Orchestral - my/maSCENA

Maestro Peter Bay/ASO: Heroic, Soaring Sibelius Second!

By Paul E. Robinson on 22 March 2013 Concert Reviews, Contemporary, Orchestral

by Paul E. RobinsonMaestro Peter Bay (photo by Marita)Beethoven: Leonore No. 2 OvertureGinastera: Harp Concerto Op. 25Sibelius: Symphony No. 2Yolanda Kondonassis, harpAustin Symphony/Peter BayAustin, TexasLong CenterMarch 8, 2013It’s not often that one hears a harp soloist with a symphony orchestra. There are good reasons for that; most importantly, it is not a fair fight. The harp by nature can produce only a modest amount of sound, and is easily drowned out by even the smallest orchestra. The sound a harp makes is produced by the fingerpicking of strings and even a player with strong fingers can do only so much.…

Video of the Day – Bychkov Conducts Shostakovich

By Paul E. Robinson on 18 March 2013 Contemporary, Orchestral, Video of the day

This is some of the most terrifying music ever written; the scherzo from the Symphony No. 8 by Shostakovich. Here is a performance that is exemplary in every respect, not least of all, as a master class in conducting. Semyon Bychkov not only understands this music like few others but he knows how to get an orchestra to play it magnificently. The tempo is fast and the character of the music is intense and savage. Yet Bychkov is intense but incredibly controlled in his demeanor and gestures. Much of the time he is using little more than his right wrist…

A Tale of Two Cities/ A Tale of Two Orchestras

By Paul E. Robinson on 11 March 2013 Classical, Classical Music, Concert Reviews, Opera, Orchestral

Paul E. Robinson Vivaldi: Concerto in C major for Recorder, Strings and Continuo RV 444 Vivaldi: Concerto in C major for Recorder, Strings and Continuo RV 443 Mahler: Symphony No. 6 in A minor Erik Bosgraaf, recorder Dallas Symphony Orchestra/Jaap van Zweden Meyerson Symphony Center Dallas, Texas March 1, 2013 It was an interesting weekend. On Friday night, I heard the Dallas Symphony under its music director Jaap van Zweden performing Mahler’s massive Sixth Symphony at the Meyerson SymphonyCenter in preparation for its European tour. The next day I drove 250 miles down I-45 to hear a concert performance of…

Dallas Symphony Raises its Game for 1st European Tour with Maestro Jaap van Zweden!

By Paul E. Robinson on 26 February 2013 La Scena Spotlight, Newswire, Orchestral

by Paul E. RobinsonWagner: Tristan und Isolde: Prelude and LiebestodBeethoven: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major Op. 19Stucky: August 4, 1964: ElegyStrauss: Der Rosenkavalier: SuiteAnton Nel, pianoDallas Symphony Orchestra/Jaap van ZwedenMeyerson Symphony CenterDallas, TexasFebruary 22, 2013For five years now, Dutch conductor Jaap van Zweden has been working steadily to build the Dallas Symphony (DSO) into a world-class orchestra. Critical reaction in Dallas has been consistently glowing and when conductor and orchestra were featured at the League of American Orchestras Conference in Dallas last year, the reaction from the ‘movers and shakers’ in the industry was ecstatic.Now comes the…

The Sacred Spirit of Russia in Texas

By Paul E. Robinson on 8 February 2013 Concert Reviews, Orchestral, Scena Jazz

by Paul E. RobinsonCraig Hella Johnson and soloists of the Conspirare Company of VoicesMusic by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Gretchaninoff, Kastalsky, Martynov, Ippolitov-Ivanov and othersConspirare Company of VoicesCraig Hella Johnson, conductorSt. Martin’s Lutheran ChurchAustin, TexasFebruary 2, 2013St. Martin’s Lutheran Church in downtown Austin was miraculously transformed into a Russian Cathedral last weekend as Conspirare presented a concert of Russian Orthodox liturgical music. It was astonishing to hear the 41 voices of the Company of Voices singing their hearts out with total command of both the language and the style of the music.Conspirare’s artistic director and conductor, Craig Hella Johnson, (photo: right) has boundless…

Bronfman, Bay and the ASO Bring Austin to its Feet with Brahms!

By Paul E. Robinson on 15 January 2013 Concert Reviews, Orchestral, Romantic

by Paul E. RobinsonBrahms: Tragic Overture Op. 81Britten: Sinfonia da Requiem Op. 20Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor Op. 15Yefim Bronfman, pianoAustin Symphony (ASO)/Peter BayLong CenterAustin, TexasJanuary 12, 2013What a year 2013 is going to be for commemorative celebrations! Verdi and Wagner will be honoured on the occasion of the 200th anniversaries of their births in 1813, and Benjamin Britten for the 100th anniversary of his birth in 1913. In Britten’s case, the actual birth date is November 22, but conductor Peter Bay couldn’t wait that long. I don’t blame him; Britten’s greatness only grows with each passing…

Beethoven & Britten at the Movies

By Paul E. Robinson on 21 December 2012 Classical, Concert Reviews, Contemporary, Orchestral

by Paul E. Robinson From left to right: Mark Ivanir, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Christopher Walken, Catherine Keener A Late Quartet Director: Yaron Zilberman Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman/Christopher Walken/Catherine Keener/Mark Ivanir Music: Beethoven: String Quartet Op. 131 Moonrise Kingdom Director: Wes Anderson Cast: Bruce Willis/Bill Murray/Ed Norton/Frances McDormand Music: Britten: Noyes’ Flood/Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra/Songs for Friday Afternoons/A Midsummer Night’s Dream (excerpts) Films about classical music composers and performers are nearly always risible in the extreme. Think Song Without End (1960) with Dirk Bogarde as Liszt or Humoresque (1946) with John Garfield as an unlikely virtuoso…

Austin Symphony Takes Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring “Beyond the Score”

By Paul E. Robinson on 8 December 2012 Concert Reviews, Contemporary, Orchestral

by Paul E. RobinsonStravinsky: Le Sacre du printemps (the Rite of Spring)Gerard McBurney, narratorRobert Faires, actorRick Rowley, actorAustin Symphony/Peter Bay, conductorDell Hall, Long Center for the Performing ArtsAustin, TexasFriday, November 30, 2012For major orchestras, Stravinsky’s Le sacre du printempshas become standard fare, but for second and third tier orchestras it is still a huge challenge, for both technical and financial reasons: for the players, the rhythms and harmonies are difficult; for managers and boards, the costs for additional players and extra rehearsal time are not easy to swallow. The Austin Symphonyis a part-time per service orchestra, which nonetheless manages to play consistently…

Gunther Schuller: A “Renaissance” Musician Tells All!

By Paul E. Robinson on 25 November 2012 Interviews, Orchestral

by Paul E. RobinsonGunther Schuller: a Life in Pursuit of Music and BeautyUniversity of Rochester Press: Rochester, 2011664 pagesIn the fall of 1959, I made my third visit to New York City. I was an ambitious young bass player making a pilgrimage to the ‘Big Apple’ to play for one of the most respected of bass teachers anywhere at that time, Frederick Zimmermann of the New York Philharmonic. Fred and I got on very well and, in time, became the best of friends. I remember vividly that when I saw him in 1959, Fred was consumed with excitement about a new…

DSO/van Zweden Record LBJ Concert Drama in Dallas

By Paul E. Robinson on 19 November 2012 Concert Reviews, Orchestral

by Paul E. RobinsonSteven Stucky: August 4, 1964Indira Mahajan/Kristine Jepson/Vale Rideout/Rod GilfryDallas Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/Jaap van ZwedenDate of recording: May 6, 2011 (live)Place of recording: Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas, TexasDSO Live DSOL-4 (72 m 21 s)In Texas, especially in Austin where he lived most of his life and where his library is located, 36th President of the United States ((1963-1969), Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ), is a legendary figure. The Johnson ranch, just outside the capital, is visited by thousands every year, and the library hosts major speakers and conferences. LBJ was a native son of Texas who became president of the…

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