Bruckner, and they did not disappoint.  Even at all of the climatic parts (and there are many in this symphony), the orchestra held it together extremely well.  I was worried about how the brass section would handle some of these passages but I was worried for nothing.  The WSO had not featured Bruckner in the last 6 or 7 years, and as for the Bruckner 7th goes, it had not been performed since 1982!    Hearing the performance of the Adagio was probably one of the most satisfying, heart swelling experiences I've ever felt.  Seeing and hearing the Wagner tubas was also great.

Beautiful! That Adagio is something else...so happy it went well.

In about 2 hours, hearing the big finale of the Tune-In Festival at the Armory:

John Luther Adams: Inuksuit (2009, NY Premiere) - Will be performed by 72 percussionists: 54 in the gigantic main space, with the other 18 in the smaller rooms in the building, and microphones adding sounds from outside (e.g., traffic, conversation, etc.). Audience members are invited to "move around freely and discover their own individual listening points."

--Bruce