Two Favorite Sons...

As symphony orchestras struggle for survival in today’s world of financial insecurity and culture wars, filling seats with paying patrons is a holy grail of management. The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) has discovered the golden ticket by scheduling works of Leonard Bernstein, resulting in several sold-out concerts. Of course, symphony orchestras across the US have been busy scheduling and presenting the works of this near-mythic all-American composer in celebration of the centenary of his birth. Yet, in spite of his larger-than-life significance in the popular culture, Bernstein’s compositional body of work has not been frequently performed in concert halls over the decades since his passing. Maybe we find the myth more engaging than his actual music.   For the complete review, click here:  https://bachtrack.com/review-bernstein-shostakovich-spano-moser-aso-atlanta-january-2019

Znaider and Macelaru...

It is rewarding when a conductor who has impressed in the past gets another opportunity to show his/her talents with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO). It is even better when that conductor has continued to grow in reputation and renown. Such is the case with Romanian-born Cristian Măcelaru, this week’s guest conductor, who, in addition to being music director of the Cabrillo Festival, was recently appointed as the new chief conductor of the WDR Sinfonieorchester. For the complete review, go here:  https://bachtrack.com/review-tchaikovsky-enescu-shostakovich-macelaru-znaider-atlanta-symphony-hall-june-2018

Great Shostakovich......

Most composers have a characteristic sound. With Brahms, it is the unmistakable warmth of the lower strings and horns; with Tchaikovsky it’s the brass and dance-like passages; and with Beethoven its strong thematic statements and development. Contemporary composers have similar sound signatures. For example, it is easy to identify John Adams’ works because of their colorful orchestrations, bright percussive effects, minimalist repetition, and irregular meters. In honor of Adam’s 70th birthday, Robert Spano and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra are programming several of his works this season and this week’s concert featured the often-played foxtrot The Chairman Dances (based on music from Nixon in China). For the complete review, go here: https://bachtrack.com/review-shostakovich-spano-muzijevic-atlanta-symphony-october-2016

Great Shostakovich......

Most composers have a characteristic sound. With Brahms, it is the unmistakable warmth of the lower strings and horns; with Tchaikovsky it’s the brass and dance-like passages; and with Beethoven its strong thematic statements and development. Contemporary composers have similar sound signatures. For example, it is easy to identify John Adams’ works because of their colorful orchestrations, bright percussive effects, minimalist repetition, and irregular meters. In honor of Adam’s 70th birthday, Robert Spano and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra are programming several of his works this season and this week’s concert featured the often-played foxtrot The Chairman Dances (based on music from Nixon in China). For the complete review, go here: https://bachtrack.com/review-shostakovich-spano-muzijevic-atlanta-symphony-october-2016