BSO/Classical New England — 2023/08/26

 Once more, the BSO is on hiatus. They are on tour in Europe now, I believe, and the Symphony Hall subscription season will begin on October 5, with the first Saturday concert on October 7. Meanwhile, as usual, WCRB gives us "encore broadcasts" of earlier BSO concerts. Today it's from October of last year. Here's what WCRB says:

Saturday, August 26, 2023
8:00 PM

In an encore broadcast, Colombian conductor Andrés Orozco-Estrada has his Boston Symphony Orchestra debut conducting a rich program that includes Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet and Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 18 with soloist Emanuel Ax.

Andrés Orozco-Estrada, conductor
Emanuel Ax, piano

Peter TCHAIKOVSKY Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasy after Shakespeare
Wolfgang MOZART Piano Concerto No. 18
Béla BARTÓK The Miraculous Mandarin Suite
Georges ENESCU Romanian Rhapsody No. 1

This concert was originally broadcast on October 15, 2022 and is no longer available on demand.

In a preview of the program, Andrés Orozco-Estrada describes the character of each piece, how he prepares to lead an orchestra for the first time, and who his models were as he learned his craft as a young conductor. To listen, use the audio player above, and read the transcript below.

TRANSCRIPT

Brian McCreath I'm Brian McCreath at Symphony Hall with Andrés Orozco-Estrada, who is here with the Boston Symphony for the very first time.

The full transcript of the interview is available at that WCRB page (likked above), as is the audio recording of it. I think you'll find it interesting if you have the time.

I posted about it back then, and the links in my post for the BSO performance detail page and the reviews still work, so you can go there for more backgrtound information on a well received performance.

Enjoy!

Tanglewood — 2023/08/19-20

 Again I apologize. I didn't think of the Friday evening Tanglewood concert until the Red Sox game was over, about 10 o'clock. It was a couple of piano concertos, preceded by something titled "Four Black American Dances." Here's a link to the BSO announcement. If you didn't listen last evening, you can try to find it in the "On Demand" on the WCRB homepage.

This is the final weekend of the BSO's Tanglewood Season, so it will end with the traditional Beethoven Ninth Symphony. That's on Sunday. This evening WCRB will transmit the following:

Saturday, August 19th, 2023
8:00 PM

Leonidas Kavakos is the soloist in Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, and Andris Nelsons leads the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5 at Tanglewood.

Andris Nelsons, conductor
Leonidas Kavakos, violin

Pyotr TCHAIKOVSKY Violin Concerto
Sergei PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 5

Leonidas Kavakos appears courtesy of Sony Classical, a label of Sony Music Entertainment

Leonidas Kavakos can't perform with the BSO unless Sony Classical permits him to? Wow!

The Tchaikovsky is good listening; I don't know the Prokofiev, so no comment on it. But there are links on the BSO page for the concert where you can read the program notes for each of the works.

As promised, on Sunday we get the Beethoven Ninth, after a "curtain raiser." As WCRB tells us:

Sunday, August 20th, 2023
7:00 PM

Susanna Mälkki leads the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with soloists Amanda Majeski, J’Nai Bridges, Stephen Costello, and Jongmin Park. BSO Choral Director James Burton leads the TFC in Tippett's breathtaking Spirituals from A Child of Our Time.

Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra
Susanna Mälkki, conductor (Beethoven)
James Burton, conductor (Tippett)
Amanda Majeski, soprano
J’Nai Bridges, mezzo-soprano
Stephen Costello, tenor
Jongmin Park, bass
Tanglewood Festival Chorus

Michael TIPPETT Spirituals from A Child of Our Time
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9

The Beethoven Ninth is pretty well known since the second movement was used as the theme music for the Huntley-Brinkley Report on NBC. Unfortunately the BSO page for the concert doesn't give us a link to the program note for the Tippett music, while it does give us one for the Beethoven.

Tanglewood — 2023/08/11-13

 Today I remembered, so here's a preview of all three Tanglewood concerts to be broadcast this weekend.

First, here's the synopsis for this evening, courtesy of WCRB:

Friday, August 11th, 2023
8:00 PM

Superstar violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter joins Andris Nelsons and the BSO in John Williams's Violin Concerto No. 2, with works by Strauss and Ravel also on the program.

Andris Nelsons, conductor
Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin

John WILLIAMS Violin Concerto No. 2
Richard STRAUSS Death and Transfiguration
Maurice RAVEL La Valse

My recollection of the Williams concerto is that it's nothing to write home about; but the Strauss and Ravel are pretty good. I would'nt call them must-hear. but they've stayed in the repertoire for a reason, and if you don't have something important to do, you might as well listen in.

On Saturday, they save the best for first:

Saturday, August 12th, 2023
8:00 PM

Susanna Mälkki leads the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra, and Seong-Jin Cho is the soloist in Mozart’s brilliant Piano Concerto No. 9.

Susanna Mälkki, conductor
Seong-Jin Cho, piano

Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-flat, K. 271
Béla BARTÓK Concerto for Orchestra

I have no memory of the Mozart, but it has to be good. As for the Bartók, the BSO owns the piece. That is, it was commissioned by them and they gave the world premiere nearly 80 years ago. Since then it has been one of their signature pieces. Still, it's Bartók, quite dissonant and jagged. I've heard it enough that I'm kind of used to it, but it's probably not to all tastes. I'd suggest giving it a try, if you aren't already familiar with it.

Then on Sunday evening at 7:00 we can hear:

Sunday, August 13th, 2023
7:00 PM

Andris Nelsons leads the BSO in Julia Adolphe’s Makeshift Castle, Stravinsky’s Petrushka, and Strauss songs with orchestra, featuring world-class soprano Renée Fleming.

Andris Nelsons, conductor
Renée Fleming, soprano

Julia ADOLPHE Makeshift Castle
Richard STRAUSS Songs with orchestra
Igor STRAVINSKY Petrushka (1947 version)

Yo-Yo Ma, who was originally scheduled to perform Shostakovich's Cello Concerto No. 1, has withdrawn from this performance due to illness.

I hope Yo-Yo Ma will get well soon. On the other hand I'd rather hear the Strauss than Shostakovich.

The BSO page has links to information about all three concerts and others. They give us the program note about "Makeshift Castle," which at least gives some idea of what to expect and listen for. There doesn't seem to be anything similar for the Strauss and Stravinsky. Strauss is usually pretty good with songs, and Petrushka was composed before "Rite of Spring," so it's not terribly jarring, and actually kind of tuneful.

Tanglewood — 2023/08/05-06

 Oops! I Did(n't) it again. I hope you check out WCRB on Friday evenings even if I've neglected to post about the concert. Here's a bit about the rest of the weekend. First for this evening:

Saturday, August 5th, 2023
8:00 PM

A cherished Tanglewood tradition, John Williams’ Film Night returns with the Boston Pops! John Williams and David Newman conduct cinematic classics and music from Williams’s own astonishing catalog.

John Williams and David Newman, conductors
BU Tanglewood Institute Chorus

John Williams’ Film Night

The BSO page gives us more detail:

John Williams and David Newman, conductors
BU Tanglewood Institute Young Artists Vocal Program
 Penelope Bitzas, director
 Katie Woolf, conductor

A cherished Tanglewood tradition, John Williams’ Film Night returns with the Boston Pops, along with Maestros Williams and Newman sharing the podium for a memorable program of film clips and music from the silver screen. It’s a special evening of movie magic that you won’t want to miss.

WHITING, Arr. John WILLIAMS Hooray for Hollywood!
WILLIAMS The Cowboys
HERRMANN Scène d’amour from Vertigo
WILLIAMS Suite from Far and Away
WILLIAMS Theme from Jurassic Park
WILLIAMS Love Theme and March from Superman
WILLIAMS Selections from Star Wars:
 The Asteroid Field
 Anakin’s Theme
 Throne Room & Finale

Then tomorrow evening WCRB says we'll be able to hear this program recorded Sunday afternoon:

Sunday, August 6th, 2023
7:00 PM

Dutch pianists Lucas and Arthur Jussen are the soloists in Mendelssohn’s Concerto in E minor, and Kazuki Yamada leads the BSO in the Symphonie fantastique by Berlioz.

Kazuki Yamada, conductor
Lucas and Arthur Jussen, pianos

Felix MENDELSSOHN Concerto in E for two pianos and orchestra
Hector BERLIOZ Symphonie fantastique

The BSO page has a link to some information about the Berlioz piece:

Kazuki Yamada, conductor
Lucas and Arthur Jussen, pianos

MENDELSSOHN Concerto in E for two pianos and orchestra
Intermission
BERLIOZ Symphonie fantastique

Gates open at 12pm

This program is supported by the Dutch Culture USA program of the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in New York and has received funding through a grant from the Netherland-America Foundation.

If you like John Williams, tonight's show is one you won't want to miss. The Sunday concert should be quite enjoyable.