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

[TheGSMoeller]

Tonight!

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Donald Runnicles - Conductor
Elizabeth Koch Tiscione - Oboe

R. STRAUSS Metamorphosen
R. STRAUSS Oboe Concerto
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7

Set up for Metamorphosen (don't be alarmed, hasn't started yet)

[Ken B]

Definitely not John-approved programming. 

Especially as John has forsaken classical! 

[TheGSMoeller]

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Donald Runnicles - Conductor

R. STRAUSS Metamorphosen

Heartbreaking, gut wrenching, gorgeously serene. The ASO string players and Runnicles perfectly captured everything about this piece that makes it so great, an incredibly passionate experience. I'm very anxious to get my hands on a score, there was some intricate counterpoint that was more noticeable in concert than on record.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Donald Runnicles - Conductor
Elizabeth Koch Tiscione - Oboe

R. STRAUSS Oboe Concerto

A beautiful work and amazingly played. I love how Strauss musically places the solo oboe as still a part of the ensemble, communicating within the other players, especially the solo violin and clarinet.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Donald Runnicles - Conductor

BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7

First and final movement were dynamic firecrackers, they danced and pulsed. Must say the 2nd and 3rd mvt. fell a little flat compared to their strong bookends. I'm also not a big fan of the 3rd mvt. Presto – Assai meno presto (trio) to begin with, not that they were played poorly just that they didn't keep the momentum. Also the hall the ASO play in is not the best, and the horns (who are normally placed on risers but not this time) seemed to always be a slight behind due to the acoustics, maybe it's because of where I was sitting or where they were placed, but the loud horn licks in the final mvt. came across as behind.

[bhodges]

Greg, would have loved to hear that Metamorphosen - great heard live.

So just saw the Atlanta Symphony's big season finale in June - how exciting! Are you going to this? Two terrific singers: Stuart Skelton was the Drum Major in Wozzeck at the Met (when they did it in 2011) and Stephanie Blythe is just a marvel, with a really powerful voice. (After seeing her a friend once said, "Have that woman hail me a cab.") She did Baba the Turk in Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress (again at the Met) - not only can she sing, but she's a hilarious actress.

http://www.atlantasymphony.org/ConcertsAndTickets/Calendar/2014-2015/Samson-and-Dalila.aspx#.U062KTqdtlM.twitter

--Bruce

[bhodges]

And looking forward to this concert tonight:

AXIOM
Jeffrey Milarsky, conductor

Stockhausen: Funf Sternzeichen (2004)
Stockhausen: Refrain (1959)
Boulez: Derive 2 (1988/2006)

--Bruce

[ritter]

And looking forward to this concert tonight:

AXIOM
Jeffrey Milarsky, conductor

Stockhausen: Funf Sternzeichen (2004)
Stockhausen: Refrain (1959)
Boulez: Derive 2 (1988/2006)

--Bruce

I don't know the performers, but the program is very, very, very appealing!    I had the chance to hear Derive II live here in Madrid some three years ago with the Ensemble Orchestral Contemporain under Daniel Kawka (who also recorded the piece for Naïve), and found it utterly compelling; actually, I now think it's one of Boulez's major compositions (of his late--or any--period). Hope you enjoy it, Bruce! 

[bhodges]

I don't know the performers, but the program is very, very, very appealing!    I had the chance to hear Derive II live here in Madrid some three years ago with the Ensemble Orchestral Contemporain under Daniel Kawka (who also recorded the piece for Naïve), and found it utterly compelling; actually, I now think it's one of Boulez's major compositions (of his late--or any--period). Hope you enjoy it, Bruce! 

Very cool - especially getting to hear it with those forces. I have heard it just once, a live performance a few years back, and enjoyed it quite a bit. (And even after one hearing, I might agree with your comment about it being one of Boulez's best.)

Milarsky is one of the most exciting (and somewhat under-publicized) conductors of new music in New York, and the ensemble, AXIOM, is composed of Juilliard students who enjoy doing contemporary works, so I expect this will be very good.

(Also, I'm reviewing it, so I'll try to remember to post the link here.)

--Bruce

[ritter]

....(Also, I'm reviewing it, so I'll try to remember to post the link here.)

Please do! I'd love to read it...

And yes, from what you tell me about the performers, this should be a great concert! 

Regards,

Rafael

[TheGSMoeller]

Greg, would have loved to hear that Metamorphosen - great heard live.

So just saw the Atlanta Symphony's big season finale in June - how exciting! Are you going to this? Two terrific singers: Stuart Skelton was the Drum Major in Wozzeck at the Met (when they did it in 2011) and Stephanie Blythe is just a marvel, with a really powerful voice. (After seeing her a friend once said, "Have that woman hail me a cab.") She did Baba the Turk in Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress (again at the Met) - not only can she sing, but she's a hilarious actress.

http://www.atlantasymphony.org/ConcertsAndTickets/Calendar/2014-2015/Samson-and-Dalila.aspx#.U062KTqdtlM.twitter

--Bruce

Hey, Bruce,

I've been revisiting a lot of my Metamorphosen recordings since last weekend, although some are (slightly) better performed than the ASO, there's nothing quite like seeing it live. Runnicles really stressed the Eroica funeral march melody at the end, very dramatic.

I don't know about the Samson and Dalila, they just announced the 14/15 season the other day and I haven't purchased my tickets for next year yet. A decent 14/15 season, excited to see more Strauss programmed (Till, Don Juan & Heldenleben) and I always love to see Heldenleben live so that one is a no-brainer.

My final ASO concert is next month, traded in my Joshua Bell performing Brahms VC for scheduling reasons, kinda bummed. But will be seeing this instead...

May 24th, 2014
Ilan Volkov - Conductor
Christopher Rex - cello

VERDI Overture to I vespri siciliani
BLOCH Schelomo
SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 10

Not familiar with Schelomo, will be fun to explore that. Saw Cincinnati SO perform Shostakovich's 10th under Paavo Jarvi about six years ago, definitely a good live piece.

[TheGSMoeller]

Will share of few concerts of interest from Atlanta Symphony Orchestra's 14/15 season.

SEP 25/27
R. STRAUSS: Don Juan
MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 20
MOZART: Symphony No. 35,  "Haffner"
R. STRAUSS: Till Eulenspiegel
Robert Spano, conductor
Jeremy Denk, piano

OCT 2/4
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 1
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9, "Choral"
Donald Runnicles, conductor
Jonathan Biss, piano
Angela Meade, soprano
Jamie Barton, mezzo-soprano
Russell Thomas, tenor
ASO Chorus

OCT 16/18
DEBUSSY: Prelude to Afternoon of a Faun
AVNER DORMAN: Spices, Perfumes, Toxins!
DEBUSSY: La mer
RAVEL: Bolero
Robert Spano, conductor
Thomas Sherwood, percussion
Charles Settle, percussion

NOV 13/15
JONATHAN LESHNOFF: Symphony No. 2, "Innerspace" - World Premiere
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: A Sea Symphony
Robert Spano, conductor
Twyla Robinson, soprano
Stephen Powell, baritone
ASO Chorus

JAN 8/10
LISZT: Les Préludes
RACHMANINOV: Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini
R. STRAUSS: Ein Heldenleben   
Asher Fisch, conductor
Daniil Trifonov, piano

JAN 29/31
MESSIAEN: L'Ascension
POULENC: Organ Concerto
SAINT-SAËNS: Symphony No. 3, "Organ"
Jun Märkl, conductor
Cameron Carpenter, organ

APR 30/MAY 2
MICHAEL GANDOLFI: Sinfonia Concertante World Premiere
STRAVINSKY: Suite from The Firebird
RAVEL: Piano Concerto
GERSHWIN: An American in Paris
Robert Spano, conductor
Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano
Elizabeth Koch Tiscione, oboe
Laura Ardan, clarinet
Keith Buncke, bassoon
Brice Andrus, horn

MAY 7/9
LIADOV: The Enchanted Lake
JOHN ADAMS: Scheherazade.2 (Symphony for Violin and Orchestra)
RAVEL: Pavane
RESPIGHI: Pines of Rome
John Adams, conductor
Leila Josefowicz, violin

[Brian]

AVNER DORMAN: Spices, Perfumes, Toxins!

This piece is AWESOME.

MAY 7/9
LIADOV: The Enchanted Lake
JOHN ADAMS: Scheherazade.2 (Symphony for Violin and Orchestra)
RAVEL: Pavane
RESPIGHI: Pines of Rome
John Adams, conductor
Leila Josefowicz, violin

John Adams is conducting the whole concert? Hmm. I do want to hear Scheherazade 2; maybe I'll have to visit for a weekend.

[TheGSMoeller]

This piece is AWESOME.

I have the Dorman disc of concertos on Naxos, love it. Don't know this piece but included in a good program so it's enticing.

John Adams is conducting the whole concert? Hmm. I do want to hear Scheherazade 2; maybe I'll have to visit for a weekend.

Come on down!
Or up! 

[Jaakko Keskinen]

About one year 'till Meistersinger is performed in Finnish national opera. I have never seen it live, only dvd productions (and of course recordings).

[ritter]

On Tuesday April 29th, Spain's PluralEnsemble, under guest conductor Peter Eötvös will perform this very interesting program in the Chamber Hall of the National Auditorium in Madrid:

- Karlheinz Stockhausen: Kontra-Punkte
- Pierre Boulez: Improvisation I & Improvisation II from Pli selon pli (w. Kristina Szabó--ms--)
- Peter Eötvös: Steine & Sonata per sei

As this is presented under the auspices of the BBVA Foundation, admission is free. 

[EigenUser]

The American Symphony Orchestra will be performing Ligeti's horrific and astonishing "Requiem" this coming December (2014) in NYC. I'd like to make it up there to see it.

[knight66]

Tomorrow I am going to see Nabucco. A promoter called Ellen Kent used to bring over Eastern European companies and the supposed selling point was along the lines of:

See Bizet's Carmen with flamenco dancers and a beautiful white stallion live on stage.

Her name is not on the tour of this company, but the publicity is sort of reminiscent.  They are presenting:

Verdi's La Traviata with fireworks
Puccini's La Boheme with Musetta's little dog
And
Verdi's Nabucco with the famous chorus of the Hebrew slaves.

I feel slightly cheated, a python would not have gone amiss, as in Gypsy.....Ya gotta have a gimmick!

Mike

[bhodges]

On Tuesday April 29th, Spain's PluralEnsemble, under guest conductor Peter Eötvös will perform this very interesting program in the Chamber Hall of the National Auditorium in Madrid:

- Karlheinz Stockhausen: Kontra-Punkte
- Pierre Boulez: Improvisation I & Improvisation II from Pli selon pli (w. Kristina Szabó--ms--)
- Peter Eötvös: Steine & Sonata per sei

As this is presented under the auspices of the BBVA Foundation, admission is free. 

This looks fantastic. And for free, too (in the "classical music is too expensive" vein).

The American Symphony Orchestra will be performing Ligeti's horrific and astonishing "Requiem" this coming December (2014) in NYC. I'd like to make it up there to see it.

Great programming, as usual, but I've given up going when Botstein conducts. When he either (A) learns how to conduct or (B) decides to let some other talented people take a crack at it, I'll return.

Tomorrow I am going to see Nabucco. ...

I feel slightly cheated, a python would not have gone amiss, as in Gypsy.....Ya gotta have a gimmick!

Mike

Hoping a python makes an appearance. 

--Bruce

[mahler10th]

RUNNICLES Conducts MAHLER SYMPHONY 9 TONIGHT AT GLASGOW CITY HALLS.

Simultaneous broadcast on BBC Radio 3 (UK).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/events/enb38g

I am so looking forward to this...got a cheap seat just in time!   

[Karl Henning]

RUNNICLES Conducts MAHLER SYMPHONY 9 TONIGHT AT GLASGOW CITY HALLS.

Simultaneous broadcast on BBC Radio 3 (UK).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/events/enb38g

I am so looking forward to this...got a cheap seat just in time!   

Excellent!

[mahler10th]

RUNNICLES Conducts MAHLER SYMPHONY 9 TONIGHT AT GLASGOW CITY HALLS.
Simultaneous broadcast on BBC Radio 3 (UK).

What a FANTASTIC performance.
Tears everywhere.
Staggering.
We are so lucky here in Scotland to have a legend conductor, also native to Scotland, and the BBC SSO, perhaps the finest Orchestra in the UK.  What's more, the Glasgow City Halls have acoustics which rank among the best in Europe.  Add on Mahlers 9th, and BINGO!!
Fabulous.

https://www.facebook.com/bbcsso?hc_location=timeline