Tanglewood — 2024/08/24-25

 Regrettably, I failed to alert you to the Friday evening Tanglewood concert. It began with the Chopin Piano Concerto No. 1, and concluded with Elgar's Enigma Variations. To my taste it may have been the best concert of the weekend. My Dad bought a record of the Chopin (Eduard Kilenyi as soloist), and I always liked it, especially the third movement; and the Enigma is enjoyable. I hope you found it on your own. If not it should become available "on demand" fairly soon.

This the the final week of BSO at Tanglewood. Here's what's still to come.

 I don't fiind anything on WCRB's website about this evening's concert. here's what the BSO says on their performance detail page:

Boston Symphony Orchestra 
Karina Canellakis, conductor 
James Ehnes, violin
Tanglewood Festival Chorus 
 James Burton, conductor

BEETHOVEN The Creatures of Prometheus Overture 
BRAHMS Schicksalslied
-Intermission-
CHAUSSON Poème, for violin and orchestra 
RAVEL Tzigane, for violin and orchestra
RAVEL Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2

Tonight’s concert is generously supported by Rabbi Daniel Freelander and Rabbi Elyse Frishman, in memory of their daughter Devra Freelander.

This evening's performance by the Tanglewood Festival Chorus is supported by the Alan J. and Suzanne W. Dworsky Fund for Voice and Chorus.

Unfortunately, Leonidas Kavakos has had to withdraw from this performance due to a shoulder injury sustained earlier this month, from which a full and complete recovery is anticipated. We are very fortunate that James Ehnes is able to step in on short notice. The program remains unchanged. 

Sat, Aug 24, 2024, 8:00pm EDT

Correction: With another approach, I was able to find the following from WCRB:

Saturday, August 24 , 2024
8:00 PM

Conductor Karina Canellakis returns to Tanglewood to lead the BSO and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus in rhapsodic music by Brahms and Ravel, and violinist James Ehnes is the soloist in Chausson’s “Poème” and Ravel’s “Tzigane.”

Boston Symphony Orchestra
Karina Canellakis, conductor
James Ehnes, violin
Tanglewood Festival Chorus,
James Burton, conductor

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN Overture to The Creatures of Prometheus
Johannes BRAHMS Schiksalslied
Ernest CHAUSSON Poème
Maurice RAVEL Tzigane
RAVEL Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2

If you want to know more about any of those pieces, check out the program notes at the BSO site. IMO none of this is exactly must listen music, but nothing unpleasant either.

The season finale has included the Beethoven 9th for a number of years. This year we get apiece by Bruckner to open the concert. WCRB specifies:

Sunday, August 25, 2024
7:00 PM

In a time-honored Tanglewood tradition, soloists Ambur Braid, Jess Dandy, Elgan Llŷr Thomas, and Davóne Tines join the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and its “Ode to Joy,” conducted by Ludovic Morlot. The concert opens with a sacred motet by Bruckner, titled “Behold a great priest.”

Boston Symphony Orchestra
Ludovic Morlot, conductor
Ambur Braid, soprano
Jess Dandy, contralto
Elgan Llŷr Thomas, tenor
Davóne Tines, bass
Tanglewood Festival Chorus
James Burton, conductor

Anton BRUCKNER Ecce sacerdos magnus
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9

Again, the BSO performance detail page offers more information, including links to program notes:

Boston Symphony Orchestra
Ludovic Morlot, conductor (Beethoven)
James Burton, conductor (Bruckner)
Ambur Braid, soprano 
Jess Dandy, contralto 
Elgan Llŷr Thomas, tenor
Davone Tines, bass-baritone
Tanglewood Festival Chorus

BRUCKNER Ecce sacerdos magnus
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9

This evening's performance by the Tanglewood Festival Chorus is supported by the Alan J. and Suzanne W. Dworsky Fund for Voice and Chorus.

Regrettably, Hannu Lintu has canceled his Tanglewood appearances, after recently sustaining a leg injury. We are grateful that Ludovic Morlot is available at short notice to conduct the BSO’s performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.

Sun, Aug 25, 2024

When I was a boy, "Ecce sacerdos magnus (Behold a high priest" was used to accompany the entrance of a bishop into a church and as the opening chant of a Mass honoring a saint who was a bishop. It's unfortunate that the program note doesn't give the text, but this article gives it. Here's a wki article about the piece. It should be interesting. I presume all are at least generally aware of the Beethoven.

As the Tanglewood season ends, there's still good listening this weekend.