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JoAnn Falletta: Strong artistic leadership

Scoring the Buffalo’s charge ne hundred years The Buffalo Philharmonic has achieved much in 75 footsteps of this impressive roster “ ago Buffalo had the as “really daunting”. Steinberg, largest number of years but, as music director JoAnn Falletta tells the music director from 1945 millionaires per capita. Vivien Schweitzer, many challenges lie ahead to 1952, “created a European OIt was a powerful city and has orchestra in Buffalo”, fostering, fallen in recent years. We want to the orchestra has returned to anniversary, the orchestra has says Falletta, “a European sound be part of its renaissance,” explains recording; its Naxos disc of John released a five-disc set of music with a gravity, warmth and JoAnn Falletta, music director Corigliano’s Mr Tambourine Man: from the BPO vaults showcasing weight to it and a golden quality of the Buffalo Philharmonic Seven Poems of Bob Dylan won two Falletta and previous music to the strings”. That sound, Orchestra. The fact that the Grammy Awards in 2009. Several directors including William she adds, was greatly enhanced orchestra is flourishing during other recordings have received Steinberg, Josef Krips, Lukas by the 2839-seat, 70-year-old this, its 75th anniversary season, Grammy nominations. Foss, Michael Tilson Thomas, Kleinhans Music Hall, which is reason enough to celebrate, Last year the orchestra Julius Rudel, Semyon Bychkov she characterises as “an amazing i especially given the current embarked on its first tour in and Maximiano Valdés. They acoustical instrument”. economic climate. Falletta, who 20 years and established a solid conduct varied repertoire and Falletta says that when the took up the helm in 1999, has financial footing; a five-year soloists including Emanuel Ax BPO was conducted by Lukas set a strong example of artistic campaign concluding in 2008 and Glenn Gould. Foss and Michael Tilson Thomas, Cheryl Gorsk and financial leadership for an raised more than $32 million Falletta, who also celebrates her it acquired “a lot of American phy: a r orchestra that has seen its fair for the endowment. The BPO 20th anniversary as music director muscle and an American way o t share of strikes and fiscal woes. posted a balanced budget in the of the Virginia Symphony this of thinking about music”, while

phog During her busy tenure thus far 2009-10 season. To celebrate the season, describes following in the retaining a European aesthetic.

www.gramophone.co.uk GRAMOPHONE ma rch 2011 I Buffalo at 75 Sounds of America

“They play with a warm sound, amalgam of those influences musicians think about their art; As for the issue of women but also with an athleticism born in a unique voice”. they are more intent about how conductors, Falletta has led out of playing new music.” The BPO performed the they approach things and are able workshops for aspiring female Judging by recent recordings, premiere performance of Tyberg’s to concentrate intensely for longer maestri. But, she notes, the Falletta has continued the legacies sweeping Symphony No 3, then periods, which affects how they questions they asked had nothing of her predecessors and nurtured recorded it along with the Piano play concerts,” she says. to do with gender, but focused both that warmth of sound and Trio in F. Tyberg’s crumbling There is one sensitive subject. instead on such standard issues an adventurous mindset towards manuscripts (which Falletta A book published for the 75th as how to programme music and contemporary music. The admits were difficult to decipher) anniversary, which details the reach out to new audiences. performances are notable for had been kept for many years by history of the orchestra in the One of Falletta’s goals is to their polish and spirit. Enrico Mihich, a Buffalo doctor light of the social and political strengthen the BPO’s ties with the Falletta started out as a guitar whose father decided to safeguard events of each era, makes the local community. The orchestra major and has an international the scores when it became likely following observation: “JoAnn was founded in 1935 during the guitar competition named after that Tyberg (a family friend) Falletta became the first woman Great Depression with the aid of her. She received Masters and would be deported from Italy to serve as the music director of a Works Progress Administration Doctoral degrees in conducting because of his Jewish ancestry. a major symphony orchestra”. grant intended to provide from Juilliard, where she took Falletta will lead the BPO in But that unofficial accolade employment for musicians in master classes with Bernstein, the world premiere of Tyberg’s was awarded by national media western New York (there had whom she calls “a shining Symphony No 2 in May. in the UK and US to another been various incarnations of luminary in my life”. Other significant concerts conductor, Marin Alsop, when the orchestra in Buffalo before Falletta, who has conducted during the 75th anniversary she took up the helm of the its official incarnation as a 80 world premieres, focuses on an season include the world premiere Baltimore Symphony Orchestra professional ensemble). eclectic repertoire with the BPO, of Daren Hagen’s Songbook in 2007. Falletta supporters rallied “The orchestra was formed to spotlighting local composers and concerto for violin and orchestra to her cause, offended that the keep people alive,” Falletta says, regularly collaborating with other in May, and the Verdi Requiem in BPO wasn’t considered a major “and I think those kind of roots Buffalo institutions. June. The BPO will release a disc orchestra. “It was gratifying to are important. The orchestra has Recording has also been an of works by Joseph Suk in March. me to see how much people cared remained very connected to the integral part of her tenure, with Falletta notes that the BPO’s about Buffalo. That the orchestra people here. I think our audience the orchestra even establishing prolific recording schedule has meant so much made me realise in Buffalo is one of the most its own label, Beau Fleuve. Its improved its live performances. how important an orchestra is to economically diverse I have seen. discography features several Recording “changes the way its community,” says Falletta. We get more government support “Holiday Classics” discs and than most orchestras. We have releases of such works as been recipients of a lot of state and FALLETTA’S BUFFALO – IN CONCERT, o n d isc Rachmaninov’s Symphony county funding, which has enabled No 2, Zemlinsky’s The Mermaid us to keep ticket prices low.” and popular and obscure pieces by UPCOMING CONCERTS IN 2011 BUFFALO PO ON DISC Falletta, who often conducts in the likes of Ravel, Satie, Debussy For tickets, visit www.bpo.org Recommended recordings Europe and so has experience of and Franz Schreker. other funding models, believes a For her 14 discs with the BPO February 19 and 20 Marcel Tyberg healthy mix of government and on the Naxos label, Falletta has Ligeti’s Concert Romanesc, Naxos 8 572236 private sector support is ideal. spotlighted seldom-performed Lowell Liebermann’s Flute Symphony No 3 and Piano Trio Relying on private support, she and contemporary music, Concerto and Tchaikovsky’s John Corigliano says, “means you have to respond including Daron Hagen’s opera Fifth Symphony Naxos 8 559331 to your community”. She notes Shining Brow, John Corigliano’s March 4 and 5 Mr Tambourine Man: Seven that the BPO’s audience base Red Violin Concerto, Frederick Debussy’s La mer, with Poems of Bob Dylan with the has been growing, but in order Converse’s The Mystic Trumpeter the soprano Laura Aikin soprano Hila Plitmann to keep ticket prices low the and the world-premiere recording in Strauss and Berg. John Corigliano orchestra has to find its economic of a symphony and piano trio by April 30 and May 1 Naxos 8 559671 base in other ways, such as Marcel Tyberg. Grieg’s Piano Concerto with Violin Concerto, The Red Violin, through individual donations and That latter disc is the first soloist Christopher O’Riley, and with Michael Ludwig support from foundations. instalment of a multi-year project, Marcel Tyberg’s Symphony No 2 Franz Schubert Keeping the BPO relevant launched during the BPO’s 75th May 13, 14 and 15 Naxos 8 572051 to Buffalo and exploring ways anniversary season, featuring the Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony An arrangement for orchestra that the orchestra can continue music of Tyberg, an Austrian and the world premiere of of the Death and the to enrich the city’s cultural life pianist and composer who died in Daron Hagen’s Songbook Maiden String Quartet and in difficult economic times is Auschwitz in 1944. Falletta sees concerto for violin and Symphony No 8, Unfinished a recurring theme for Falletta. his aesthetic as “a link between orchestra featuring Richard Strauss But then, she points out, the Bruckner and Mahler, not Michael Ludwig as soloist. Naxos 8 572041 orchestra’s entire history is the cutting-edge 20th century music” June 4 and 5 Orchestral suites from Der story of “the struggle of 75 years and “reflective of the people he Verdi’s Requiem with the Rosenkavalier, Die Frau ohne – how we struggled to keep the admired most; an interesting soprano Angela Brown. Schatten and Josephs-Legende Buffalo Philharmonic alive”. G www.gramophone.co.uk GRAMOPHONE ma rch 2011 III