BSO/Classical New England — 2020/08/29

This evening's "encore broadcast" is a good 'un, originally performed just last January 4. Here, slightly edited, is what I wrote back then:

The BSO returns to Symphony Hall with a couple of familiar pieces and a pleasant enough curtain raiser to precede them. The performance detail page has the usual links and this description:

Former BSO assistant conductor Marcelo Lehninger, who last led the BSO in 2014, is joined by distinguished pianist Javier Perianes for Beethoven’s heaven-storming Piano Concerto No. 5. Completed in 1811, it was the composer’s final concerto, a work perfectly balancing virtuosity with substance and depth and epitomizing the composer’s “heroic” period. (Perianes last performed with the BSO in March 2016.) Beethoven’s bright, five-minute overture to The Creatures of Prometheus, composed in 1801, was part of his complete ballet score, the first music he ever wrote for the theater. Closing the program is Tchaikovsky’s 1888 Symphony No. 5, a work as intensely lyrical as it is powerful, which uses a recurring “fate theme” to unify all four movements.

(Some emphasis added.)

The piano concerto, nicknamed "Emperor" only in the English-speaking world, is one of my favorite pieces of music, so I really enjoyed the first half of the concert. While Tchaikovsky isn't that high on my list of favorites, his music isn't bad. All in all, it was a fine evening on Thursday when I attended the performance, likely my favorite concert of the season.

The reviewers weren't as happy as I was. The Globe found plenty to dislike about the playing of the Beethoven; the Intelligencer found fault with both halves of the concert, although also some good things as well, mostly with the Tchaikovsky. Maybe this is a case where you're happier if you're not too sophisticated. The only criticism I had was that the pianist seemed to be playing the left hand part too softly.

So I recommend it unreservedly. Listen in over WCRB at 8:00 p.m., Boston Time this evening. They don't seem to be promising a rebroadcast on Monday, the 13th. We'll have to wait and see. Meanwhile, listen this evening to be sure you catch it.

Enjoy.

I still think so.

In addition to all the links provided in my post, WCRB offers one for an interview with the pianist on its page about the concert.

WCRB/Tanglewood — 2020/08/21-23

When there are concerts at Tanglewood, WCRB has broadcast the Friday and Saturday evening concerts live at 8:00 p.m. and delayed broadcasting the Sunday afternoon concert until 7:00 p.m. We get something similar this weekend, with concerts all three evenings.

The Friday and Saturday concerts are being given as part of a mini-series celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus. Those two concerts long antedate my presence on the internet, so I have no omments of my own from the time of performance. For years now, Beethoven's 9th Symphony has concluded the Tanglewood season.


Friday, August 21, 2020.   Haydn's The Creation (libretto) https://www.classicalwcrb.org/sites/wcrb/files/202008/twd_930815_creation.pdf, conducted by Simon Rattle on Aug. 15, 1993.

This should be well worth hearing.


Saturday, August 22, 2020.  Berlioz's Requiem, conducted by Seiji Ozawa on Aug. 5, 1995.

A spectacular piece, not to be missed.

Sunday, August 23, 2020. Here's WCRB's description:

This Sunday at 7, Andris Nelsons leads the Tanglewood Festival Chorus and the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 and its "Ode to Joy," at Tanglewood.

Sunday, August 23, 2020

7:00 PM

This encore broadcast was originally recorded on Sunday, August 27, 2017.

Boston Symphony Orchestra/ Andris Nelsons, conductor/ Katie Van Kooten, soprano/ Tamara Mumford, mezzo-soprano/ Russell Thomas, tenor/ John Relyea, bass-baritone/ Tanglewood Festival Chorus

THOMPSON Alleluia

    (recorded on July 7, 1994, at Seiji Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood)

IVES “The Housatonic at Stockbridge” from Three Places in New England 

BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9

Here's what I wrote at the time:

For several years, the Beethoven 9th was the only piece performed at the Sunday afternoon season finale. Recently, there has been a curtain raiser to precede it, as is the case this year. Again, the performance detail page gives some particulars:

For the second year in a row, Andris Nelsons leads the Boston Symphony Orchestra in its traditional season-ending performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Sunday, August 27. The performance features soprano Katie Van Kooten in her BSO and Tanglewood debuts; mezzo-soprano Tamara Mumford; tenor Russell Thomas; and bass-baritone John Relyea, along with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus. Maestro Nelsons and the BSO open the program with Charles Ives's tribute to Western Massachusetts, "The Housatonic at Stockbridge" from Three Places in New England.

(Some emphasis added.)

Remember, WCRB broadcasts and streams the Saturday concert at 8:00 p.m., Boston Time, and the Sunday concert by tape delay at 7:00 p.m. Check out their website for the other material they have.

Enjoy the concerts!

BSO/Classical New England — 2020/08/15

Tonight's encore broadcast via WCRB is of the Tanglewood concert of Sunday, July 7, 2019. It features Anne-Sophie Mutter performing music of John Williams arranged for her, with the Boston Pops playing and himself sharing conducting duties. Here's what I wrote at the time:

Sunday brings a "guest appearance" by the Boston Pops. The performance detail page gives some details about the performance, although the Pops performs so many pieces that they don't list them all.

Join the Boston Pops for the first of three programs this summer, celebrating the art of John Williams. Drawing from her recent recording “Across the Stars,” the great violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter performs selections from Mr. Williams’ iconic scores, in brilliant new arrangements created especially for her. The program includes music from Star Wars, Dracula and Harry Potter, as well as the haunting melodies of Memoirs of a Geisha.

(Some emphasis added.)

What the synopsis doesn't mention is that David Newman shares podium duties with Maestro Williams.

Note the links both in my blurb and in WCRB's description.

I couldn't find a review in the Globe, but there is one in the Intelligencer that gives some good background information.

It should be interesting. Enjoy.

BSO/Classical New England — 2020/08/08

This week WCRB takes us back to the Tanglewood concert of August, 3, 2018, which I previewed as follows at the time:

We begin with approximately five minutes of sheer delight: the Overture to "Ruslan and Ludmila" by Glinka. Then there's a piano concerto by Rachmaninoff. After intermission comes the complete score to Firebird by Stravinsky, which is not as jarring as "The Rite of Spring." The official explanation, along with links to further information, can be found on the performance detail page:

UndersScore Friday ConcertTanglewood
Koussevitzky Music Shed - Lenox, MA - View MapPatrons will hear comments about the program directly from onstage BSO musician Robert Sheena (English horn).Koussevitzky Artist Kirill Gerstein joins BSO Associate Conductor Ken-David Masur and the BSO for Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2, a prime example of the composer's Russian-tinged Romanticism. The program begins with Glinka's infectiously energetic Overture to Ruslan and Ludmila, the second of his two operas. After intermission, Mr. Masur leads the orchestra in a performance of the complete music from Stravinsky's ballet The Firebird, a scintillating score that proved to be the composer's breakout success when the ballet opened in Paris in 1910.

(Some emphasis added.)
It will be interesting to hear how Robert Sheena handles the introducer's duties at the beginning. At any rate, for me the best part of the concert comes at the beginning.

Glinka, Rachmaninoff and Stravinsky with Kirill Gerstein

The last time the encore was an underscore, WCRB omitted the musician's introduction, so don't be too disappointed if you don't get to hear Robert Sheena at the beginning.

The Intelligencer gave a favorable review, with a minor complaint about balance at the beginning of the Rachmaninoff. The Globe doesn't seem to have reviewed it.

Enjoy.

BSO/Classical New England — 2020/08/01

This evening we get an encore broadcast of the Tanglewood concert given on Friday July 12, 2019. I must have been away, because i didn't post about it at the time.

The orchestra's performance detail page has the usual links to notes and performer bios, as well as the following brief synopsis:

BSO principal trumpet Thomas Rolfs and English horn player Robert Sheena join Andris Nelsons and the orchestra for the opening work on the July 12 program, Copland’s Quiet City, followed by a performance of Grieg’s Piano Concerto with Jan Lisiecki in his Tanglewood debut and ending with Copland’s Symphony No. 3.

(Some emphasis added.)

WCRB has taken to playing "Quiet City" fairly frequently during late evenings. It's a pleasant enough piece which I think lives up to its name. I'm not familiar enough with the other pieces to offer a solid opinion, but I think they're both okay.

The Boston Musical Intelligencer's review is brief but highly favorable all around. The Globe's review (which starts with the Verdi Requiem given on Saturday) found no fault with the Copland, but was not satisfied with Lisiecki's playing of the Grieg.

IMO this is a concert worth listening to. I'll be tuned in to WCRB from 8:00 until my brother calls from Japan.