Superstars......

Thanks to all of the donors who made the performance of the Pittsburgh Symphony at the Mann Music Center in Philadelphia possible for the rest of us.

"Our orchestra used to sound like this before Eschenbach"

"Can you believe how they were so together?"

"It seemed like such a big orchestra."

"And the conductor wrote some of the program notes."

These were some of the comments I overheard during this concert.  Quite some compliments from patrons who are used to their home band- the Philadelphia Orchestra.

The Glinka was fast paced and played to a technical "T".  It is difficult to believe such incredible ensemble, even on a stage where hearing each other must be very difficult. 

Then came Moser and Honeck together.  I reviewed Moser's turn with the Atlanta Symphony this past season.  He was dynamite then and even more so with Maestro Honeck.  They seem to have musical simpatico as demonstrated by their cheerful glances at each other when they know they struck home.  Moser is a maximum-overdrive cellist.  He has a bit growling sound when needed, and when lyricism counts he has that also.  He is simply one of the best and his Dvorak is superb.  His duet with Noah Balgley-Bendix, the 26-year old PSO concertmaster, was so precise that it was as if they had some of neuronal connection.  It was simply extraordinary. 

Then came Honeck's Tchaikovsky.  Much has been written about his interpretation.  Most like it- a few don't, especially those pesky provincial reviewers in London.  Honeck's is  a very personal interpretation of the music.  However, he does not add it should not be added to nor subtracted either.  Indeed he may bend a phrase by slowing it down, but he does so consistently so it reflects a solid approach to the music.  He provided his own written interpretation of the Symphony that was included with the program notes and which I apparently proceeded to lose. I demonstrates how he translates what he believes to be the composers intent to the actual performance.  It worked.  One of the techniques that Honeck uses, for example, is to give the contrabassoon enough latitude to actually be heard as it plays in unison with the basses.  I have only heard Abravanel do this in old recordings with his Salt Lake Orchestra. This adds a dramatic growl to the bass line. William Caballero's horn playing in the languorous second movement has to be heard to be believed.  He managed to play it as if his horn was a violin.  It was smooth, elegant, restrained and perfectly pitched.  He was totally in control of his breathe, and his instrument.  What a contrast to what other's present in their performances.  There were no burbles nor sliding into notes.  Both Caballero and Honeck shaped this presentation perfectly.  The grand final movement provided a stage for Principal Trumpeter Vosburgh to show off his section and for the strings to shine.  Honeck whips this piece to a high energy level that never gets out of hand.  He makes his hero's journey end in triumphant joy.  To some degree, Honeck helps Tchaikovsky become a bit more Mahleresque that what most of us are used to, but it is a magnificent approach. 

This was a smashing performance that had to be heard to be believed. There was thunderous applause and numerous curtain calls.  there were two encores, one from Bizet's Carmen, and one by Khatchaturian.  There was a standing O after each of those performances also.

The Mann Music Center is a wonderful outdoor facility but, like many of us, showing its age.  I was fortunate to be in the fifth row in the pit.  I was able to share the air conditioning provided for the orchestra.  It was an infernally hot and humid evening in Philadelphia. By sitting so close to the stage I was also able to avoid listening to the concert through the speakers used to enable those sitting on the lawn to hear.  

I know that dining alfresco is fun, but I noticed that the Mann's lawn is so far away from the stage that you might as well watch the concert on your cell phone through its tiny speakers.  I would have rather eaten at home.

If you get a chance to hear this orchestra and this conductor grab the opportunity.  Even given the bevy of superstars as past music directors (e.g., Reiner, Maazel, Previn, Jannsons), this may be the golden age of the PSO.

The American Wind machine.....

The American Wind Symphony presented a concert for its barge in the Allegheny River at Point State Park in Pittsburgh on July 21. I have many fond memories of hearing this group many decades ago in the same location.  But Pittsburgh has changed mightily since then and so has my ear. The AWS always programmed new works that seemed challenging and fresh. 

For some reason, the AWS has not played in Pittsburgh for many years.  I suspect it is because of the usual stumbling block in the arts-$$$$$.

The AWS plays on a moored barge named Point-counterpoint II.  It was designed specifically for the AWS by Alfred Kahn, one of the great architects of the last century.  Click here for more information: http://www.americanwindsymphonyorchestra.org/architecture.html

I make it a policy not to review performances by amateur musicians and performances that rely on amplifiers and loudspeakers.  Little is to be gain by critiquing the playing and amplification nearly always leads to imbalances and crude spotlighting of instruments.  It can turn a clarinet into the AFLAC goose. 

That said, I do have a few comments about this performance.  Robert Austin Boudreau is the creative force behind the AWS and, yes, he has been the cause of much new wind music being created.  But I did not like him telling me how great he is.  Better it had been written somewhere or the words would have come out of someone else's mouth.  Maybe his arrogance has grown with his age, but I found it tedious.

I also did not like Boudreau chastising the City of Pittsburgh for not providing funding for this performance while he was passing the hat (a drum actually) around for donations.  With an audience of maybe 500, I am sure that the citizens of the city helped support his work.  I also found the lack of having a program available a bit odd.  Apparently there was one for sale ($5), but I did not see it. 

Now a word about the venue.  There is no doubt that the Pittsburgh riverfront is primo.  Sitting by the beautiful water listening to wind music is a treat until a pleasure boat moors nearby  blaring some country music.  The boat owners were so numb that an audience member had to walk maybe 500 feet to ask them to turn down their music.  They did, but a few minutes later another pleasure craft docked next to them with their own music.  It took awhile for them to get the idea.  A train across the river also didn't get the idea, but I can understand that a bit more.  Finally, a Pirates game was in progress across the river.  I was surprised that it did not interfere with the concert more.  My biggest concern about the venue was the lack of nearby toilet facilities.  I lament the lack of toilets and food that are easily accessible to the riverfront here.

I hope that the AWS returns.  In fact, I hope that it could be docked permanently in Pittsburgh.  It is a great asset, particularly since the organization was born out of Pittsburgh-based philanthropy.  Maybe it is were around more, Maestro Boudreau would not have to remind everyone of his greatness. 

PNME AOK......

You have to know Pittsburgh.  In the heart of the downtown among the steel and glass towers  is the very elegant Heinz Hall, the home of the grand Pittsburgh Symphony.  About a mile away, across the Monongahela River, is the Southside of the city.  It is made up of trendy eateries and shops located where working class bars and stores used to be.  It is a gritty area that mixes contemporary architecture with the largest collection of Victorian storefronts in the US.  In the midst of this urban mix is the City Theater, which is located in an old church.  It is surrounded by old warehouses, cobblestone streets, and row houses.  It sits at a great psychological distance from Heinz Hall. 

Maybe this distance is exactly what makes the City Theater the perfect venue for  the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble.  The auditorium seats about 250 people, and it appeared to be nearly sold out for the PNME concert.  This in itself was remarkable.  It was also a very quiet audience- no coughing, hacking or snoring.

David Lang is an American composer living in New York City. He was awarded the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Music for The Little Match Girl Passion. His The Anvil Chorus is a one-person tour de force of all sorts of percussive sounds, ranging from a kick bass drum, to a home-made cymbal, to metal blocks.  The soloist in this performance was Sean Connors.  The staging of the piece was wonderful.  Connors and his instruments were on a small platform that was about 15 feet off of the floor, accessible by steps.  All of this was behind a black scrim.  When the piece began, a single spotlight was directed at the music making and it was quite a dramatic setting.  This piece is hypnotic and engaging.  When the music really begins to move, the percussive sounds echo in the auditorium, which creates another line of music superimposed on the actual music.  It an intriguing effect that might not be as apparent in a less friendly acoustic space.  I have included a YouTube video of the piece.

Randall Woolf is an American composer known for his diverse contemporary works, and in particular for his works based on children's literature and collaborative work with youth organizations.  His Quicksilver from 1992 was performed by Lindsey Goodman, flute, and Natalie Shaw, violin.  The piece consists of rather rapid notes that flitter and flutter.  At times it struck me as the musical equivalent of the parallel play of children.  It seemed like a great soundtrack for a cartoon about 2 butterflies dancing together.  Only at the end of the piece did the two parts come together.  I mentioned my interpretation to Ms. Goodman at the conclusion of the concert and she granted that Mr. Woolf would probably like my take on it.  It was interesting to me that Ms. Goodman had her music on an iPad for her performance.  The light from its screen highlighted her face nicely, but seemed to require her to sit a bit closer to the music stand that might be required when using a paper score.

 

Stock's piece manages to make each musician make every conceivable sound possible from his/her instrument.  The piano strings were plucked, metal was bowed, and the cello became a piano.  This was not a particularly lyrical piece but was very engaging.  The audience seemed enthralled as indicated by its near total silence during the performance. 

Bates' The Life of Birds is written for  flute, clarinet, violin, and cello.  The 35-year old composer is best known for his symphonic works and he is composer-in-residence with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.  Six vignettes comprise this work, with the titles "Moving Parts," "Parakeet Daydream," "The Caged Bird Sings," "On a Wire: Mating Dance," "Old World Flycatcher--" and "Moving Parts."  Each is introduced with a brief statement about the movement, projected on a screen above the musician.  The composer describes the work as "a collection of miniatures exploring different aspects of the aviary." (see masonbates.com/music).  The music is full of the fluttering of feathers and parts of it reminded me of Le Histoire du Soldat by Stravinsky.   I am not suggesting it is derivative music, rather just that I free associate a lot. 

Schnittke's music is chameleon-like.  He can take on the color of various styles ranging from the starkly modern to neo-romantic.  Klingende Buchstaben is a beautiful piece for solo cello, here played by Norbert Lewandowski, who was lyrical and aggressive when each was needed. 

The final work, Silences, by Jeffrey Nytch was spectacular.  The baritone soloist was Timothy Jones , who was accompanied by flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, and percussion.  This piece ran the gamut from love-intoxication to bitter defeat and hurt.  Please go to http://jeffreynytch.com/works.html to listen to the full 26 minute piece.  Nytch said that he has worked on this piece in two different compositional periods- 2004 and 2012.   Silences is stunning music and it is destined to be acclaimed.  May I be the first.

The PNME concert was exciting, cutting edge, intriguing, and a whole host of other adjectives.  Pittsburgh should be proud to have this pioneering group in its midst.  It is composed of talented performers who are will to take a risk.  The City Theater venue is perfect for this group.  It allows for creative lighting and visual effects.  It's a great combination.  I hope that I can hear the PNME again. 

Thanks to all benefactors who made this concert possible for the rest of us.  

A Grand Finale....

The finale of the 10th Annual Madison (GA) Chamber Music Festival was held on July 13, 2012 at the Madison Cultural Center Auditorium.  Thanks should go to Janie and John Seglund and Wayne and Lee Harper Vason for their generous support of this concert.  A special shout-out to Ms. Gloria Stuhlmiller for providing me with a ticket to attend this special event. 

There were several highlights to this concert.  David Coucheron's performance of Gershwin's Prelude (marked Allegro Ben Ritmato e Deciso) was a standout.  Coucheron plays his violin broadly with razor sharp intonation and precise bowing.  He never condescends to the music and splays even lightweight music with the same intensity with which he approaches masterworks.  He certainly played the Gershwin as if it were a major work, and by doing so, made it seem  more important than it probably is. 

The Schickele piece was a surprise.  For the humorist composer, who has gained celebrity as "PDQ Bach," his Quintet No. 2 (In Memoriam) is stunningly beautiful.  I could find only one recording of on Amazon and there appears to be no information about the context for the music.   I have attached a video from YouTube but it's of the final movement that I think is the least impressive of the four. It contains many references to American music and musical styles.  This Quintet was characterized by Christopher Rex, Music Director of the Festival, as being very Brahms-like.  Indeed that was the case  but I heard other more contemporary references in the work.  The first and third movements are simply beautiful.  They have much in common with minimalist works, especially in the piano score.  I also I found reference to, or influence by,  Arvo Part, Philip Glass, and Henryk Gorecki.  In some lyrical passages the layering of the voices also seemed a bit New Age-y, and I do not mean that in any way to disparage the music.  The piece has many duets played in octaves, again reminiscent of Brahms.  After hearing this piece, I think it regrettable that we do not have more of Schickele's serious music.  Standouts in this performance were Christian Liberis on the viola.  She has a warm yet forward sound that did not become lost among the other strings.  Julie Coucheron made the baby grand piano sound quite grand.  David Coucheron again played strongly and assertively.

The Gershwin Lullaby is  a slight, but beautiful piece.  It was played handsomely here.  The final work was the piano version of Gerswhin's Rhapsody in Blue.  I personally like this better than the orchestral version because  it seems to highlight the work's structural features that seem to get swallowed up in the flashiness of the orchestra.  Elizabeth Pridgen carried most of the work.  She played a baby grand that had a more mellow and sweeter tone than Coucheron's instrument. This may have been due to Pridgen's piano having the lid up where Coucheron's piano seemed to have the lid removed.   Both pianists were outstanding and neither lack the technical skill needed to play this music in a big and brash way. 

The concert was followed up by a presentation to Christopher Rex of a portrait of himself, given for his 10-years of leadership of this series. 

Ms. Rebecca Bonas is the staff person of the Cultural Center who manages the business side of the Festival.  She deserves much credit for helping to make this series first-rate.  

I am in the matrix......

I have never been a fan of film soundtracks. There is no doubt that the music they contain can be very emotional and evocative.  That is, of course, the purpose of movie music- to underscore the emotion of a scene.  Soundtracks are usually made up of short pieces that are effective for what they are, but they do not challenge the listener with much thematic, rhythmic, or key development.  Yet, many symphony orchestras are having to rely on movie music to help fill their seats as a sure fire way to supplement the regular classical season. 

Well, I am reassessing my position, at least to a certain degree.  The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra filled Symphony Hall with its performance of the soundtrack to the "The Matrix" while the film was being shown in very nice digital projection.  I was totally surprised how the live performance made a powerhouse of a movie even more tense, exciting, and palpable.  I do not think that it would be possible to duplicate the power of a skilled symphony orchestra in a movie theater using standard film playback techniques. There is something so powerful and subtle about an in-person symphonic experience that cannot be duplicated.  About 90% (my guess) of "The Matrix" includes music, which made the impact of the ASO's performance even greater. 

No, I do not want to hear a symphony accompany "North By Northwest" or "Gone With the Wind," but I am interesting in seeing and hearing big, strong, splashy movies that have powerful soundtracks where a talented orchestra can add something potent and weighty.

 

If you get a chance, take in "The Matrix" if played by your local orchestra.  It's worth the time.   

A Midsummer Night's Diversion....

A large "Thank You" goes to the Charles Loridans Foundation, Inc. for sponsoring a free Atlanta Symphony Orchestra concert on July 7.  The house was packed, with many who said that it was their first time in Symphony Hall.  That in itself is a desirable outcome. 

Ward Stare, the 29-year old recently appointed conductor of the Macon Symphony, was on the podium.  He is another new entry into the conducting world.  He is charming when addressing the audience and is among the genetically gifted, at least looks-wise. 

There were introductory comments by Lois Reitzes of WABE.  Everyone seems to know of Ms. Reitzes and she sounded as out of breath here as she does on her radio show.

During these summer concerts (like the Pops concerts) the ADO has next to none of its principals playing and it has many contract musicians playing.  And it shows.  The Wagner had intonation and balance problems.  Someone once said that if the brass sound just loud enough, then turn them back a notch or two.  The tuba, trombones, and horns were so out of balance with the rest of the orchestra that the piece was more about punctuation than about theme.  The strings were sloppy in their playing. 

The Barber piece helped redeem the strings.  This achingly beautiful work sounded all that much better because it didn't have the aggressive brass knocking at the door.

The Ravel, a beautiful and light piece, was a bit leaden.  The strings again had poor ensemble, characterized by sloppy bowing.  It turned Ravel into a lead balloon.

The Orchestra sounded in top form after the Intermission.  The Slavonic Dances were played enthusiastically and all of the sections seemed to be on the same page (of music).  The Stravinsky too was very well done.  It is colorful music that makes extensive use of the brass and the bass drum. It all hung together very well.  When the Symphony is on, it is on.

This free concert was a nice way to spend 90 or so minutes in the air-conditioned Symphony Hall.  Thanks again to the Loridans Foundation for making it possible.  

Excerpts Madison Chamber Festival Burge Plantation

Linden Quartet

Madison should be proud.....

The Madison Chamber Music Festival presented a concert at the Burge Plantation in Mansfield GA.  (http://www.burgeplantation.com/).  This particular concert featured the Linden Quartet.  In the Boccherini, Christopher Rex joined the Quartet to make- guess what?- a quintet.  In the friendly acoustics of the Burge Conservatory, Boccherini's playfulness with thematic material was easily recognizable.  The third movement, the Minuetto, Trio, is one of those very recognizable melodies that somehow resides in the cultural collective consciousness.  I seem to remember it being used in a cigar commercial but I can't find any reference to it on the Web.  Notwithstanding this, the Minuetto was exquisitely played.  Only in the fourth movement of the Quintet did things go a bit awry.  there were intonation and bowing problems, especially in the cellos.  Maybe it was the oppressive heat outside. 

The Corigiliano "Black November" piece bounced between the lyrical and the aggressive with a growl.  A Black November Turkey takes its title from a savage allegorical poem by Richard Wilbur (born March 1, 1921) is an American poet and literary translator. He was appointed the second Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress in 1987, and twice received the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, in 1957 and again in 1989.  The Web again failed to produce anything about the piece on which the composer drew inspiration, but Ms. Cosbey gave a bit of a back story having to do something about a chicken and a turkey soon to be a Thanksgiving feast.  This was not shy music but thoroughly enjoyable. The "Snapshot" piece is utterly, achingly, poignantly beautiful.  The composer drew inspiration from a photo of his father playing the violin accompanied by his Grandfather playing the guitar.  Eric Wong on the viola played the guitar-like accompaniment.  This was breathtaking music given a wonderful performance by the Lindeners. 

Here is a snapshot of the Snapshot piece:

The Bolcom Rags were enjoyable.  The composer takes the form of the rags from the early 20th century and twists them a bit so that they are dissonant, sometimes harsh, humorous and always rhythmic and danceable. They are modern interpretations of a 100-year old style.  They are easily accessible and again they were played with perfection. 

The Beethoven is one of his earlier works and reflects his experimentation with the structure that the form had taken in the hands of Haydn, for example.  The second movement is a scherzo built on a fugue, in contrast to the adagio that his predecessors used.  The fourth movement draws on gypsy themes and tests the mettle of the first violin, which seemed just fine for Sarah McElravy. This was another fine performance by the Linden Quartet.  These musicians really put their hearts and souls (and the souls of their shoes) into their performances.  This adds to the high caliber to their performances. 

The Madison Chamber Music Festival, with Music Director Christopher Rex, came up with another outstanding concert.  It certainly was enhanced by the surroundings.  This concert also included an enjoyable reception with the musicians.

The finale of the Festival, an American Celebration,  will be on July 13 at the Madison Cultural Center.  David Coucheron will be a guest artist.  For more information go to: http://www.mmcc-arts.org/CMF-Schedule.shtml

Thanks again to the donors who make this music available to us.