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In the arena of classical music and its contemporary realization, there are a number of pieces that the public eagerly anticipates and expects to hear and that ensembles around the world accordingly incorporate into their repertoire: Brahms’s Symphony No. 4, Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21, this suite, that quartet, this sonata, that four-movement something-rather. It’s a long enough list to avoid making any gross omissions, and these are all works you’d expect to see (albeit abridged) in a boxed set of “masterpieces” by your favorite label of classical music — Naxos or whomever.
Anyone who grew up with classical music training has a taste that draws in part from these universal magna opera and in part from a nuanced preference for the personally familiar. I grew up playing in a 100-piece, Romantic symphony orchestra, so my ear is likewise attuned to the sounds of Tchaikovsky, Mahler, Brahms, and any of those other bearded fellows who died around 1900. That is to say merely that I am accustomed to the texture of a full symphony orchestra. Curiously, I am not actually familiar with much of Mahler’s work nor am I a huge proponent of Brahms. I instead swear my allegiance to the remaining Romantic composers (mostly Russian), their symphonies, tone poems, and concertos.
That’s all I will say about my taste in classical music for now; a discussion like that is something I’d rather share with you in person over hot chocolate and a baked confection. What I really wanted to bring to your attention was the recent and forthcoming activity of three or so of the most prominent orchestras in the United States. The 2006-2007 concert season has been and will be a fine year for those composers whom I adore the most, and far be it from me to carry on as any sort of music critic, but I figured it wouldn’t do any harm just to share my enthusiasm.
Thus, a few highlights of the year:
Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
I haven’t so much as even been to St. Louis myself, but people continue to talk this one up, so it must have something going for it.
- 16 Feb 2007 - RACHMANINOFF: Piano Concerto No .1
Piano Concerto No. 1 (Rachmaninoff, Piano: Stephen Hough)
Le Coq d’or Suite (Rimsky-Korsakov)
The Poem of Ecstasy (Scriabin).
I’m including this concert mostly because I think these pieces are pretty hard to come by. People often forget that Rachmaninoff wrote more than just his two famous piano concertos, and all Rimsky-Korsakov is ever known for is his Capriccio Espagnol and symphonic suite Scheherazade. I’m afraid Scriabin’s atonality is a little bit less accessible to me. - 27 Apr 2007 - SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 1
Orion (Kaija Saariaho)
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (Rachmaninoff, Piano: Orli Shaham)
Symphony No. 1 (Sibelius).
We have the movie Groundhog Day to thank for popularizing the 18th movement of Rachmaninoff’s variations, and the lyricism of Sibelius’s first symphony is reminiscent of Tchaikovsky and Dvorak. I have no idea what kind of music Saariaho writes.
The Cleveland Orchestra
There’s an orchestra in Ohio?
- 1 Feb 2007 - DVORAK: Violin Concerto and Symphony No. 8
Symphonic Minutes (Dohnányi)
Violin Concerto (Dvorák, Violin: Hilary Hahn)
Symphony No. 8 (Dvorák)
Dvorák wrote an awesome concerto for cello and orchestra, and had I actually attended this concert, I wouldn’t have minded hearing that instead. Nonetheless, one can’t be picky, and the violin concerto is a fine work in its own right. Besides, my real reason for attending this event would have been the symphony, though I’m sad that the author of the program notes neglected to mention the famous horn trill in the fourth movement. Who is Dohnányi? Wikipedia, please. - 22 Feb 2007 - TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Concerto No. 1
Romeo & Juliet Fantasy Overture (Tchaikovsky)
Suite from The Three-Cornered Hat (Falla)
Piano Concerto No. 1 (Tchaikovsky, Piano: Horatio Gutiérrez)
The fantasy overture is probably my favorite symphonic poem. Popular culture has spoiled us with far too many references to the love theme, but after listening to the piece intently on my own, I can now appreciate it without thinking it cheesy or cliché. The piano concerto is immediately recognizable and typical of Tchaikovsky’s style. What, pray tell, is a Three-Cornered Hat? - 10 May 2007 - PROKOFIEV: Symphony No. 5
Night Ride and Sunrise (Sibelius)
Horn Concerto No. 2 (Strauss, Horn: Richard King)
Symphony No. 5 (Prokofiev)
Normally, I have a bit of trouble appreciating Prokofiev, but as I understand it, he suspended his preference for dissonance and atonality while writing this symphony. Why? Perhaps to avoid criticism and accusations of barbarism. The horn concerto by Strauss would be a nice change from the Mozart horn concertos I botched year after year, and if I were to make any guesses, the piece by Sibelius probably sounds like Finlandia.
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Home, sweet home. Some concert halls are only pretty on the inside (Symphony Hall, Boston, MA), but the Walt Disney Concert Hall is quite a spectacle from all angles. To be fair, it’s much newer.
- 16 Nov 2006 - Scheherazade
Pavane pour une infante défunte (Ravel)
Piano Concerto No. 2 (Saint-Saëns, Piano: André Watts)
Scheherazade (Rimsky-Korsakov)
The pavane is one the most frequently played pieces by youth orchestras. It would have been nice to hear this one for old times’ sake. I can’t say much for the piano concerto, though I know it is the most popular of Saint-Saëns’ five piano concertos. Really though, I am most captivated by the third movement of Scheherazade. There is a love theme, and it is great. - 4 Jan 2007 - Bronfman plays Rachmaninoff
Dances of Galánta (Kodály)
Piano Concerto No. 3 (Rachmaninoff, Piano: Yefim Bronfman)
Concerto for Orchestra (Bartók)
I was there. Rach 3. ‘nough said. - 3 Mar 2007 - Tchaikovsky’s Fourth
The Love for Three Oranges Suite (Prokofiev)
Piano Concerto No. 3 (Bartók, Piano: Piotr Anderszewski)
Symphony No. 4 (Tchaikovsky)
My feelings about the first half of this concert are only luke warm, as it is the symphony here that is the highlight for me. It’s definitely not my favorite, but the fourth movement is undeniably of the Russian, folk character.
Pacific Symphony
I don’t know too much about this orchestra other than the fact that it performs at a very new, very expensive concert hall.
- 22 Mar 2007 - Rachmaninoff’s Second
Timepiece (Cindy McTee)
Scottish Fantasy (Bruch, Violin: Raymond Kobler)
Symphony No. 2 (Rachmaninoff)
I’m not familiar with either McTee or Bruch, but I gather that Bruch was a German romantic composer and so is not likely to disappoint. Whatever the case, I’m always glad to see my favorite works at the end of a concert. It’s just a nice way to close out the evening.
National Philharmonic of Russia
Ok, so this isn’t an American orchestra, but it is currently touring the United States, and I thought that was worth mentioning. The NPR is a relatively new orchestra (formed in 2003) and, from what I can discern, features a lot of young talent built upon the Russian tradition. I will be attending the concert in Boston on March 16th. Traveling with the orchestra is pianist, Olga Kern.
- 25 Feb 2007 - National Philharmonic of Russia @ San Francisco, CA
Romeo & Juliet Fantasy Overture (Tchaikovsky)
Piano Concerto No. 2 (Rachmaninoff, Piano: Olga Kern)
Symphonic Dances (Rachmaninoff)
Until I discovered that the NPR would be performing several times in the United States during its tour, I was terribly grieved by the thought that I wouldn’t be able to see this concert. If it’s still any mystery to you, these are my two favorite composers, and featured are two of my favorite pieces. A “favorite” piece may be characterized as one that I would choose to take to a desert island if stranded there for the rest of my life with only ten pieces of music. - 16 Mar 2007 - National Philharmonic of Russia @ Boston, MA
Festival Overture (Shostakovich)
Piano Concerto No. 2 (Rachmaninoff, Piano: Olga Kern)
Symphony No. 6, “Pathétique” (Tchaikovsky)
In many ways, the first movement of Tchaikovsky’s last symphony is much like his Romeo & Juliet Fantasy Overture, so I can easily accept this change in the programme. The passionate themes of Russian Romanticism will be the inevitable highlight of this evening.
Moscow State Symphony Orchestra
Another foreign (Russian, in fact) orchestra, though once again the performance was on American soil.
- 15 Nov 2006 - Moscow State Symphony Orchestra @ Cornell University
Marche Slave (Tchaikovsky)
Variations on a Rococo Theme (Tchaikovsky, Cello: Alisa Weilerstein)
Symphony No. 2 (Rachmaninoff)
How lucky we Cornellians were to receive a visit from a Russian symphony last semester! It is, in fact, very much the season to be proud if you are Russian.
Closing Remarks
So there you have it: a hasty list of the classical performances from this season that I have attended, will attend, wanted to attend, or wish I could attend. There is, of course, a lot I had to leave out for the sake of your attention span, but I hope you won’t charge me with ignorance just for being brief. As it happens, Mozart’s Jupiter symphony is being played somewhere this year, as are a bunch of Mahler’s symphonies. Brahms and Beethoven are all over the map, and Schumann is getting his fair share of stage time as well.
There’s definitely some great stuff going on in San Francisco, New York, and Boston too, so the above list ought to be taken merely as my way of boiling down this season’s eclectic selection of music into those works that I personally would enjoy the most. There will come a time when I will be more comfortable attending a concert with an unfamiliar programme in order to broaden my tastes, but for now, I can’t help but indulge in the sounds that I find most beautiful.