For reasons both technical and boring, I have moved my classical music posts to a new blog: Classical Journal (http://classicaljournal.wordpress.com/). You may want to change your bookmarks to the new site.
This site will remain intact for now should anyone need to read the older articles.
Thanks…I hope you'll enjoy Classical Journal.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Mahler and More
Read my review of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra's final concert of the season, "Richmond Conducts Mahler," in this week's Metro Pulse.
The next opportunity to hear the KSO comes in the idyllic setting of Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as part of the 75th anniversary celebration of the founding of the park. The concert will take place on Saturday, June 13th at 3 pm. Due to limitations in the amount of parking available at the concert site, the event will be restricted to those having purchased a vehicle pass in advance. Vehicle passes may be purchased by calling the KSO Box Office at 865-291-3310; only two passes will be issued per person. The cost of the event is $25 for vehicles with up to a 15-passenger capacity and $50 for vehicles with a capacity greater than 15 passengers. Concert-goers are encouraged to carpool and bring chairs and/or blankets. NOTE: The deadline for purchasing passes is June 3rd!
The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Music Director Lucas Richman, will be joined by U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander who will perform as piano soloist. The concert will consist of pop and light classical pieces including The Star Spangled Banner, Williams’ Overture to The Cowboys, Foster’s Beautiful Dreamer, Ungar’s Ashokan Farewell, America the Beautiful, selections from Rodgers’ Sound of Music and more. Additionally, the orchestra will also perform the world premiere of local composer James Carlson’s Off Trail In The Smokies, commissioned by the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra specifically for this concert. Soprano Katy Wolfe Zahn will be performing with the orchestra.
The next opportunity to hear the KSO comes in the idyllic setting of Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as part of the 75th anniversary celebration of the founding of the park. The concert will take place on Saturday, June 13th at 3 pm. Due to limitations in the amount of parking available at the concert site, the event will be restricted to those having purchased a vehicle pass in advance. Vehicle passes may be purchased by calling the KSO Box Office at 865-291-3310; only two passes will be issued per person. The cost of the event is $25 for vehicles with up to a 15-passenger capacity and $50 for vehicles with a capacity greater than 15 passengers. Concert-goers are encouraged to carpool and bring chairs and/or blankets. NOTE: The deadline for purchasing passes is June 3rd!
The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Music Director Lucas Richman, will be joined by U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander who will perform as piano soloist. The concert will consist of pop and light classical pieces including The Star Spangled Banner, Williams’ Overture to The Cowboys, Foster’s Beautiful Dreamer, Ungar’s Ashokan Farewell, America the Beautiful, selections from Rodgers’ Sound of Music and more. Additionally, the orchestra will also perform the world premiere of local composer James Carlson’s Off Trail In The Smokies, commissioned by the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra specifically for this concert. Soprano Katy Wolfe Zahn will be performing with the orchestra.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
A Midsummer Night's Dream?
Sometimes, it only takes one little nudge…one moment of excitement, one step forward, one intriguing event…and everything changes. Is Knoxville ready for a summer music series of some kind? Yes, and it is long overdue.
Of course, when the weather starts turning warm and thoughts turn to a summer music series or festival, it is already too late for that year. Design, planning, venue selection, and scheduling need long lead-times, not to mention the time it takes to find a marketing scheme that takes a music program beyond the ho-hum to the why-didn’t-we-think-of-this-sooner. But properly planned, a summer music festival could become a significant attraction for the city as well--events that add positive economics to the entertainment picture.
Are there challenges and difficulties in creating a summer music series? You bet. Turning regular-season momentum into an equally exciting summer event schedule is no easy task. Pulling people out of their warm weather ennui might take some doing. But it can be done—there are plenty of examples all over the country, and in communities much smaller than Knoxville.
Let’s put our heads together and see what we can come up with. It’s too late for this summer, but summer of 2010 awaits.
Of course, when the weather starts turning warm and thoughts turn to a summer music series or festival, it is already too late for that year. Design, planning, venue selection, and scheduling need long lead-times, not to mention the time it takes to find a marketing scheme that takes a music program beyond the ho-hum to the why-didn’t-we-think-of-this-sooner. But properly planned, a summer music festival could become a significant attraction for the city as well--events that add positive economics to the entertainment picture.
Are there challenges and difficulties in creating a summer music series? You bet. Turning regular-season momentum into an equally exciting summer event schedule is no easy task. Pulling people out of their warm weather ennui might take some doing. But it can be done—there are plenty of examples all over the country, and in communities much smaller than Knoxville.
Let’s put our heads together and see what we can come up with. It’s too late for this summer, but summer of 2010 awaits.
Monday, April 20, 2009
REVIEW: "The Audition"
The Metropolitan Opera's HD series presented a different kind of opera experience this past Sunday—a screening of a documentary film titled The Audition. The film, directed by documentary filmmaker Susan Fromke and produced by the Met's Peter Gelb, told the story of the final days of competition of the 2007 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. The film picks up the story as the eleven semi-finalists are being chosen for the last week of preparation in New York before the final competition with full audience and orchestra on the Met stage. She follows most of the singers through rehearsals and personal moments, much of it in walk-and-talk segments as they thread their way through the metaphorical labyrinthine backstage of the Met.
Although the film does not cover it, the competition process begins with well over a thousand aspiring singers across the country; this number is whittled down to twenty or so regional winners through local and regional auditions. From that twenty, eleven become semi-finalists; and from that eleven, five or six are chosen as finalists. It goes without saying that to emerge as one of those five or six puts a singer on a favored path (no guarantees, though) toward an opera career, not only at the Met, but in major opera houses around the world.
My fear going in had been that the film might go for the shallow side and gloss over the inevitable un-pleasantries or personal agonies that arise in a competition with so much at stake. It is to Ms. Fromke’s credit that she kept an intriguing, equitable balance; she revealed just enough of the singer’s personalities and the brutal facts of judging to keep it interesting. Any more and the film would have been called “The Singers”; any less and it would have been just another pleasant promotional film for the Met.
It is clear that Fromke’s editing choices came not from a total objectivity, but was structured by her knowledge of who had won. Most of her finished film is spent following three tenors who do, in fact, emerge victorious. Alek Shrader is a 25-year-old tenor with boyish good looks, and the ability to pull off the high C’s in “Ah! mes amis,” from Donizetti’s Fille du Régiment. Michael Fabiano, on the other hand, is a brooding, serious young man with a fabulous voice who looks much older than his 22 years. He implies in his on-camera speeches, that the pleasantries among the singers are hypocritical as everyone is self-interested. His voice will open doors; hopefully, his personality won’t close them.
The third tenor’s story is heartbreaking, to say the least. Ryan Smith was a thirty-year old genial, yet overweight, singer whose road there had been filled with obstacles of all sorts. His performance was nothing less than brilliant, and he emerged one of the six finalists. In a sad postlude, the film revealed that Mr. Smith, after making a Met debut in Verdi’s Ernani and who had begun working with the Chicago Lyric Opera, died last November of lymphoma.
Obviously, to get to this point in the process, all of the singers had significant talents. Yet, the message here is that it must go much farther and much deeper than that. As Fromke herself explained: "The film is really about whether these young singers have what it takes to transcend their fears, walk on stage and face their futures.”
Although the film does not cover it, the competition process begins with well over a thousand aspiring singers across the country; this number is whittled down to twenty or so regional winners through local and regional auditions. From that twenty, eleven become semi-finalists; and from that eleven, five or six are chosen as finalists. It goes without saying that to emerge as one of those five or six puts a singer on a favored path (no guarantees, though) toward an opera career, not only at the Met, but in major opera houses around the world.
My fear going in had been that the film might go for the shallow side and gloss over the inevitable un-pleasantries or personal agonies that arise in a competition with so much at stake. It is to Ms. Fromke’s credit that she kept an intriguing, equitable balance; she revealed just enough of the singer’s personalities and the brutal facts of judging to keep it interesting. Any more and the film would have been called “The Singers”; any less and it would have been just another pleasant promotional film for the Met.
It is clear that Fromke’s editing choices came not from a total objectivity, but was structured by her knowledge of who had won. Most of her finished film is spent following three tenors who do, in fact, emerge victorious. Alek Shrader is a 25-year-old tenor with boyish good looks, and the ability to pull off the high C’s in “Ah! mes amis,” from Donizetti’s Fille du Régiment. Michael Fabiano, on the other hand, is a brooding, serious young man with a fabulous voice who looks much older than his 22 years. He implies in his on-camera speeches, that the pleasantries among the singers are hypocritical as everyone is self-interested. His voice will open doors; hopefully, his personality won’t close them.
The third tenor’s story is heartbreaking, to say the least. Ryan Smith was a thirty-year old genial, yet overweight, singer whose road there had been filled with obstacles of all sorts. His performance was nothing less than brilliant, and he emerged one of the six finalists. In a sad postlude, the film revealed that Mr. Smith, after making a Met debut in Verdi’s Ernani and who had begun working with the Chicago Lyric Opera, died last November of lymphoma.
Obviously, to get to this point in the process, all of the singers had significant talents. Yet, the message here is that it must go much farther and much deeper than that. As Fromke herself explained: "The film is really about whether these young singers have what it takes to transcend their fears, walk on stage and face their futures.”
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Knoxville Opera's Rossini Festival
One of the awaited events of the spring music season is less than two weeks away. The Knoxville Opera Rossini Festival hits downtown's Gay Street April 23–April 26. Among the events will be:
Knoxville Opera production of Leoncavallo's Pagliacci.
Saturday, April 25, 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 26, 2:30 p.m.
at the Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay Street.
For tickets, call Knoxville Opera at (865) 524-0795, or click here.
UT Opera Theatre production of Mozart's Don Giovanni
Thursday, April 23,
Friday, April 24, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 25, 2:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 26, 8:00 p.m.at the Bijou Theatre, 803 S Gay St.
Tickets are general admission at $15, $10 for seniors 60+, $5 for students with ID. For tickets, visit or call the Tennessee Theatre box office at 865-684-1200; or Tickets Unlimited at 865.656.4444, knoxvilletickets.com or visit the UT Central Ticket Office. Service fees may apply.
Rossini Festival Italian Street Fair
Saturday, April 25th, from noon to 9 pm, FREE
The street fair is an event that should not be missed under any circumstances!"Downtown Knoxville's Gay Street is transformed from a busy thoroughfare to a colorful European festival with three stages featuring a range of entertainment options, an upscale Artisan's Market, the smells and tastes of authentic Mediterranean foods and beverages, and a special children's area on Market Square with entertainment, fun and games."
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In conjunction with the Rossini Festival, Part III of The Messiah by George Frederic Handel will be presented at First Presbyterian Church on State Street on Sunday, April 26th at 11 am.
In most performances today, Part III contains:
No. 45 "I know that my Redeemer liveth"
No. 46 (41) - "Since by man came death"
No. 47 (42)- "Behold I tell you"
No. 48 (43) - "The trumpet shall sound"
No. 49-50 (44) - "Then shall be brought to pass" (recit.) & "O death" (duet)
No. 51 (45)- "But thanks be to God"
No. 52 (46)- "If God be for us"
No. 53 (47)- "Worthy is the Lamb"
No. 54 - "Amen"
Monday, April 6, 2009
If it's not one thing, it's another…
Beset on all sides by difficulty, New York City Opera at last announced its 2009-2010 season — a conservative five productions — but covering the gamut that City Opera is known for. There's a Baroque work, Handel's Partenope; a familiar friend, Puccini's Madama Butterfly; a new production of Don Giovanni; an unfamiliar work, Étoile by Chabrier; and a modern offering, Esther by Hugo Weisgall.
However, even that will turn out to be difficult since many involved can't seem to take si for an answer. Alan Gordon, executive director of the American Guild of Musical Artists, which represents principal singers, the chorus, and stage managers, indicated the probability of a strike over an attempt by management to void their contract which does not expire until 2011. In addition, the orchestra's contract ends next month leading to speculation that that negotiation will determine what happens with AGMA. Stay tuned for the next episode.
However, even that will turn out to be difficult since many involved can't seem to take si for an answer. Alan Gordon, executive director of the American Guild of Musical Artists, which represents principal singers, the chorus, and stage managers, indicated the probability of a strike over an attempt by management to void their contract which does not expire until 2011. In addition, the orchestra's contract ends next month leading to speculation that that negotiation will determine what happens with AGMA. Stay tuned for the next episode.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
JacobTV This Week…and it's free!
Who is Jacob ter Veldhuis?
That question will be answered in the next few days as the Dutch avant-something composer appears in Knoxville for a week-long residency and festival, MARCH 30-APRIL 4, 2009, under the sponsorship of the University of Tennessee School of Music and UT's Ready for the World program.
The director of the festival is Dr. Connie Frigo, Assistant Professor of Saxophone in the UT School of Music.
Popularly known in the Netherlands as JacobTV, he has become a frequently performed composer in Europe by orchestras such as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the Russian State Academy Orchestra and the Düsseldorf Symfoniker. Soloists who have gravitated to his works include Branford Marsalis, James Galway, Arno Bornkamp, Claude Delangle, Margaret Lancaster, Andrew Russo, Kathy Supové, Kevin Gallagher and Evelyn Glennie. What is remarkable is that classical, contemporary, jazz and rock musicians all find themselves keenly interested in his music--and audiences in Europe certainly do.
A three day JacobTV Festival entitled “Grab It! The Music of JacobTV” took place at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York in May 2007. The New York Times' Anne Midgette had this to say about the first evening's concert.
In his “boombox" works, soloists or ensembles perform the scores to intricately structured audio collages that incorporate sound bytes from political speeches, commercials, interviews, talk shows, TV evangelists, and more. These are works that challenge the listener on one level, while simultaneously amusing and delighting them on another.
Some of these boombox works will be featured in a free concert on Friday, April 3rd – 8pm, in the Cox Auditorium on the UT campus. The concert will feature a wide array of performers including guest soloists from around the country, the New Century Saxophone Quartet, UT music faculty, and UT music students.
On Thursday at 8 pm in the Cox Auditorium, Tallahatchie Concerto US Premiere
Connie Frigo, alto sax
The University of Tennessee Wind Ensemble Gary Sousa, conductor
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Shakespeare and Music
Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices…
--The Tempest, William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare stands alone among playwrights, not just for his own work, but also for the creations he has inspired in others. In music alone, we have ballets, operas, incidental music, tone poems…by composers too numerous to mention. I suppose we could mention just a few: Purcell, Mendelssohn, Korngold, Prokofiev, and Carlson. Carlson—that would be Knoxville composer James Carlson, who has organized Sounds & Sweet Airs: Shakespeare & Music, an evening of music, theatre, and dance inspired by the Bard, including scenes from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth.
Among the local artists performing on the program will be:
The Wild Thyme Players directed by Brandon Daughtry Slocum; Shake, Rattle & Role Stage Combat; Momentum Dance Lab; Lorraine DiSimone, mezzo-soprano; Patrick Harvey, piano; Hillary Herndon, viola; Rebekkah Hilgraves, soprano; Mark Hook, piano; Greg Horne, guitar/vocals; Julia Lawson, soprano; Lucie Novoveska, violin; Maria Rist, soprano; Thomas Tallent, lute; Daniel Stipe, organ; and Mary Weaver, alto.
That, if I then had waked after long sleep,Sleep not lest you miss this intriguing concert at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church on Saturday, March 28th at 7:30pm.
Will make me sleep again: and then, in dreaming,
The clouds methought would open and show riches
Ready to drop upon me that, when I waked,
I cried to dream again.
Sounds & Sweet Airs: Shakespeare & Music
Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church
2931 Kingston Pike
Knoxville
Tickets available at the door.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
KSO 2009-2010 Season: A Feast!
The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra recently released the schedule of concerts for its 2009-2010 season, and it really looks interesting. Every concert seems to have intriguing elements—there are a lot of works here that I have been dying to hear but don’t get a chance to as often as I’d like. You are probably going to want to catch as many concerts as possible. Just for fun, though, here are a couple of highlights that jumped off the page at me.
In October, don’t miss Stravinsky’s Petrushka (I assume the concert suite); on the same bill is Dvorak’s Golden Spinning Wheel.
On the November Chamber Classics concert at the Bijou, KSO Resident Conductor James Fellenbaum takes the podium for three different Serenades for Strings by Elgar, Josef Suk, and Tchaikovsky.
In January, violinist Rachel Barton Pine returns to Knoxville to perform the Brahms Violin Concerto. Also on that program is Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4. Then at the Chamber Classics concert…Ah, some Haydn at last! That concert will include Haydn’s Symphony No. 16 in B-flat Major. And UT faculty pianist David Northington will be performing a Mozart piano concerto, although which one was not mentioned.
The February Masterworks concert will feature Felix Mendelssohn’s incidental music to A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
I really adore the J.S. Bach secular cantatas—and the March Chamber Classics concert will include the charming Coffee Cantata of Bach as well as a virtually unheard and underplayed work, Pachelbel’s Canon. On the other hand, you may have never heard it performed live… outside of weddings and funerals, that is. The March Masterworks concert should be a real treat—the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3 with pianist Adam Golka, and the Symphony No. 1 from the young Dmitri Shostakovich.
In April, the Mozart Requiem with the Knoxville Choral Society and some great local soloists—what else needs to be said? To conclude the season’s feast, the May Masterworks is a real treat: the Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 2 (with Rachel Lee, violin) and Respighi’s Fountains of Rome and Pines of Rome.
However, a word of advice…once you get your KSO schedule brochure for 2009-2010, please try not to drool over the page, as that will make marking off your favorites more difficult.
In October, don’t miss Stravinsky’s Petrushka (I assume the concert suite); on the same bill is Dvorak’s Golden Spinning Wheel.
On the November Chamber Classics concert at the Bijou, KSO Resident Conductor James Fellenbaum takes the podium for three different Serenades for Strings by Elgar, Josef Suk, and Tchaikovsky.
In January, violinist Rachel Barton Pine returns to Knoxville to perform the Brahms Violin Concerto. Also on that program is Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4. Then at the Chamber Classics concert…Ah, some Haydn at last! That concert will include Haydn’s Symphony No. 16 in B-flat Major. And UT faculty pianist David Northington will be performing a Mozart piano concerto, although which one was not mentioned.
The February Masterworks concert will feature Felix Mendelssohn’s incidental music to A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
I really adore the J.S. Bach secular cantatas—and the March Chamber Classics concert will include the charming Coffee Cantata of Bach as well as a virtually unheard and underplayed work, Pachelbel’s Canon. On the other hand, you may have never heard it performed live… outside of weddings and funerals, that is. The March Masterworks concert should be a real treat—the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3 with pianist Adam Golka, and the Symphony No. 1 from the young Dmitri Shostakovich.
In April, the Mozart Requiem with the Knoxville Choral Society and some great local soloists—what else needs to be said? To conclude the season’s feast, the May Masterworks is a real treat: the Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 2 (with Rachel Lee, violin) and Respighi’s Fountains of Rome and Pines of Rome.
However, a word of advice…once you get your KSO schedule brochure for 2009-2010, please try not to drool over the page, as that will make marking off your favorites more difficult.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Who is Jacob ter Veldhuis?
Who is Jacob ter Veldhuis?
That question will be answered in a few weeks as the Dutch avant-something composer appears in Knoxville for a week-long residency and festival, MARCH 30-APRIL 4, 2009, under the sponsorship of the University of Tennessee School of Music and UT's Ready for the World program.
The director of the festival is Dr. Connie Frigo, Assistant Professor of Saxophone in the UT School of Music.
Popularly known in the Netherlands as JacobTV, he has become a frequently performed composer in Europe by orchestras such as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the Russian State Academy Orchestra and the Düsseldorf Symfoniker. Soloists who have gravitated to his works include Branford Marsalis, James Galway, Arno Bornkamp, Claude Delangle, Margaret Lancaster, Andrew Russo, Kathy Supové, Kevin Gallagher and Evelyn Glennie. What is remarkable is that classical, contemporary, jazz and rock musicians all find themselves keenly interested in his music--and audiences in Europe certainly do.
A three day JacobTV Festival entitled “Grab It! The Music of JacobTV” took place at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York in May 2007. The New York Times' Anne Midgette had this to say about the first evening's concert.
In his “boombox" works, soloists or ensembles perform the scores to recorded audio collages that incorporate sound bytes from political speeches, commercials, interviews, talk shows, TV evangelists, and more. These are works that challenge the listener on one level, while simultaneously amusing and delighting them on another.
Some of these “boombox” works will be featured in a free concert on Friday, April 3rd – 8pm, in the Cox Auditorium on the UT campus. The concert will feature a wide array of performers including guest soloists from around the country, the New Century Saxophone Quartet, UT music faculty, and UT music students.
JacobTV’s Festival and Residency coincides with the UT Saxophone Project. More details are available on this UT Music information site. I will have more to say on Jacob ter Veldhuis in the coming days.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
KSO to Premiere Work by W.M. Harrell
The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra Masterworks concert this February 26th and 27th will feature two works by Johannes Brahms and a world premiere of Time Like An Ever Flowing Stream by Knoxville composer M.W. Harrell. You can read my profile of Harrell in this week's Metro Pulse or online here.
The two works by Brahms are the Symphony No. 2 and the Liebeslieder Waltzes.
The two works by Brahms are the Symphony No. 2 and the Liebeslieder Waltzes.
Monday, February 23, 2009
REVIEW: Pianist Konstantin Soukhovetski
Russian-born pianist Konstantin Soukhovetski is quite the storyteller. In fact, his performance style draws one along in much the same way a master storyteller is able to use dynamic extremes and subtleties, construction of images, pacing, anticipation, and …surprises.
On Sunday afternoon, Soukhovestski appeared as the second pianist in a series of three concerts under the auspices of the Evelyn Miller Young Pianist Series. His program selections followed a noticeable arc -- Schubert, Strauss, Liszt, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, and Prokofiev--although describing exactly what the gradation was would be difficult. I single out two pieces in particular for special note. First-- an arrangement by Percy Grainger of Richard Strauss' Last Love Duet from his opera Der Rosenkavalier ( entitled The Ramble on the Last Love Duet from "Der Rosenkavalier"). Soukhovestski rendered the emotion and drama of the scene with extremes of dynamic subtlety that was thrilling. Second-- the Sonata No. 4 in C Minor, op. 29 of Sergei Prokofiev, written in 1917, is a workout and a test of extremes, probably best not left till last on a program. On the other hand, it ends so exuberantly, it is practically impossible not to feel hopeful, if not optimistic.
On Sunday afternoon, Soukhovestski appeared as the second pianist in a series of three concerts under the auspices of the Evelyn Miller Young Pianist Series. His program selections followed a noticeable arc -- Schubert, Strauss, Liszt, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, and Prokofiev--although describing exactly what the gradation was would be difficult. I single out two pieces in particular for special note. First-- an arrangement by Percy Grainger of Richard Strauss' Last Love Duet from his opera Der Rosenkavalier ( entitled The Ramble on the Last Love Duet from "Der Rosenkavalier"). Soukhovestski rendered the emotion and drama of the scene with extremes of dynamic subtlety that was thrilling. Second-- the Sonata No. 4 in C Minor, op. 29 of Sergei Prokofiev, written in 1917, is a workout and a test of extremes, probably best not left till last on a program. On the other hand, it ends so exuberantly, it is practically impossible not to feel hopeful, if not optimistic.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Drop in for a bite at Classical Café
No need for wailing, hand wringing, or gnashing of teeth…Mostly Classical will continue unabated, usually with longer previews and reviews.
But classical commentary is also now available from yours truly in the blog section of the MetroPulse.com site as Classical Cafe. Use that link or navigate to it from the Blog menu on the main page.
Please drop in for a bite.
But classical commentary is also now available from yours truly in the blog section of the MetroPulse.com site as Classical Cafe. Use that link or navigate to it from the Blog menu on the main page.
Please drop in for a bite.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Young Pianist Series
The Evelyn Miller Young Pianist Series has been around since 1980, presenting in concert exciting young pianists who are the beginning of their careers. The second pianist in this year's series of three performers in concert will be Konstantin Soukhovetski, who will perform this Sunday, February 22nd at 2:30 pm. This year's concerts are held at Central Baptist of Bearden, 6300 Deane Hill Drive.
Mr. Soukhovetski is a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music and was a top winner of the UNISA International Piano Competition, the Cleveland International Piano Competition, the Walter W. Naumburg International Piano Competition, and the Hilton Head International Piano Competition. Information at 865-984-6732.
Mr. Soukhovetski is a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music and was a top winner of the UNISA International Piano Competition, the Cleveland International Piano Competition, the Walter W. Naumburg International Piano Competition, and the Hilton Head International Piano Competition. Information at 865-984-6732.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Seems Like Only Yesterday
1809—two hundred years ago—was obviously a very special year. I seriously doubt that the moon was in the Seventh House or that Jupiter aligned with Mars since the world was not in peace, but in its usual state of war, turmoil and intrigue. England and France were at war, as were Sweden and Russia.
1809 did give birth, though, to an abundance of notable persons who made important contributions to human civilization. In the United States, Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky in 1809 as was Kit Carson. Edgar Allan Poe was born in Massachusetts in 1809 as was poet Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. Added to that list of Americans are Europeans Charles Darwin, Louis Braille, Alfred Tennyson, Nikolai Gogol…and Felix Mendelssohn.
Although all of these men contributed significantly to the world, I single out two for special acclaim: Darwin and Mendelssohn…Darwin because he caused great angst among creationists for almost that many years…and Mendelssohn because he was a musical genius whose work ended much too early at the age of 38. The mind boggles at what we might have heard.
We can look forward to a little more Mendelssohn in the next few weeks. The KSO Chamber Series will feature Mendelssohn’s Overture to The Fair Melusina and a reprise of his “Italian” Symphony, the Symphony No. 4. (My review of the “Italian” precedes this post.) Also on the concert will be Brahms’ Liebeslieder Waltzes. There is one performance: Sunday afternoon at 2:30pm, March 1, at the Bijou.
It recently struck me that while Mozart was certainly composing at age 17, his maturity came a few years later. At age 17, Mendelssohn had given the music world the Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream. For Mendelssohn fans, the KSO will offer the complete incidental music to A Midsummer Night’s Dream in February of next year.
1809 did give birth, though, to an abundance of notable persons who made important contributions to human civilization. In the United States, Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky in 1809 as was Kit Carson. Edgar Allan Poe was born in Massachusetts in 1809 as was poet Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. Added to that list of Americans are Europeans Charles Darwin, Louis Braille, Alfred Tennyson, Nikolai Gogol…and Felix Mendelssohn.
Although all of these men contributed significantly to the world, I single out two for special acclaim: Darwin and Mendelssohn…Darwin because he caused great angst among creationists for almost that many years…and Mendelssohn because he was a musical genius whose work ended much too early at the age of 38. The mind boggles at what we might have heard.
We can look forward to a little more Mendelssohn in the next few weeks. The KSO Chamber Series will feature Mendelssohn’s Overture to The Fair Melusina and a reprise of his “Italian” Symphony, the Symphony No. 4. (My review of the “Italian” precedes this post.) Also on the concert will be Brahms’ Liebeslieder Waltzes. There is one performance: Sunday afternoon at 2:30pm, March 1, at the Bijou.
It recently struck me that while Mozart was certainly composing at age 17, his maturity came a few years later. At age 17, Mendelssohn had given the music world the Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream. For Mendelssohn fans, the KSO will offer the complete incidental music to A Midsummer Night’s Dream in February of next year.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
REVIEW: Bach, Mozart, and Mendelssohn
Bach, Mozart, and Mendelssohn
With icy breaths and a stamping of feet in the bone-chilling cold of last weekend, Knoxville Symphony concertgoers hurried inside the Tennessee Theatre lured with promises of a work that has been described by music writers over the years as “sunny and warm”, “cheerful,” and “energetic.” Thankfully, the KSO’s performance of Felix Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4 in A Major (“Italian”) was all that, and more.
It is said that an elderly Goethe suggested to Mendelssohn the idea of a tour of Europe—Mendelssohn began his “grand tour” in May of 1830. While visiting various locales in Italy, he began work on his “Italian” Symphony, and finished it for an 1833 premiere in London. It is a bit puzzling that Mendelssohn was openly not satisfied with the symphony, and made revision attempts, withholding the publication of it in his lifetime. Fortunately, audiences have generally not shared those misgivings.
Maestro Lucas Richman, who seems to have quite an affinity for the early Romantic composers, warmed the concertgoers with his energetic interpretation—brisk, but solid and tight, and seemingly perfectly balanced. The first movement, a joyfully ebullient Allegro vivace, opens with the familiar theme in the strings, crisply played by the KSO violins. The second movement, a processional-esque Andante con moto, seems to have been inspired by a religious procession Mendelssohn witnessed in Naples. However, it is only the finale movement that is truly based on an Italian music form: the saltarello. The movement is nothing if not exuberant, and enchanting if for no other reason than its thematic reminders, first introduced by the flute, of Mendelssohn’s Incidental Music to A Midsummer Night's Dream.
The concert opened with Johann Sebastian Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major for Strings and Continuo, BWV 1048. The work is scored in a polyphonic manner for three violins, three violas, three cellos, and continuo of harpsichord and double bass. In this staging, the KSO performed the work conductor-less in the early 18th century style with the violins and violas standing, one instrument to a part: Mark Zelmanovich, Edward Pulgar, and Sean Claire—violins; Kathryn Gawne, Eunsoon Lee-Corliss, and Jennifer Bloch—violas; Andy Bryenton, Ihsan Kartal, and Ildar Khuziakhmetov—cellos; Steve Benne—bass; and Carol Zinavage, harpsichord.
The group played with a spirited energy, and certainly did not shy away from a respectable tempo. However, it was perhaps a matter of staging that was an issue, as can be the case when performing a work such as this in a large hall. The group had been brought out beyond the proscenium onto the stage apron to accommodate the harpsichord and the standing position of the players. This had the effect of removing them from the sound reflecting surfaces of the acoustic shell—in essence, leaving them in the middle of a very large room. Added to this is the fact that Bach wrote for the strings (particularly the violins) in a muddier part of their range. The acoustic result was a bit of hollowness--a sound that lacked emphasis and delineation-- negating the players’ genuine efforts at articulation. Acoustics aside, though, it was a true joy to hear ensemble Baroque in the Tennessee Theatre. This work will be repeated in the Chamber Series Concert of January 25th in the more intimate acoustic environment of the Bijou.
Richman concluded the first half of the program with Mozart’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 24 in C Minor, K. 491, with guest pianist, Navah Perlman. In the Friday evening performance, Ms. Perlman's vivid red gown stood out boldly against the black and white of the orchestra, somewhat in contrast to her delicate and detailed interpretation. Technical lapses aside, a bit more boldness, strength, and drama were needed for the Mozart, as waning energy tends to take the audience along.
Although I do not know if Richman had intended such a comparison, the beautiful slow second movement, a Larghetto, has, amid its tranquility, moments of contrapuntal richness that recall hints of Bach’s polyphony in the previously played Brandenburg. The perfectly balanced KSO flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon wove in and out with the solo piano in a really delightful interplay of melodies and rich textures.
The concluding Allegretto is a theme-and-variations. Mozart’s theme is a remarkably intriguing one, while the variations run the gamut of dramatic contrasts from amusing to serious, with enticing, yet simple, phrases for both for the piano and the winds. The concerto is certainly one of Mozart’s most distinctive, and with its construction that is nothing short of sublime, one of the most satisfying for audiences.
With icy breaths and a stamping of feet in the bone-chilling cold of last weekend, Knoxville Symphony concertgoers hurried inside the Tennessee Theatre lured with promises of a work that has been described by music writers over the years as “sunny and warm”, “cheerful,” and “energetic.” Thankfully, the KSO’s performance of Felix Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4 in A Major (“Italian”) was all that, and more.
It is said that an elderly Goethe suggested to Mendelssohn the idea of a tour of Europe—Mendelssohn began his “grand tour” in May of 1830. While visiting various locales in Italy, he began work on his “Italian” Symphony, and finished it for an 1833 premiere in London. It is a bit puzzling that Mendelssohn was openly not satisfied with the symphony, and made revision attempts, withholding the publication of it in his lifetime. Fortunately, audiences have generally not shared those misgivings.
Maestro Lucas Richman, who seems to have quite an affinity for the early Romantic composers, warmed the concertgoers with his energetic interpretation—brisk, but solid and tight, and seemingly perfectly balanced. The first movement, a joyfully ebullient Allegro vivace, opens with the familiar theme in the strings, crisply played by the KSO violins. The second movement, a processional-esque Andante con moto, seems to have been inspired by a religious procession Mendelssohn witnessed in Naples. However, it is only the finale movement that is truly based on an Italian music form: the saltarello. The movement is nothing if not exuberant, and enchanting if for no other reason than its thematic reminders, first introduced by the flute, of Mendelssohn’s Incidental Music to A Midsummer Night's Dream.
The concert opened with Johann Sebastian Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major for Strings and Continuo, BWV 1048. The work is scored in a polyphonic manner for three violins, three violas, three cellos, and continuo of harpsichord and double bass. In this staging, the KSO performed the work conductor-less in the early 18th century style with the violins and violas standing, one instrument to a part: Mark Zelmanovich, Edward Pulgar, and Sean Claire—violins; Kathryn Gawne, Eunsoon Lee-Corliss, and Jennifer Bloch—violas; Andy Bryenton, Ihsan Kartal, and Ildar Khuziakhmetov—cellos; Steve Benne—bass; and Carol Zinavage, harpsichord.
The group played with a spirited energy, and certainly did not shy away from a respectable tempo. However, it was perhaps a matter of staging that was an issue, as can be the case when performing a work such as this in a large hall. The group had been brought out beyond the proscenium onto the stage apron to accommodate the harpsichord and the standing position of the players. This had the effect of removing them from the sound reflecting surfaces of the acoustic shell—in essence, leaving them in the middle of a very large room. Added to this is the fact that Bach wrote for the strings (particularly the violins) in a muddier part of their range. The acoustic result was a bit of hollowness--a sound that lacked emphasis and delineation-- negating the players’ genuine efforts at articulation. Acoustics aside, though, it was a true joy to hear ensemble Baroque in the Tennessee Theatre. This work will be repeated in the Chamber Series Concert of January 25th in the more intimate acoustic environment of the Bijou.
Richman concluded the first half of the program with Mozart’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 24 in C Minor, K. 491, with guest pianist, Navah Perlman. In the Friday evening performance, Ms. Perlman's vivid red gown stood out boldly against the black and white of the orchestra, somewhat in contrast to her delicate and detailed interpretation. Technical lapses aside, a bit more boldness, strength, and drama were needed for the Mozart, as waning energy tends to take the audience along.
Although I do not know if Richman had intended such a comparison, the beautiful slow second movement, a Larghetto, has, amid its tranquility, moments of contrapuntal richness that recall hints of Bach’s polyphony in the previously played Brandenburg. The perfectly balanced KSO flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon wove in and out with the solo piano in a really delightful interplay of melodies and rich textures.
The concluding Allegretto is a theme-and-variations. Mozart’s theme is a remarkably intriguing one, while the variations run the gamut of dramatic contrasts from amusing to serious, with enticing, yet simple, phrases for both for the piano and the winds. The concerto is certainly one of Mozart’s most distinctive, and with its construction that is nothing short of sublime, one of the most satisfying for audiences.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Unfortunate Conflicts
Let's be honest…Knoxville is not so large a city that it can't avoid unfortunate arts scheduling. While an ice hockey game, a club band appearance, and a popular film can easily co-exist on the same night, two events that draw from the same audience pool end up benefiting neither one. While there may be circumstances that make these conflicts unavoidable, one would hope that audiences would not be forced to choose.
For example, January and February already contain some unfortunate situations that may confront concertgoers with having to make uncomfortable choices. First, the brilliant and famous St. Olaf Choir was scheduled for a once-only concert at the University of Tennessee on February 13th--the same evening as the opening performance of Knoxville Opera's production of Rigoletto. The KOC schedule has been known since last spring; wasn't this avoidable? Second, the January recital of the Evelyn Miller Young Pianist series was programmed in direct conflict with the Knoxville Symphony Chamber Orchestra concert "Basically Bach" on Sunday, January 25th. Similarly, the KSO schedules are known a year in advance.
While the audience for classical music events continues to be strong, there is no reason to divide that audience with unfortunate programming decisions.
For example, January and February already contain some unfortunate situations that may confront concertgoers with having to make uncomfortable choices. First, the brilliant and famous St. Olaf Choir was scheduled for a once-only concert at the University of Tennessee on February 13th--the same evening as the opening performance of Knoxville Opera's production of Rigoletto. The KOC schedule has been known since last spring; wasn't this avoidable? Second, the January recital of the Evelyn Miller Young Pianist series was programmed in direct conflict with the Knoxville Symphony Chamber Orchestra concert "Basically Bach" on Sunday, January 25th. Similarly, the KSO schedules are known a year in advance.
While the audience for classical music events continues to be strong, there is no reason to divide that audience with unfortunate programming decisions.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Take the A(ny) Train
Not too long ago, if you had advocated using, or expanding, the passenger rail network in the United States, your comments would probably have been greeted with a rolling of eyes or an incredulous stare. Or possibly, you might have noticed people edging farther away in case you decided to do something really crazy. However, rising fuel prices, a falling economy, airline absurdities, and airport inconveniences have certainly put an end to that.
As a child, I sadly witnessed the end of locally available passenger service. But despite being a frequent air traveler as an adult, I, like many others, have held onto that fascination with travel by rail. And if you have ever traveled and experienced the efficiency of the rail network in Europe, you wonder why anyone would want to do anything else for short trips.
Although frequent rail service exists in the northeast corridor (Washington-New York-Boston) and as commuter service around the larger cities, most of the United States is without convenient access. Not to be deterred, I recently decided to experience the current rail situation in the United States—I took the train to New York City for a long-awaited infusion of music and theatre.
You’re probably saying, “Wait a dang minute…there is no rail service from here!” And you would be correct. The closest route to Knoxville is Amtrak’s Crescent, which operates daily from New Orleans to New York City. The route north goes through Atlanta and points in South Carolina and North Carolina, before navigating through Virginia into the northeast corridor in Washington, D.C. I chose to drive to Charlotte, the closest station that offered the lowest combination of driving mileage/rail fare, parking, and baggage check.
Although the journey was every bit an experiment, it was an enjoyable adventure which I
recommend to anyone who is willing to try something different. Although you can probably guess the current rail travel vs. air travel disadvantages, there are substantial and pleasant advantages. Here are the Pros and Cons.
Pros
1) Cost. A substantial savings over airfares, particularly when you factor in peripheral factors, such as the cost of getting to and from airports, not to mention airport parking fees. Parking at the Charlotte station was free.
2) Choice. On the long distance trains that run overnight, one has a choice of coach seating or a sleeping compartment. The sleepers offer a bit of privacy and your own toilet.
3) Coach seating legroom. I found I could stretch my legs straight out, yet barely touch the seat in front of me. Oh, frabjous day! Sadly, masochists will have to search out pain elsewhere...no rude flight attendants ramming your elbows with a metal cart...no squashed knees when the seat in front suddenly tilts back.
4) Food. The long distance trains offer both a lounge car for drinks and snacks and a dining car with waiter service and excellent food. Dining car meals are included in the price of a sleeper.
5) Convenience and Speed. Despite the fact that only the Washington-New York segment of the Crescent route is on track improved for higher-speeds (elimination of curves and grade crossings), the train is definitely not pokey. Charlotte to New York is 600 track miles; total travel time with station stops (including 30 minutes in DC to change from a diesel engine to electric), was a little over 11 hours—an average of 55 mph. Unlike airports, train stations are generally located near midtown—so those $30-$50 airport taxi rides are unnecessary. In the Northeast corridor, door-to-door travel time compares very favorably with air travel, due to airport distances and typical flight delays. The trains I boarded left exactly on time.
6) Baggage. Free! Each passenger can check up to three bags, each being 50 lbs. or less. Plus carry-on.
7) Security. Although there are security personnel present in the stations and on the trains, passengers are not subjected to the tedious and time-consuming inconvenience of carry-on screening and personal searches. Your shoes remain where they belong--on your feet.
8) Scenery. You actually get to see some.
9) Human beings. You actually get to meet some…and talk to interesting people if you want, or be left alone. Quite surprisingly, I met a train conductor who was writing a book on Basque etymology. You won't get any vacuous “buh byes” from train personnel.
Cons
1) Time. Except for short intercity distances, particularly in the Northeast corridor, it’s going to take you longer. High-speed rail, such as the TGV in France or Japan's Shinkansen, would go a long way toward addressing this issue, but that's another discussion.
2) Just like airlines, you need to make advance reservations, particularly for the long-distance trains, and to get the lowest fare. Over the holidays, the Crescent was fully booked.
3) Availability of routes. For now, you’ll have to travel a bit to get to a station.
4) Current schedules. The Crescent has once-a-day service. The northbound train leaves Charlotte at 2am. Yes, that is an ouch.
The bottom line is this. America needs to support and expand its passenger rail service, especially into high-speed rail and for those under-200 mile intercity distances. California has already taken a major step toward implementing a high-speed system, and several states/regions have ongoing preliminary studies. Since Tennessee has few intercity airline flights, the state could really use a service like The Tennessean used to offer. The airline and airport negatives are now outweighing the positives for trips under 600 miles. However, it will take federal shoving to get the disparate efforts working together. All this aside, train travel is one of the most energy efficient modes of travel. Hopefully, though, it won’t require a return to last summer’s soaring gasoline prices to make that point clearly understood. All aboard!
As a child, I sadly witnessed the end of locally available passenger service. But despite being a frequent air traveler as an adult, I, like many others, have held onto that fascination with travel by rail. And if you have ever traveled and experienced the efficiency of the rail network in Europe, you wonder why anyone would want to do anything else for short trips.
Although frequent rail service exists in the northeast corridor (Washington-New York-Boston) and as commuter service around the larger cities, most of the United States is without convenient access. Not to be deterred, I recently decided to experience the current rail situation in the United States—I took the train to New York City for a long-awaited infusion of music and theatre.You’re probably saying, “Wait a dang minute…there is no rail service from here!” And you would be correct. The closest route to Knoxville is Amtrak’s Crescent, which operates daily from New Orleans to New York City. The route north goes through Atlanta and points in South Carolina and North Carolina, before navigating through Virginia into the northeast corridor in Washington, D.C. I chose to drive to Charlotte, the closest station that offered the lowest combination of driving mileage/rail fare, parking, and baggage check.
Although the journey was every bit an experiment, it was an enjoyable adventure which I
recommend to anyone who is willing to try something different. Although you can probably guess the current rail travel vs. air travel disadvantages, there are substantial and pleasant advantages. Here are the Pros and Cons.Pros
1) Cost. A substantial savings over airfares, particularly when you factor in peripheral factors, such as the cost of getting to and from airports, not to mention airport parking fees. Parking at the Charlotte station was free.
2) Choice. On the long distance trains that run overnight, one has a choice of coach seating or a sleeping compartment. The sleepers offer a bit of privacy and your own toilet.
3) Coach seating legroom. I found I could stretch my legs straight out, yet barely touch the seat in front of me. Oh, frabjous day! Sadly, masochists will have to search out pain elsewhere...no rude flight attendants ramming your elbows with a metal cart...no squashed knees when the seat in front suddenly tilts back.
4) Food. The long distance trains offer both a lounge car for drinks and snacks and a dining car with waiter service and excellent food. Dining car meals are included in the price of a sleeper.
5) Convenience and Speed. Despite the fact that only the Washington-New York segment of the Crescent route is on track improved for higher-speeds (elimination of curves and grade crossings), the train is definitely not pokey. Charlotte to New York is 600 track miles; total travel time with station stops (including 30 minutes in DC to change from a diesel engine to electric), was a little over 11 hours—an average of 55 mph. Unlike airports, train stations are generally located near midtown—so those $30-$50 airport taxi rides are unnecessary. In the Northeast corridor, door-to-door travel time compares very favorably with air travel, due to airport distances and typical flight delays. The trains I boarded left exactly on time.
6) Baggage. Free! Each passenger can check up to three bags, each being 50 lbs. or less. Plus carry-on.7) Security. Although there are security personnel present in the stations and on the trains, passengers are not subjected to the tedious and time-consuming inconvenience of carry-on screening and personal searches. Your shoes remain where they belong--on your feet.
8) Scenery. You actually get to see some.
9) Human beings. You actually get to meet some…and talk to interesting people if you want, or be left alone. Quite surprisingly, I met a train conductor who was writing a book on Basque etymology. You won't get any vacuous “buh byes” from train personnel.
Cons
1) Time. Except for short intercity distances, particularly in the Northeast corridor, it’s going to take you longer. High-speed rail, such as the TGV in France or Japan's Shinkansen, would go a long way toward addressing this issue, but that's another discussion.
2) Just like airlines, you need to make advance reservations, particularly for the long-distance trains, and to get the lowest fare. Over the holidays, the Crescent was fully booked.
3) Availability of routes. For now, you’ll have to travel a bit to get to a station.
4) Current schedules. The Crescent has once-a-day service. The northbound train leaves Charlotte at 2am. Yes, that is an ouch.
The bottom line is this. America needs to support and expand its passenger rail service, especially into high-speed rail and for those under-200 mile intercity distances. California has already taken a major step toward implementing a high-speed system, and several states/regions have ongoing preliminary studies. Since Tennessee has few intercity airline flights, the state could really use a service like The Tennessean used to offer. The airline and airport negatives are now outweighing the positives for trips under 600 miles. However, it will take federal shoving to get the disparate efforts working together. All this aside, train travel is one of the most energy efficient modes of travel. Hopefully, though, it won’t require a return to last summer’s soaring gasoline prices to make that point clearly understood. All aboard!
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