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 — 2018/12/15

This week WCRB gives us a repeat of the August 3 Tanglewood concert. At the time, I posted this about it:

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."

For the official synopsis you get this from the performance detail page:

Patrons 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.)
That page also has the usual links to background material.

You can hear it all beginning at 8:00 this evening, Boston Time, on WCRB radio or webstream. I'll be listening until my brother calls from Tokyo. It appears that there will not be a further rebroadcast on Monday a week from now. So this is your last chance. You might also be interested in the broadcast of a recorded performance of "Messiah." That will be Sunday evening at 7:00.

Tanglewood — 2016/08/03-05

The BSO is giving us one piece by Bernstein and a whole slew of music by composers from Eastern Europe this weekend. I'm looking forward to some of it.


Friday, August 3, 2018.  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:

Glinka, Rachmaninoff and Stravinsky with Kirill Gerstein
UndersScore Friday Concert

Tanglewood 

Koussevitzky Music Shed - Lenox, MA - View Map

Patrons 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. I'll listen to the rest while watching the Red Sox.


Saturday, August 4, 2018.  Check out the performance detail page for links to further resources (including performer bios when you click the thumbnail pics). It gives the folloeing synopsis of this evening's progrsam:

Bramwell Tovey conducts Bernstein and Sibelius

Tanglewood 

Koussevitzky Music Shed - Lenox, MA - View Map

British conductor Bramwell Tovey leads the BSO in a program that pays tribute to Bernstein as both conductor and composer. First, the orchestra is joined by a cast of outstanding singers-soprano Nadine Sierra, mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard, mezzo-soprano Kelley O'Connor, tenor Nicholas Phan, baritone Elliot Madore, and bass Eric Owens- for Bernstein's celebratory orchestral song cycle Songfest, composed for the American Bicentennial in 1976. Then, Mr. Tovey leads the BSO in Sibelius's sweeping Symphony No. 2, a staple of Bernstein's conducting repertory.

(Some emphasis added.)

I've never heard the "Songfest," so I don't know how it will be. The Sibelius is music I like. Unfortunately, it will be played during my brother's weekly call from Japan, but you can enjoy it.


Sunday, August 5, 2018.  Apparently the staff ran out of time: the synopsis on the program detail page has a typo and is, as Joe Friday would say, "just the facts," and there are no audio previews for two of the three pieces. Here's what they say:

Dima Slobodeniouk conducts Borodin, Wieniawski and Prokofiev featuring Joshua Bell 

Tanglewood 

Koussevitzky Music Shed - Lenox, MA - View Map

Conductor Dima Slobodeniouk makes his BSO debut Sunday, August 5, leading the orchestra in Borodin's Poloytsian [sic] Dances, Wieniawski's Violin Concerto No. 2, featuring Joshua Bell, and Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5. 

(Some emphasis added.)

The Borodin has long been a staple of the classical radio playlists, so I guess it's pretty popular, but it's not one of my favorites. On the other hand, I have no recollection of the other two pieces, although I may have heard the Prokofiev before. After reading the program note for the Wieniawski, I'm definitely looking forward to hearing it. I'm sure Joshua Bell will give a great performance. The BSO debut of the conductor adds interest to the concert.


In summary, there is music I definitely want to hear, and music I don't care about, but nothing I'm planning to avoid altogether. Hear it all through the on line and on air facilities of WCRB — Friday and Saturday live at 8:00 p.m. RDST, and Sunday via tape delay at 7:00 p.m. Also note all their other offerings, as linked on their webpage.

BSO — 2014/04/25-26 — A Review

The Boston Musical Intelligencer has published this extensive review of the Friday concert, which included the Glinka and Berlioz which were part of the Saturday broadcast/webstream. So far, nothing more from the Globe.

BSO — 2014/04/25-26

It's last night at Symphony. Strangely, the program yesterday and today is not all the same as what they played on Tuesday and Thursday. Maybe it has to do with the upcoming tour — wanting to prepare some pieces for it. Anyway this evening, Charles Dutoit leads the orchestra in the Overture to Russlan and Ludmila by Glinka, followed by Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, with Behzod Abduraimov as soloist. After the intermission, the orchestra will play the Symphonie Fantastique by Berlioz. The BSO performance detail page gives the usual links to program notes, audio previews, and performer bios (click on the pics). It describes this concert as follows:

Post-Concert Reception!
Join us in Higginson Hall for a free post-concert reception immediately following the performance for snacks and beverages.

To close the BSO's 2013-14 subscription season, Charles Dutoit leads another program showcasing the orchestra's stylistically wide-ranging virtuosity. These concerts open with the breathless overture to Glinka's 1842 opera Ruslan and Ludmila, followed by Rachmaninoff's ever-popular Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, again featuring the young Uzbek-born pianist Behzod Abduraimov. The program closes with a work central to the BSO's repertoire, Berlioz's innovative Symphonie fantastique. Berlioz's orchestral depiction of a disturbed lover dreaming of his inamorata is a seminal work of musical Romanticism.

On Thursday, I was there for a program which had the Rachmaninoff, but began with Moussorgsky's Night on Bare Mountain and ended with Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5. The Boston Globe's review of that program has more background than actual review, but does have a favorable impression of the soloist in the Paganini and seems content with the rest. As is often the case, the Boston Musical Intelligencer went into greater detail. The reviewer articulated my vague feelings, especially about the Moussorgsky seeming somehow tame.

As of this writing, neither the Globe nor the Intelligencer has published a review of the Glinka and the Berlioz, so you can listen to WCRB, beginning at 8:00 this evening, without having your expectations for those pieces colored by a review, but looking forward to a treat with the Paganini. If I notice reviews of this program, I'll post links either here or in a fresh post. WCRB's BSO page has a link to an interview with the young Uzbek pianist Bezhod Abduraimov. As usual, the rebraodcast of this concert will take place in nine days, on Monday, May 5.

This coming Monday will provide a rebroadcast/stream of the concert of a week ago. After a rebroadcast of last year's season finale, they'll give us the concerts of March 8 (on May 10 and 19) and March 14 (on May 17 and 26). Meanwhile, the Boston Pops will have been performing at Symphony Hall, and Saturdays and Mondays beginning after these final BSO broadcasts will give us recordings of some of those concerts until the Tanglewood season begins on July 5.

Happy listening.

Tanglewood July 30-August 1, 2010

Here's how the BSO Tanglewood website describes this weekend's offerings. Ron Della Chiesa has the "pre-game show" beginning 1/2 hour before each scheduled concert time. All is available at www.995allclassical.org.

"All-Russian Program with Charles Dutoit 

Friday, July 30, 8:30PM

At 8:30 p.m. in the Shed, the Boston Symphony Orchestra is joined by longtime BSO guest conductor and 1959 TMC Fellow Charles Dutoit as well as Russian pianist Kirill Gerstein for a program of Russian concert favorites. Tchaikovsky's ever-popular Piano Concerto No. 1—which showcases the skills of Mr. Gerstein, the recent winner of the Gilmore Artist Award—shares the first half of the concert with the overture to Glinka's Ruslan and Ludmila. After intermission, Maestro Dutoit and the BSO perform a suite from Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet.

Berg, Strauss, & Mahler Program 

Saturday, July 31, 8:30PM

The BSO welcomes conductor Juanjo Mena at 8:30 p.m. in the Shed for a program of Berg's ambitious Three Pieces for Orchestra, Strauss's autumnal Four Last Songs with soprano Hei-Kyung Hong, and Mahler's Symphony No. 4, the most delicate of his nine completed works in the form. Maestro Mena is Principal Guest Conductor of Norway's Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Chief Guest Conductor at the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa, and was recently appointed Chief Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, succeeding Gianandrea Noseda in September 2011. He makes his BSO debut with this program.

Yo-Yo Ma Returns to Tanglewood 

Sunday, August 1, 2:30PM

Universally acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma returns to Tanglewood and shares the stage with the BSO at 2:30 p.m. in the Shed for a performance of Elgar's tragic, ultra-Romantic Cello Concerto in a performance led once again by Maestro Dutoit. Also on the program are Sibelius's folk-inspired, nationalistic Karelia Suite and Mussorgsky's dazzling orchestral showpiece Pictures at an Exhibition, as orchestrated by Ravel."

Enjoy.