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

[brewski]

Really, really looking forward to this concert, accompanied by some friends I haven't seen in decades. The Lutosławski is a favorite, and ten years ago Soltani played it and won a major cello prize in Finland. The Shostakovich Eleventh is also a longtime fave, to my ears often overlooked in favor of Nos. 5, 7, and 10 (no slight against any of those). And I don't recall hearing Mǎcelaru live, though he has appeared in some streams over the past few years.

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Cristian Mǎcelaru, conductor
Kian Soltani, cello

Lutosławski: Cello Concerto
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 11, The Year 1905

-Bruce

This concert was absolutely sensational, held in Cincinnati's beautiful hall, which was completely renovated in 2018. If I had been in town on my own, and not catching up with a dear college friend, I would have gone to both of the performances. Kian Soltani gave cogent, illuminating remarks before the Lutosławski concerto, highlighting in his words, the "struggle for dominance" between the soloist and the orchestra. While it is certainly not the only way to approach the piece, my friends said afterward that his comments helped them enormously to make sense of it. It was exciting to see the Cincinnati audience go wild for Lutosławski, and as an encore, Soltani performed one of his own compositions, "Persian Fire Dance."

After intermission, with a considerably enlarged orchestra, Mǎcelaru led a beautiful, agonizing reading of the Shostakovich, which he has called a masterpiece. (I agree.) The orchestra sounded as magnificent as any I have heard in the last few years, with clarity, focus, and enormous dynamic contrasts. Highlights: great woodwinds, a fabulous principal trumpet, and a battery of percussionists having a field day.

Later we wondered if Mǎcelaru is being considered as the orchestra's next conductor, given that Louis Langrée is leaving at the end of May. Based on their smiles and obvious commitment, the musicians seemed to relish working with him. (And you can often tell when musicians are not having a good time.)

The rest of the weekend was filled with other delights—excellent food, some glorious architecture (e.g., Union Terminal and the Netherlands Plaza Hotel, both Art Deco), and a ton of conversation—but I will recall the concert for years.

-Bruce

[Brian]

Friday will be my first time ever seeing or hearing this one! (I've heard orchestral excerpts from the suite by Manfred Honeck, only.)

ELEKTRA
Marjorie Owens, Elektra
Jill Grove, Klytämnestra
Angela Meade, Chrysothemis
Alfred Walker, Orest

The Dallas Opera
Emmanuel Villaume, conductor
Sir David McVicar, director

[Karl Henning]

Friday will be my first time ever seeing or hearing this one! (I've heard orchestral excerpts from the suite by Manfred Honeck, only.)

ELEKTRA
Marjorie Owens, Elektra
Jill Grove, Klytämnestra
Angela Meade, Chrysothemis
Alfred Walker, Orest

The Dallas Opera
Emmanuel Villaume, conductor
Sir David McVicar, director

Excellent!

[Cato]

This concert was absolutely sensational, held in Cincinnati's beautiful hall, which was completely renovated in 2018. If I had been in town on my own, and not catching up with a dear college friend, I would have gone to both of the performances. Kian Soltani gave cogent, illuminating remarks before the Lutosławski concerto, highlighting in his words, the "struggle for dominance" between the soloist and the orchestra. While it is certainly not the only way to approach the piece, my friends said afterward that his comments helped them enormously to make sense of it. It was exciting to see the Cincinnati audience go wild for Lutosławski, and as an encore, Soltani performed one of his own compositions, "Persian Fire Dance."

After intermission, with a considerably enlarged orchestra, Mǎcelaru led a beautiful, agonizing reading of the Shostakovich, which he has called a masterpiece. (I agree.) The orchestra sounded as magnificent as any I have heard in the last few years, with clarity, focus, and enormous dynamic contrasts. Highlights: great woodwinds, a fabulous principal trumpet, and a battery of percussionists having a field day.
 

The rest of the weekend was filled with other delights—excellent food, some glorious architecture (e.g., Union Terminal and the Netherlands Plaza Hotel, both Art Deco), and a ton of conversation—but I will recall the concert for years.

-Bruce

Mrs. Cato and I were there in June for James Conlon who was conducting Mahler's Symphony VIII, in a glorious performance!


Yes, those buildings are exquisite and have been kept in good shape: when I was in college over 50 years ago, I attended an international conference of classicists and archaeologists at the Netherlands Plaza Hotel.  I recall waiting for an elevator, and then being shocked, when the door opened, by a man wearing a kilt!      

Obviously Scotland was represented at the conference!   


Anyway, yes again, the Cincinnati Symphony is an excellent orchestra!

[Florestan]

Later we wondered if Mǎcelaru is being considered as the orchestra's next conductor, given that Louis Langrée is leaving at the end of May. Based on their smiles and obvious commitment, the musicians seemed to relish working with him. (And you can often tell when musicians are not having a good time.)

Cristian Mǎcelaru is currently the musical manager of the Orchestre National de France, his contract extended to 2027. I don't think he'll have time for Cincinnati as well.

[brewski]

Cristian Mǎcelaru is currently the musical manager of the Orchestre National de France, his contract extended to 2027. I don't think he'll have time for Cincinnati as well.

Ah, thanks, so that likely answers the question. (Though in the age of globetrotting conductors, who knows.)

But good for Orchestre National; they are lucky to have him.

-Bruce

[brewski]

Friday will be my first time ever seeing or hearing this one! (I've heard orchestral excerpts from the suite by Manfred Honeck, only.)

ELEKTRA
Marjorie Owens, Elektra
Jill Grove, Klytämnestra
Angela Meade, Chrysothemis
Alfred Walker, Orest

The Dallas Opera
Emmanuel Villaume, conductor
Sir David McVicar, director

At the risk of being overenthusiastic, I won't go on and on, but I do hope you enjoy. It is quite a score. The set looks very cool!

-Bruce

[Brian]

At the risk of being overenthusiastic, I won't go on and on, but I do hope you enjoy. It is quite a score. The set looks very cool!

-Bruce

Well, your Cincy review was very enthusiastic and only made me more excited for/envious of you!

They are doing an Elektra performance on Valentine's Day itself, which I think is just perfect   

[brewski]

Well, your Cincy review was very enthusiastic and only made me more excited for/envious of you!

They are doing an Elektra performance on Valentine's Day itself, which I think is just perfect   

Hahahaha, I love it.

Reminds me years ago of a memorable Met Opera outing on Christmas Day. Nothing says "Merry Christmas" like seeing Janáček's Katya Kabanova, about a woman having an affair and committing suicide. Happy Holidays!   

-Bruce

[brewski]

In a few hours, more Shostakovich! Also looking forward to the Britten, which I played in high school. (It will likely sound a bit different here.      )

The Philadelphia Orchestra
Tugan Sokhiev Conductor

Gabrieli Canzon septimi toni, No. 2, from Sacrae symphoniae
Britten Simple Symphony
Shostakovich Symphony No. 4

-Bruce

[ultralinear]

In a few hours, more Shostakovich! Also looking forward to the Britten, which I played in high school. (It will likely sound a bit different here.      )

The Philadelphia Orchestra
Tugan Sokhiev Conductor

Gabrieli Canzon septimi toni, No. 2, from Sacrae symphoniae
Britten Simple Symphony
Shostakovich Symphony No. 4

-Bruce

That should be good.   Some years ago I saw Sokhiev conduct the Philharmonia in an excellent Shostakovich 5th - strong and clear, with by far the most sarcastic Finale I ever heard.

FWIW there's a Guardian review of it here, though the symphony gets only a passing mention compared with Pogorelich's Tchaikovsky (!) ... which was exactly as described.

[LKB]

Earlier this week my friends presented me with two SFS tickets for June 22nd.

They'll be travelling, so I'll grab my friend from last year's VPO concert and enjoy the Schumann Piano Concerto in A Minor and ( drumroll... ) Bruckner's Fourth.

I've already forgotten the scheduled pianist, but Esa-Pekka Salonen will conduct.

[brewski]

That should be good.   Some years ago I saw Sokhiev conduct the Philharmonia in an excellent Shostakovich 5th - strong and clear, with by far the most sarcastic Finale I ever heard.

FWIW there's a Guardian review of it here, though the symphony gets only a passing mention compared with Pogorelich's Tchaikovsky (!) ... which was exactly as described.

Wow. "...trying to keep in touch with his soloist's increasingly unpredictable playing." I heard Pogorelich a few times years ago, early in his career, and he was idiosyncratic, but this sounds disastrous. I'm all for musicians (and artists in general) breaking rules and stretching boundaries, but if you're in a collaborative situation—in this case, working with scores of other artists and a conductor—it seems like working with them is the right thing to do.

Thanks, a most interesting (and short!) review.

-Bruce

[brewski]

Earlier this week my friends presented me with two SFS tickets for June 22nd.

They'll be travelling, so I'll grab my friend from last year's VPO concert and enjoy the Schumann Piano Concerto in A Minor and ( drumroll... ) Bruckner's Fourth.

I've already forgotten the scheduled pianist, but Esa-Pekka Salonen will conduct.

Yes, yes, yes!

-Bruce

[LKB]

Wow. "...trying to keep in touch with his soloist's increasingly unpredictable playing." I heard Pogorelich a few times years ago, early in his career, and he was idiosyncratic, but this sounds disastrous. I'm all for musicians (and artists in general) breaking rules and stretching boundaries, but if you're in a collaborative situation—in this case, working with scores of other artists and a conductor—it seems like working with them is the right thing to do.

Thanks, a most interesting (and short!) review.

-Bruce

Perhaps there are still humans on the planet who've yet to encounter the Gould-Bernstein experience:

https://youtu.be/zuxPKikM0NI?si=ImoB5blkerov1Uyc

[brewski]

Perhaps there are still humans on the planet who've yet to encounter the Gould-Bernstein experience:

https://youtu.be/zuxPKikM0NI?si=ImoB5blkerov1Uyc

Haha, thanks, I am one of those! Though I have read reports OF this concert, I have never heard the actual performance, so thank you. This will make an interesting listen over the weekend.

-Bruce

[brewski]

In a few hours, more Shostakovich! Also looking forward to the Britten, which I played in high school. (It will likely sound a bit different here.      )

The Philadelphia Orchestra
Tugan Sokhiev Conductor

Gabrieli Canzon septimi toni, No. 2, from Sacrae symphoniae
Britten Simple Symphony
Shostakovich Symphony No. 4

-Bruce

Another knockout in my unofficial Shostakovich-fest the past few weeks, between the 9th String Quartet, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, Symphony No. 11, and now this magnificent Fourth.

The Philadelphia players were on fire yesterday. Standouts among curtain calls for many soloists: Jeffrey Curnow on trumpet, bassoonist Daniel Matsukawa, concertmaster David Kim, and the two timpanists, Don Liuzzi and Angela Zator Nelson—among a seriously strong percussion section. Kudos, too, to Kiyoko Takeuti on celesta, whose final lingering notes left an incredible 20 seconds of silence in their wake, before the cheers began.

If I weren't going to hear Xenakis tonight, I'd return for round 2, but perhaps a single hearing serves the memory best.

-Bruce

[DavidW]

Tonight I will see the local orchestra perform Haydn's oboe concerto and Tchaikovsky's 6th symphony!  I'm excited!

[DavidW]

I'm sad to say I missed it.  It was yesterday.  I don't know how I forgot that the concerts are always on Monday.    And I had the ticket with the date on it.

[Brian]

I'm sad to say I missed it.  It was yesterday.  I don't know how I forgot that the concerts are always on Monday.    And I had the ticket with the date on it.

Nooooooo! In fairness to you, Monday is a weird night for concerts. Are all the musicians moonlighting as bartenders on weekends? 

I once showed up to a concert in Colmar, France, at their summer chamber music festival, to see the Quatuor Talich do Schubert's string quintet. I posted in advance of the concert but never told anyone here the shameful truth...which was that I arrived, the ticket scanner rejected me, and a French usher pointed out to me that I had bought a ticket to the previous night's concert. Luckily they had not sold out so I bought another one...