24/7

WQED in Pittsburgh recently created a 24-hour channel of Pittsburgh Symphony recordings.  This is in addition to its Pittsburgh Symphony radio broadcasts.  For more information, click here: http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2012/05/just-in-major-us-orchestra-goes-247-online.html

Losses don't only occur in disco you know....

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau died recently.  For the last half of the last century, he was probably the greatest baritone alive. As a reader of "High Fidelity" magazine, when there was such a thing, I learned of Fischer-Dieskau's great voice.  To read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/152367565.html

An Orchestra on Fire...

On May 17, The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, under guest conductor Vasily Petrenko, presented a program that included:

Elgar: Cockaigne Overture

Shostakovich- Piano Concerto No. 2

Rachmaninov- Symphony No. 2.

The piano soloist was Kirill Gerstein. 

"So they are going to play Cockaigne.  Not another warhorse crowd pleaser that has been so overplayed that it will take 15 irretrievable minutes of my life.  So the music begins with its little tune-filled tour of London Town.  Wait, wait- what is that.  The violins sound lush and unbelievably together.  Listen to those trombones- their bite sends chills up my spine.  Hear that out-of-tune band.  I can't believe what I am hearing.  It's a first class performance under the direction of a gifted conductor.  Can Cockaigne sound better?"

Then comes the Shostakovich. This mighty composer of Soviet days, who had been oppressed for his music that was thought to be designed to stir the masses, wrote this concerto in 1957.  Everyone should prepare themselves for the stridency, for the blaring brass, for the dissonances.  But, no- this a concerto that is a gentle and, dare I say, pretty as a classical composition, by say, Mozart.  It is a lovely piece that is very anachronistic for such a rabble rouser. Maybe it was written in a kinder, gentler spirit, given that it was written for his son's graduation at 19 from the Moscow Conservatory. Even in spite of the auspicious reason for the piece, Shostakovich himself dismissed the concert as lacking musical worth.  Regardless it is a fine piece.  Kirill Gerstein played the piece with strength, never condescending to the music.  He is a talented pianist who should have a brilliant career.  This was a satisfying performance with the ASO again performing to perfection.  An interesting note is that the last performance of this work in Atlanta had Dmitri Shostakovich, Jr. and at the piano and Maxim Shostakovich as conductor.  I wonder when we will hear such luminaries again in Symphony Hall, given all of the financial pressures on orchestra's these days.  Artists like that can't be cheap.  But wait...

Rachmaninov's Second Symphony is a masterpiece of late romanticism.  It is full of beautiful melodies that sweep and swoon across the orchestra, and therein lies both its strengths and weaknesses. When I think of this work, I think of those advertisements for cloud-like hotel beds.  Yes the beds are comfortable but they threaten to have you can sink so far into them that you might struggle to breath.   So too for Rachmaninov's Second. It is truly cloud-like in its beauty  but it can strangle the listener with its length and its dreamy melodies that are stitched together with bridges that were never a strong suit for Sergei.  The symphony does not have  the developmental genius of a Beethoven or a Brahms symphony, but then most symphonies by most other composers do not either.  But the Rachmaninov is beautiful.  Because of its length, lesser conductors get lost in its sweet bloat and leave the listener with the musical equivalent of Cool Whip on his/her face.  Well, I am here to say that that was not a problem for Petrenko.  He never lost the forward motion of the symphony.  He did not get stuck in the melody while forgetting the overall structure of work.  He made the hour-long piece seemingly go by in heart beat.  The ASO played like it was on fire.  The violins were precise and shimmering.  The trombones were again outstanding.  There was some truly fine English horn playing.  The clarinets were first-rate, as were the flutes.  The cellos and bass sang.  Even the French horns, which in my opinion is the weakest section of the ASO, played beautifully, except for one mistake in a solo that made even other horn players wince.  This was one of the great performances of this season at the ASO.  

Maestro Petrenko is 35-years old and already at the top of his game.  He is the chief conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and was recently appointed to be chief conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic.  In case anyone missed it, the Oslo ensemble has had some incredible music directors, including Herbert Blomstedt, Mariss Jansons, and Andre Previn.  When I get a call from the Boston Symphony asking me to recommend someone to be their new music director, I will surely suggest Petrenko.   I believe that he has such a great future that they would be well served to hire him.  Probably won't happen but it's a nice thought.  Petrenko is one of the elite of the younger group of conductors that includes Dudamel, Nezet-Seguin, and Noseda that can bring life and great music to old orchestras and new audiences. 

Apropos of nothing, Petrenko seems to be at least six feet tall, he is very good looking, and he has great hair.  When he conducts, it is as if he has no bones in his hands, they are so graceful.  They would make a ballet dancer proud. 

Surgery in Minnesota

The Minnesota Orchestra, one of the best in the US, recently announced cutting 9 positions in order to help stem its losses.  Read more here: http://www.secretsofthecity.com/secrets/view/minnesota-orchestra-cuts-staff

PSO international award

The Pittsburgh Symphony won the International Classical music award for its recording of Mahler's Forth.  Details here: http://blogs.pittsburghsymphony.org/2012/05/pittsburgh-symphony-orchestra-wins-prestigious-international-award-for-mahler-4-recording/

There's an app for that....

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra recently introduced an app for iOS and Android phones and tablets.  Its a handy way to view its schedule and see and hear other interesting information.  Check it out. 

A well-deserved Award

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra announced that the its concertmaster David Coucheron has been awarded the Mabel Dorn Reeder award.  Click here for more information. http://atlanta.broadwayworld.com/article/Atlanta-Symphony-Orchestra-Announces-David-Coucheron-as-Recipient-of-The-Mabel-Dorn-Reeder-Honorary-Chair-20120514

Coucheron has been with the ASO for only a short time, but he has made a remarkable improvement in the orchestra's sound and ensemble.  Congratulations to him.  

As one of America's leading pianists....

On May 10, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, under Music Director Robert Spano, presented a concert that included:

Singleton- Different River (World Premiere)

Gershwin- Rhapsody in Blue

Copland- Symphony No. 3

The soloist in the Gershwin was Leon Bates.

Alvin singleton is a former composer-in-residence with the ASO, when Robert Shaw was music director.  In an interview before the performance, Singleton said that he doesn't want his music to be predictable, and if at any point he thinks it is, he will change direction.  Well, he didn't mislead.  "Different River" is not the Moldau.  It begins with droplet-like sounds in the percussion, which reminded me of how a river gets started high in the hills of somewhere or other.  The piece meanders through a series of segments that, as best I could tell, have little relation to each other, at least thematically.  While colorfully orchestrated, the piece feels fragmented.  I could maybe interpret it as following a unit of water winding its way through various landscapes, from idyllic meadows to bustling cities.  But, I was not engaged.  I did not think this river was particularly exciting, beautiful or coherent.  Maybe with repeated listenings I will better appreciate the work.  but on first hearing, not so much.  I give kudos to maestro Spano for his ongoing efforts to bring new music to Symphony Hall.  As I am always reminded on NPR's Performance Today, all music was once new. But, the ASO was in top form and the percussion section was outstanding. 

At the risk of sounding curmudgeonly, I have grown weary of "Rhapsody in Blue."  It's one of those pieces that are so over familiar that it easy to forgot its contributions to American music.  Thursday night's performance, however, did provide an opportunity to hear it with "new ears."  From the opening The opening of Rhapsody in Blue is written as a clarinet trill followed by a legato 17-note rising diatonic scale. Laura Ardan, the ASO Principal clarinetist, stretched it out into a sultry slide.  Spano emphasized the "jazz" elements of the score, especially notable also in the trumpet and low brass punctuations.  Pianist Bates played assuredly and his piano was never lost in the sound of the full orchestra.  This is one of those concert hall pieces that would be easy to telegraph in, but Spano deserves credit for breathing life into this war horse. 

The Copland 3rd Symphony was written in 1946.  The composer stated that he wanted to break-free of the common view that he only wrote Americana and/or jazz-infused works.  Given that it was composed in the immediate post-war period, it could be interpreted as moving from the gloom of war to the hopeful triumph of mankind.  The symphony begins with a somewhat harsh first movement and ends with a final movement that is built around the composer's famous "Fanfare for the Common Man."  All in all, I like Copland better when he writes Americana and/or jazz-infused works.  The ASO again performed admirably.  Every section of the orchestra was in top form, save the French horns.  The latter always seem to flutter a bit and are, in the immortal word of Randy Jackson, pitchy.  Again, good for Spano programming a work that was written just six decades again when many orchestra's find it necessary to not program pieces written much beyond 1900 (except for Rachmaninov and Sibelius).

 

Lately, I have had the opportunity to listen to the works of Howard Hanson, a contemporary of Copland.  In many ways these two composers sound alike in their symphonies.  Every so often they come up with memorable melodies (think Hanson's Romantic Symphony), but often they get lost in brass flourishes, percussive accents, and a lot of storm and stress.  Much of this music has faded from the concert hall and maybe it's a good thing.  It may give us time to reflect on it with a greater appreciation for what the post-World War II world was like, including the redesign of Europe, the rise of communism, American optimism, and spiritual rebirth. We shall see.

Before the concert, ASO members appeared in the hallways of Symphony Hall handing out material to patrons about the orchestra's community involvement efforts.  I had the pleasure of meeting bass player Joseph McFadden, trumpeter Karin Bliznik, and cellist Dona Vellek. All three were enthusiastic and charming.  It was a nice touch seeing them and talking a bit about music.  They were dressed in their formal wear and all looked great.  I am reminded why men still wear tails- they look great. 

John Adams

John Adams is one of most popular contemporary composers.  He writes music that is easy to understand and beautifully orchestrated, yet still challenging.  Here is an interview with him concerning the state of contemporary classical music: http://fora.tv/2009/05/14/John_Adams_Composing_an_American_Life

Adams was artist-in-residence for the Pittsburgh Symphony a few years ago and his "Dr. Atomic" has been recorded by the Atlanta Symphony.  His "A Flowering Tree" will be performed by the ASO on June 7 and 9, 2012.

Symphony Orchestra Budgets.........

Here are estimated annual budgets of American Symphony Orchestras from:   http://home.fuse.net/clymer/minor/orchbud.html.

I have a difficult understanding why the LA orchestra has such a large budget.  It might be due to the Disney Concert Hall rent or Dudamel's salary.  Nor is it clear why the Atlanta Symphony has the same annual budget as the Philadelphia Orchestra and a budget larger than the Cleveland Orchestra.  Questions, questions, questions.

1. Los Angeles Philharmonic $97M (2011)
2. Boston Symphony Orchestra $84M (2011)
3. San Francisco Symphony $72M (2011) 
4. New York Philharmonic $69M (2012)
5. Chicago Symphony Orchestra $65M (2011)
6. Philadelphia Orchestra $46M (2011)
7. Atlanta Symphony $46M (2010) 
8. Cleveland Orchestra $42M (2010)
9. Cincinnati Symphony $38M (2012)
10. Pittsburgh Symphony $32M (2010)
11. National Symphony $30M (Washington Post, 9/05)
12. Minnesota Orchestra $29M
13. Indianapolis Symphony $27M (Indianapolis Star, 10/2006)
14. Baltimore Symphony $28M (2010)
15. St Louis Symphony $27M (2012)
16. Houston Symphony $25M (2012)
17. Dallas Symphony $24M (DSO Website, 2008)
18. Seattle Symphony $24M (2010)
19. San Diego Symphony $20M (2011)
20. Metropolitan Opera Orchestra $19M (Orchestra Facts, 2003)
21. Detroit Symphony $17M (2012)
22. Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra $17M (2011)
23. Utah Symphony & Opera $17M (Salt Lake Tribune, 2002)
24. New Jersey Symphony Orchestra $14M (NY Times, April 2006 )
25. Toronto Symphony $14M
26. Oregon Symphony $14M (2010)
27. Vancouver Symphony $13M (2011)
28. Colorado Symphony $12M (2010)
29. Kansas City Symphony $11.1M (Kansas City Star 2008)
30. North Carolina Symphony $11M (2012)
31. Orchestre symphonique de Montréal $11M
32. Florida Orchestra $11M (2007)
33. Fort Worth Symphony $10M (Orchestra Facts, 2003)
34. St Paul Chamber Orchestra $10M (Orchestra Facts, 2003)
35. Nashville Symphony $9.9M (Orchestra Facts, 2003)
36. Columbus Symphony $9.5M (Columbus Business First, 2009)
37. Buffalo Philharmonic $9.1M (2010)
38. Phoenix Symphony $8.5M (2012)
39. Grand Rapids Symphony $8.5M (2009)
40. Charlotte Symphony $8.5M (2011)
41. Rochester Philharmonic $8.1M
42. Honolulu Symphony $8M (Honolulu Advertiser 2008)
43. Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra $8.0M (Orchestra Facts, 2003)
44. Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra $7.9M (2009)
45. New York City Ballet Orchestra $7.8M (Orchestra Facts, 2003)
46. New World Symphony $7.5M
47. Alabama Symphony Orchestra $6.8M (2012)
48. Louisville Orchestra $6.9M (2010)
49. Syracuse Symphony Orchestra $6.9M (2011)
50. Virginia Symphony $6.5M (2007)
51. Jacksonville Symphony $6.2M (Orchestra Facts, 2003)
52. Toledo Symphony $6M (2010)
53. San Antonio Symphony $5.1M (2009)
54. New Mexico Symphony Orchestra $5M (2009)
55. New York City Opera Orchestra $4.9M (Orchestra Facts, 2003)
56. Tuscon Symphony $4.5M (Arizona Daily Star 11/2007)
57. Richmond Symphony $4.75M (2009)
58. Dayton Philharmonic $4M
59. Fort Wayne Philharmonic $4M (FortWayne.com, 2005)
60. Madison Symphony $3.9M (2007)
61. Arkansas Symphony $3.5M (ASO Website, 2006)
62. Louisville Orchestra $3.5M (2010)
63. Pasadena Symphony $3.2M (2011)
64. Portland (Maine) Symphony Orchestra $2.8M (PSO website, 2004)
65. Grant Park Symphony $2.7M (Orchestra Facts, 2003)
66. Savannah Symphony $2.4M
67. Delaware Symphony Orchestra $2M
68. South Dakota Symphony $2M (2011)

I hope the same fate doesn't overtake me...

But wait- I don't work for any one but myself: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/arts/music/25crit.html?pagewanted=all

Cincinnati Names new Music Director

The renowned Cincinnati Symphony recently names a new music director: http://online.wsj.com/article/AP82a0085fef3c4b74906742e661274eca.html  

What do conductors do?

Here is an interesting article from "The Guardian" about conductors and what they do to influence an orchestra's performance: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/oct/28/orchestra-conductors-clive-gillinson  Even more interesting is the discussion that appears in the comments section.  I am beginning to think that its only a brilliant conductor who actually influences the musical performance.  With unionized orchestras, an average rehearsal last about 2.5 hours.  This mostly permits a run through of the performance.  After having attended several open rehearsals, most conductors play through the music and rarely stop the rehearsal for interpretive issues.  Unless they are are very precise with their movements during a performance, they may influence the performance only subtly.  There is also the belief in the classical music world that a particular conductor's recording (and performance) of a piece of music can be used as a "gold standard" for that piece.  The best that can be said is that for that particular listener such is the case.  Music and the experience of it is an interaction between the listener and the performance.  What I think is a stellar performance may not move someone else.  My "gold standard" is not someone else's (I guess that is a restatement of beauty being in the eye of the beholder).  And conductors who present unusual interpretations and performances are often criticized for deviating from some standard. Honeck's Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 contains many deviations from the norm (louder brass, highlighting of internal voices). But critics, especially in the UK, have termed it "vulgar" and full of American technical ability but lacking in subtlety.  Yet, his interpretation is greeted with standing ovations, which (in places other than Atlanta, where a SO is commonplace) usually means the audience loved it. So whose opinion matters most?