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

[brewski]

Tomorrow night, this concert, livestreamed free from the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society:

Stephanie Zyzak, violin
Kim Kashkashian, viola
Marcy Rosen, cello
Evren Ozel, piano

Haydn: Piano Trio in C Major, Hob. XV:27
Shostakovich: Viola Sonata, Op. 147
Fauré: Piano Quartet in G Minor, Op. 45

[Mapman]

There's an interesting livestream from Detroit tonight:

KRIS JOHNSON
Marlowe's Wings: Detroit's Champion of Change (World Premiere)
FLORENCE PRICE
The Oak
JESSIE MONTGOMERY
Rounds
JESSIE MONTGOMERY
Snapshots (Co-Commission)

https://www.dso.org/watch/3317390

[Brian]

A week from today:

Myaskovsky | Cello Sonata No. 2
Prokofiev | Cello Sonata
Rachmaninov | Cello Sonata

David Finckel, cello
Wu Han, piano

The married performers are a longstanding duo, and Finckel was also longtime cellist in the Emerson Quartet. I've never heard the Myaskovsky piece, and have never seen the other two live.

[brewski]

As a friend who works on these broadcasts said, "Expecting the Great Gate of Kiev to hit differently at this weekend's concerts."

Watch the free livestream on the DSO's page here, or on their YouTube channel below.

Saturday, 8 March, 8:00 pm (EST)

Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Tabita Berglund, conductor
Lukáš Vondráček, piano

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5, "Emperor"
Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition

[Judith]

Went to a wonderful recital last Tuesday at "The Venue" in Leeds.

Stephen Hough performed

Cheminade  6 Études de concert  Automme
Cheminade 6 Pièces Humoristiques Autrefois
Les Sylvains
Liszt  Sonata in B minor
His own composition  "Sonatina Nostalgica
Chopin Sonata in B minor

Yes, you've read it right.  Both sonatas were in B minor.

[brewski]

Went to a wonderful recital last Tuesday at "The Venue" in Leeds.

Stephen Hough performed

Cheminade  6 Études de concert  Automme
Cheminade 6 Pièces Humoristiques Autrefois
Les Sylvains
Liszt  Sonata in B minor
His own composition  "Sonatina Nostalgica
Chopin Sonata in B minor

Yes, you've read it right.  Both sonatas were in B minor.

How lucky you are to hear such an interesting recital! I like Hough a lot, and he has an admirably wide range.  I see that his Sonatina Nostalgica is on YouTube, so I'll give that a listen later.

[brewski]

This afternoon, Michael Tilson Thomas was scheduled to conduct, until he bowed out of most of his current engagements, due to his cancer recurrence.

The program will be the same, though the MTT opener (which I don't know) will now be more of a moving tribute. And for the other two pieces: it's Ravel's 150th birthday, and Vänskä's Beethoven cycle (with Minnesota) is superb.

The Philadelphia Orchestra
Osmo Vänskä, conductor
Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano

Tilson Thomas: Agnegram
Ravel: Piano Concerto for the Left Hand
Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 ("Eroica")

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

NP:

Delius
Piano Concerto
Philip Fowke, piano
Royal PO
Norman Del Mar

From this set -



A rather underrated work within Delius' oeuvre. Beautifully performed here.

[Christo]

Tonight and tommorrow night, see: https://akoesticum.org/evenementen/kamermuziekfestival

Programme of 7 March:
Severin Haslach, cello & Theodor Ahlbeck Glader, piano, in the Akoesticum concert hall, just around the corner:
Claude Debussy: Sonate for cello & piano, L. 135
Ludwig van Beethoven: Sonate for cello & piano in C Major, Op. 102 nr. 1
Edvard Grieg: Sonate in a minor Op. 36 for cello & piano

Programme of 8 March:
Sofia Blându, cello & Nicolas Absalom, piano, also in the Akoesticum concert hall (in a 1906 barracks complex, we live in the neighbouring barracks in chalet style from 1908):
César Franck: Sonate in A major
Johannes Brahms: Cello Sonate Nr. 1 in e Minor, Op. 38

[Christo]

Tomorrow afternoon, March 8, 16:00 hrs, Sint-Jan's Church in Gouda:

The first Saturday afternoon concert devoted to the music of the Dutch composer Daan Manneke (at 85) will be with the Ars Musica Girls' Choir conducted by Marjon van der Linden. The centrepiece will be Manneke's Messa di Voce. In this concert, Ars Musica combines the new music of Daan Manneke with the early music of Henry Purcell. City organist and cantor of Sint-Jan's Gerben Budding, my own former choir conductor, playing on the (three) organs of Sint-Jan's and the historic pressure wind harmonium.
          Will meet with an old friend there too: together we biked all the way to France, specifically Reims for its cathedral in July 1981: now meeting again around one of our favourite composers: Daan Manneke, like my friend someone from Zeeland (not New, but old Zeeland). 
     

[Mapman]

As a friend who works on these broadcasts said, "Expecting the Great Gate of Kiev to hit differently at this weekend's concerts."

Watch the free livestream on the DSO's page here, or on their YouTube channel below.

Saturday, 8 March, 8:00 pm (EST)

Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Tabita Berglund, conductor
Lukáš Vondráček, piano

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5, "Emperor"
Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition

I liked that performance of the Mussorgsky. Gnomus was taken a little slower than typical, which allowed them to bring out all of the ugly details.

[brewski]

I liked that performance of the Mussorgsky. Gnomus was taken a little slower than typical, which allowed them to bring out all of the ugly details.

Yes, noticed that, too. Some great wind playing, among many fine things here and there. I'm definitely going to keep an eye on Berglund. Liked Vondráček in the Beethoven, too, and I confess it's not a piece I'm normally drawn to.

[brewski]

On Friday at 3:00 pm (EDT), this engaging livestream, which looks like a lovely start to the weekend.

Frankfurt Radio Symphony and Big Band
Alain Altinoglu, Conductor and pianist

Gershwin: An American in Paris
Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue
Thierry Escaich: Ballade (for big band and orchestra)
Gershwin: Song Selection (arr. big band and orchestra)

[nico1616]

Tomorrow night, Concertgebouw, Bruges
Czech Philharmonic, Semyon Bychkov conducting
Sheku Kanneh-Mason, cello

Shostakovich: Cello Concerto n°1
Shostakovich: Symphony n°5

[Brian]

A week from today:

Myaskovsky | Cello Sonata No. 2
Prokofiev | Cello Sonata
Rachmaninov | Cello Sonata

David Finckel, cello
Wu Han, piano

The married performers are a longstanding duo, and Finckel was also longtime cellist in the Emerson Quartet. I've never heard the Myaskovsky piece, and have never seen the other two live.

The Myaskovsky sonata was wonderful: nostalgic, a little romantic, deeply melancholy, tuneful. The piano at times overwhelmed the cello, but the slow movement in particular was lovely. I emerged from it impressed and thinking it may be finally time to dig deeper into Myaskovsky, maybe do one of my now-notorious listening diaries.

Then the Prokofiev began, and it was a contrasting reminder of what it sounds like when a composer has a deeper, seemingly inexhaustible well of inspiration. Wu Han gave introductory comments before the half about NM and SP's close friendship, the way that the NM sonata inspired the creation of the SP sonata, and how closely linked the two works are. Plus, Finckel studied them with his old teacher and their dedicatee, Rostropovich. In her comments, Wu Han said that after hearing the Myaskovsky, Prokofiev bragged to Slava, with his accustomed bravado, "I will write you a better cello sonata!" ... And he did. I love this piece and like it more with every listen.

As an aside: the ending of the Prokofiev second movement drew a genuine laugh from the audience! It's always cool to see people laugh, live, at things you might never chuckle along to when you're at home listening by yourself. One of the best reasons to go out and see music in person.

Wu Han introduced the Rachmaninov, as well, with comments on the composer's hypnosis sessions, completed just before this piece was written.

In general, I would say that the pianist is at the top of her game, but the cellist has slipped ever so slightly. He's at his best and most appealing in the extreme low and high registers, where his focus is great, intonation is confident, and sound is simply glorious. Especially at the growling beginning of the Prokofiev, he sounded great. It's in the middle, "normal" octave or two where I heard a bit of the thin "nasal" quality that people sometimes complain about with cellos. And there were moments in all three works where the piano accompaniment stops and the cellist must spin loads of notes all at once, often to effect a transition. In these it seemed that Finckel's big legato tone didn't allow him ideal maneuverability. But hey, the guy's 73! I hope I am as good at anything at that age as he is at cello.

For those curious, Finckel has shaved his longtime goatee and now his face looks like a cross between Adam Schiff (lower half) and Fabio Luisi (top half).

[ritter]

If I can extend a (business) stay in the French Riviera in March to include the weekend, I might have the rare opportunity of seeing Martinů's Juliette, ou la clef des songes fully staged at the Nice Opera. The new production is performed in French (AFAIK, both French and Czech can be considered "original" languages for this piece), is conducted by Antony Hermus, and staged by Jean-Philippe Clarac and Olivier Deloeuil (Le Lab). I've never heard of any of them, or of any of the cast members.

Not that I am the greatest Martinů fan by any stretch of the imagination, but I do find his surrealist opera very interesting.

Just a short note to say that the performance yesterday of Martinu's Juliette in Nice was very enjoyable. This is a very effective opera when seen onstage —particularly Act II IMO— and the production by Philippe Clarac and  Olivier Deloeuil was excellent, as was Antony Hermus' conducting. A great success for the Opéra de Nice, which has received unanimously favourable r3views.

[brewski]

Tomorrow night, a period instrument ensemble in their arrangement of Bach's Goldberg Variations. The group, Nevermind, is new to me, with Anna Besson, flute; Louis Creac'h, violin; Robin Pharo, viola da gamba; and Jean Rondeau, harpsichord.

Philadelphia Chamber Music Society is livestreaming the concert, and though I am certainly no expert in this piece, I'm definitely tuning in.

[JBS]

Tomorrow night, a period instrument ensemble in their arrangement of Bach's Goldberg Variations. The group, Nevermind, is new to me, with Anna Besson, flute; Louis Creac'h, violin; Robin Pharo, viola da gamba; and Jean Rondeau, harpsichord.

Philadelphia Chamber Music Society is livestreaming the concert, and though I am certainly no expert in this piece, I'm definitely tuning in.

It's on CD

[Brian]

Well, my concert life and my food life are finally conflicting 

Fort Worth Symphony has a very intriguing concert on Sunday May 4, with the symphony musicians dividing up into a variety of chamber ensembles. First, Barber's Summer Music. Then 10-15 minutes each of music for piano four hands by Ligeti, Amy Beach, and Debussy (En blanc et noir). Then Mendelssohn's Octet, which I've badly wanted to see live since Bruce posted a video of it here that showed how much visual interaction there is among the musicians.

But... I am supposed to be judging a BBQ competition at the same time. Think I can get out of it? 

[Mapman]

Dallas has announced next season!

To me, the highlight is Casella's Symphony #2 in March. I was fortunate to see in in Philadelphia in 2015, but I'd be excited to see it again. I might be in the area, so I might go to that concert.

https://www.dallassymphony.org/productions/alexi-kenney-plays-barber/