PROGRAM NOTES by Phillip Huscher
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ARSC Journal
A Discography of the Choral Symphony by J. F. Weber In previous issues of this Journal (XV:2-3; XVI:l-2), an effort was made to compile parts of a composer discography in depth rather than breadth. This one started in a similar vein with the realization that SO CDs of the Beethoven Ninth Symphony had been released (the total is now over 701). This should have been no surprise, for writers have stated that the playing time of the CD was designed to accommodate this work. After eighteen months' effort, a reasonably complete discography of the work has emerged. The wonder is that it took so long to collect a body of information (especially the full names of the vocalists) that had already been published in various places at various times. The Japanese discographers had made a good start, and some of their data would have been difficult to find otherwise, but quite a few corrections and additions have been made and some recording dates have been obtained that seem to have remained 1.Dlpublished so far. The first point to notice is that six versions of the Ninth didn't appear on the expected single CD. Bl:lhm (118) and Solti (96) exceeded the 75 minutes generally assumed (until recently) to be the maximum CD playing time, but Walter (37), Kegel (126), Mehta (127), and Thomas (130) were not so burdened and have been reissued on single CDs since the first CD release. On the other hand, the rather short Leibowitz (76), Toscanini (11), and Busch (25) versions have recently been issued with fillers. -
All Strings Considered a Subjective List of Classical Works
All Strings Considered A Subjective List of Classical Works & Recordings All Recordings are available from the Lake Oswego Public Library These are my faves, your mileage may vary. Bill Baars, Director Composer / Title Performer(s) Comments Middle Ages and Renaissance Sequentia We carry a lot of plainsong and chant; HILDEGARD OF BINGEN recordings by the Anonymous 4 are also Antiphons highly recommended. Various, Renaissance vocal and King’s Consort, Folger Consort instrumental collections. or Baltimore Consort Baroque Era Biondi/Europa Galante or Vivaldi wrote several hundred concerti; try VIVALDI Loveday/Marriner. the concerti for multiple instruments, and The Four Seasons the Mandolin concerti. Also, Corelli's op. 6 and Tartini (my fave is his op.96). HANDEL Asch/Scholars Baroque For more Baroque vocal, Bach’s cantatas - Messiah Ensemble, Shaw/Atlanta start with 80 & 140, and his Bach B Minor Symphony Orch. or Mass with John Gardiner conducting. And for Jacobs/Freiberg Baroque fun, Bach's “Coffee” cantata. orch. HANDEL Lamon/Tafelmusik For an encore, Handel's “Music for the Royal Water Music Suites Fireworks.” J.S. BACH Akademie für Alte Musik Also, the Suites for Orchestra; the Violin and Brandenburg Concertos Berlin or Koopman, Pinnock, Harpsicord Concerti are delightful, too. or Tafelmusik J.S. BACH Walter Gerwig More lute - anything by Paul O'Dette, Ronn Works for Lute McFarlane & Jakob Lindberg. Also interesting, the Lute-Harpsichord. J.S. BACH Bylsma on period cellos, Cello Suites Fournier on a modern instrument; Casals' recording was the standard Classical Era DuPre/Barenboim/ECO & HAYDN Barbirolli/LSO Cello Concerti HAYDN Fischer, Davis or Kuijiken "London" Symphonies (93-101) HAYDN Mosaiques or Kodaly quartets Or start with opus 9, and take it from there. -
An Interview with Robert Shaw: Reflections at Eighty
An Interview with Robert Shaw: Reflections at Eighty by Jeffrey Baxter RobertShaw .Robert Shaw's distinguished career began in New York City In 1979, Shaw was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to in 1938, where he prepared choruses for such renowned con the National Council on the Arts and he was a 1991 recipient of ductors as Fred Waring, Arturo Toscanini, and Bruno Walter. the Kennedy Center Honors, the nation's highest award given to In 1949 he formed the Robert Shaw Chorale, which for two artists. Musical America, the international directory of the per decades reigned as America's premier touring choir. Under the forming arts, named him Musician of the Year for 1992, and auspices ofthe U.S. State Department, the Chorale performed during the same year he was awarded the National Medal ofthe in thirty countries throughout Europe, the Soviet Union, the Arts in a White House ceremony. He was the 1993 recipient of Middle East, and Latin America. During this period Shaw also the Conductors' Guild TheodoreThomas Award, in recognition served as Music Director ofthe San Diego Symphony and then ofhis outstanding achievement in conducting and his contribu as Associate Conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra, working tions to the education and training ofyoung conductors. closely with George Szell for eleven years. He served as Music A regular guest conductor ofmajor orchestras in this country Director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra from 1967 to and abroad, Shaw also is in demand as a teacher and lecturer at 1988, during which time the orchestra garnered widespread leading U.S. -
Multivalent Form in Gustav Mahlerʼs Lied Von Der Erde from the Perspective of Its Performance History
Multivalent Form in Gustav Mahlerʼs Lied von der Erde from the Perspective of Its Performance History Christian Utz All content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Received: 09/10/2017 Accepted: 19/11/2017 Published: 27/02/2018 Last updated: 27/02/2018 How to cite: Christian Utz, “Multivalent Form in Gustav Mahlerʼs Lied von der Erde from the Perspective of Its Performance History,” Musicologica Austriaca: Journal for Austrian Music Studies (February 27, 2018) Tags: 20th century; Analysis; Bernstein, Leonard; Das Lied von der Erde; Klemperer, Otto; Mahler, Gustav; Performance; Performance history; Rotational form; Sonata form; Strophic form; Walter, Bruno This essay is an expanded version of a paper presented at the symposiumGustav Mahler im Dialog, held at the Gustav Mahler Musikwochen in Toblach/Dobbiaco on July 18, 2017. The research was developed as part of the research project Performing, Experiencing and Theorizing Augmented Listening [PETAL]. Interpretation and Analysis of Macroform in Cyclic Musical Works (Austrian Science Fund (FWF): P 30058-G26; 2017–2020). I am grateful for advice received from Federico Celestini, Peter Revers, Thomas Glaser, and Laurence Willis. Files for download: Tables and Diagrams, Video examples 1-2, Video examples 3-4, Video examples 5-8, Video examples 9-10 Best Paper Award 2017 Abstract The challenge of reconstructing Gustav Mahlerʼs aesthetics and style of performance, which incorporated expressive and structuralist principles, as well as problematic implications of a post- Mahlerian structuralist performance style (most prominently developed by the Schoenberg School) are taken in this article as the background for a discussion of the performance history of Mahlerʼs Lied von der Erde with the aim of probing the model of “performance as analysis in real time” (Robert Hill). -
Rezensionen Für
Rezensionen für Gustav Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde aud 95.491 4022143954916 Badische Zeitung 18.11.2003 (Heinz W. Koch - 2003.11.18) ... Wie spezifisch, ja wie radikal sich Gielens Mahler ausnimmt, erhellt schlagartig, wenn man Rafael Kubeliks dreieinhalb Jahrzehnte alte und vor einer Weile wiederveröffentlichte Einspielung dagegenhält. Eine gehörige Überraschung gab’s schon einmal – als nämlich die nie veröffentlichten Münchner Funk-„Meistersinger“ von 1967 plötzlich zu haben waren. Jetzt ist es Gustav Mahlers drei Jahre später eingespieltes „Lied von der Erde“, das erstmals über die Ladentische geht. Es gehört zu einer Mahler Gesamtaufnahme, die offenbar vor der rühmlich bekannten bei der Deutschen Grammophon entstand. Zumindest bei den hier behandelten Sinfonien Nr. 3 und Nr. 6 war das der Fall. Beim „Lied von der Erde“ offeriert das Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, dessen Chef Kubelik damals war, ein erstaunlich präsentes, erstaunlich aufgesplittertes Klangbild, das sowohl das Idyllisch-Graziöse hervorkehrt wie das Schwerblütig-Ausdrucksgesättigte mit großem liedsinfonischem Atem erfüllt – eine erstrangige Wiedergabe. Auch die beiden 1967/68 erarbeiteten Sinfonien erweisen sich als bestechend durchhörbar. Vielleicht geht Kubelik eine Spur naiver vor als die beim Sezieren der Partitur schärfer verfahrenden Dirigenten wie Gielen, bricht sich, wo es geht, das ererbte böhmische Musikantentum zumindest für Momente Bahn. Da staunt einer eher vor Mahler, als dass er ihn zu zerlegen sucht. Wenn es eine Verwandtschaft gibt, dann ist es die zu Bernstein. Das Triumphale der „Dritten“, das Nostalgische an ihr wird nicht als Artefakt betrachtet, sondern „wie es ist“: Emotion zur Analyse. ... (aus einer Besprechung mit den Mahler-Interpretationen Michael Gielens) CD Compact n°169 (octobre 2003) (Benjamín Fontvelia - 2003.10.01) Rafael Kubelik/Audite Rafael Kubelik/Audite Full review text restrained for copyright reasons. -
With a Rich History Steeped in Tradition, the Courage to Stand Apart and An
With a rich history steeped in tradition, the courage to stand apart and an enduring joy of discovery, the Wiener Symphoniker are the beating heart of the metropolis of classical music, Vienna. For 120 years, the orchestra has shaped the special sound of its native city, forging a link between past, present and future like no other. In Andrés Orozco-Estrada - for several years now an adopted Viennese - the orchestra has found a Chief Conductor to lead this skilful ensemble forward from the 20-21 season onward, and at the same time revisit its musical roots. That the Wiener Symphoniker were formed in 1900 of all years is no coincidence. The fresh wind of Viennese Modernism swirled around this new orchestra, which confronted the challenges of the 20th century with confidence and vision. This initially included the assured command of the city's musical past: they were the first orchestra to present all of Beethoven's symphonies in the Austrian capital as one cycle. The humanist and forward-looking legacy of Beethoven and Viennese Romanticism seems tailor-made for the Symphoniker, who are justly leaders in this repertoire to this day. That pioneering spirit, however, is also evident in the fact that within a very short time the Wiener Symphoniker rose to become one of the most important European orchestras for the premiering of new works. They have given the world premieres of many milestones of music history, such as Anton Bruckner's Ninth Symphony, Arnold Schönberg's Gurre-Lieder, Maurice Ravel's Piano Concerto for the Left Hand and Franz Schmidt's The Book of the Seven Seals - concerts that opened a door onto completely new worlds of sound and made these accessible to the greater masses. -
MUSIC DIRECTORS 100 Years Of
TABLE OF CONTENTS “A Hero’s Journey: Fun & Games .......................6 Beethoven & Prometheus, Grades 4-8 . 2 Fan Mail ...........................7 Civil Rights: Remembering Youth Orchestra ....................8 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Grades 6-12 . 3 Children’s Chorus ...................8 See the Sounds. 4 Youth Chorus. .8 Conductor of the Orchestra ............5 Family Concerts ....................8 2017-18 Season Guide for Young Concert-goers MUSIC DIRECTORS 100 Years of NIKOLAI SOKOLOFF 1918-33 The Cleveland Orchestra!! 2017-2018 marks the 100th season of The Cleveland and dismissal pro cess (where every bus and corresponding Orchestra! You may not realize that by coming to school group gets a number) was established in 2000 to a Cleveland Orchestra Education Concert you are man age traffic and insure students’ safety. There are many part of a great Cleveland tradition! Students have more cars on the road today than there ARTUR RODZINSKI were in the 1930’s! 1933-43 been attending Cleveland Orchestra concerts since 1918! Ms. Lillian Bald win, the Orchestra’s first Ed u ca tion Director, pioneered the In the be gin ning, The Cleve land Or ches tra performed format of ‘educational concerts’ we concerts in com mu ni ty cen ters and sev er al area schools, know today. She developed extensive including East Tech and West Tech High Schools in study ma te rials so students could be Cleveland, Shaw High School in East Cleveland, and knowl edge able about the music they Lakewood High School. By 1920 audienc es be came too would hear at the concerts. (Instead large to accommodate in school settings and teachers and of read ing The Score as you are now, students be gan to trav el to hear The Cleve land Orchestra, ERICH LEINSDORF students read Ms. -
CLASSICAL DISCS A\D TAPES Reviewed by RICHARD FREED DAVID HALL GEORGE JELLINEK IGOR KIPNIS PAUL KRESH ERIC SALZMAN
CLASSICAL DISCS A\D TAPES Reviewed by RICHARD FREED DAVID HALL GEORGE JELLINEK IGOR KIPNIS PAUL KRESH ERIC SALZMAN RECORDINGS OF SPECIALMERIT Emperor with Karajan is perhaps even more Rachmaninoff Second Concerto, may be as- impressive. It is big, bold, and genuinely sym- tonished by the lusty, assertive virtuosity dis- BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 5, in Elicit phonic in concept, not stormy but truly majes- played here. Walter, as in all of his finest re- Major, Op. 73 ("Emperor"). Alexis Weissen- tic in the outer movements and achieving a cordings, simply makes one feel he is allowing berg (.piano); Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, dramatically contrasting level of intimacy in the music to speak for itself, with no gratui- Herbert von Karajan cond. ANGEL S-37062 the middle one. The mutuality between soloist tous overlay of "interpretation," and the or- $6.98. and conductor is extraordinary. A few phras- chestra itself is heartbreakingly beautiful. It Performance: One of the best es here and there are a little fussy, but never doesn't take more than the first entry of the Recording: Very good enough to get in the way of the sweeping of horns in the second subject to remind one that fect, both viscerally exciting and deeply satis- the prewar Vienna Philharmonic was glo- BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 5, in Elicit fying after repeated hearings. The sound is riously unique, whether playing the Emperor Major, Op. 73 ("Emperor"). Walter Gieseking rich and full-bodied, and in every respect this Concerto or the Emperor Waltz. This was, I (piano);ViennaPhilharmonicOrchestra, is one of the best Emperors around. -
And the Mahler Ninth
Eight members of the Vienna Octet play under the benign circumspection of the Mozart family there are mountain brooks that are more (or less) Ninth Symphony has not lacked outstanding record- perfect than other mountain brooks, but who would ed performances. Among the presently available think of criticizing a mountain brook in the first readings of this vast and complex masterpiece, Bruno place? Walter's 1962 version and subsequent ones by Dvoiak and his music belong to another genera- Georg Solti and Leonard Bernstein stand out in their tion, but a work such as his G Major Quintet is in own distinctive ways. fact more closely related to early Romanticism than To this select company must now be added Phil- to the Lisztian/Wagnerian nineteenth century. Its ips' new recording of the symphony by the Amster- richness is due in large part to the use of the double dam Concertgebouw Orchestra under conductor bass-here perfectly played and reproduced. Bernard Haitink. It is, for me, the disc realization Except for what seems to be a bit of inner -groove that comes closest to revealing the totality of Mahl- distortion toward the end of the Spohr, these are er's vision in this work, thanks not only to a most superbly produced discs in every dimension. Inter- probing search of the music's expressive and textur- estingly enough, there appear to be eleven "mem- al -architectural inner substance, but by virtue of su- bers" of the Vienna Octet. Eric Salzman perior recorded sound. From the foreboding opening measures, through KREUTZER: Grand Septet, in E -flat Major, Op. -
THE KOSCIUSZKO FOUNDATION CHOPIN PIANO COMPETITION HISTORICAL OVERVIEW in 1949, to Mark the Centennial of the Death of Fryderyk
THE KOSCIUSZKO FOUNDATION CHOPIN PIANO COMPETITION HISTORICAL OVERVIEW In 1949, to mark the centennial of the death of Fryderyk Chopin, the Kosciuszko Foundation’s Board of Trustees authorized a National Committee to encourage observance of the anniversary through concerts and programs throughout the United States. Howard Hansen, then Director of the Eastman School of Music, headed this Committee, which included, among others, Claudio Arrau, Vladimir Horowitz, Serge Koussevitzky, Claire Booth Luce, Eugene Ormandy, Artur Rodzinski, George Szell, and Bruno Walter. The Chopin Centennial was inaugurated by Witold Malcuzynski at Carnegie Hall on February 14, 1949. A repeat performance was presented by Malcuzynski eight days later, on Chopin’s birthday, in the Kosciuszko Foundation Gallery. Abram Chasins, composer, pianist, and music director of the New York Times radio stations WQXR and WQWQ, presided at the evening and opened it with the following remarks: In seeking to do justice to the memory of a musical genius, nothing is so eloquent as a presentation of the works through which he enriched our musical heritage. … In his greatest work, Chopin stands alone … Throughout the chaos, the dissonance of the world, Chopin’s music has been for many of us a sanctuary … It is entirely fitting that this event should take place at the Kosciuszko Foundation House. This Foundation is the only institution which we have in America which promotes cultural relations between Poland and America on a non-political basis. It has helped to understand the debt which mankind owes to Poland’s men of genius. At the Chopin evening at the Foundation, two contributions were made. -
Josef Suk's Asrael Re-Envisioned Via Schoenberg
A STUDY IN CLARITY: JOSEF SUK’S ASRAEL RE-ENVISIONED VIA SCHOENBERG Volume I of II IVAN ARION KARST School of Arts and Media College of Arts and Social Sciences University of Salford, Salford, UK Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirements of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, October 2020 i Contents Table of Figures ........................................................................................................................... 4 Acknowledgements..................................................................................................................... 7 Abstract: ‘A Study in Clarity: Suk Re-envisioned via Schoenberg’ ................................................. 8 Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 Thesis Methodology ................................................................................................................. 1 A Study in Clarity: Literature Review ......................................................................................... 4 Chapter 2: Historical Context .................................................................................................... 10 Schoenberg: Transcription and the Verein .............................................................................. 10 Chapter 3: Analysis.................................................................................................................... 12 Transcription Techniques of the Verein ................................................................................. -
A Career Filled with High Notes
A Career Filled With High Notes Michael Tilson Thomas, now in the final season of his 25 years at the helm of the San Francisco Symphony, has left a profound imprint on both the orchestra and the city. By David Mermelstein March 3, 2020 Michael Tilson Thomas, music director of the San Francisco Symphony, in 2018 When Michael Tilson Thomas became music director of this city’s estimable but not very exciting or forward-looking symphony orchestra in 1995, he had been working in London and needed an American career boost, and the ensemble was looking for an energetic maestro who would elevate its profile and maybe even lend it “buzz.” A quarter-century later, their partnership stands as one of the great success stories in U.S. musical history, thanks in large part to Mr. Thomas’s searching intellect, fierce curiosity, and supreme repertorial fluency. His direct connection to musical history, unmatched in our time, hasn’t hurt, either. As a result, the 109-year-old San Francisco Symphony is now widely regarded as among this country’s finest orchestras—right up there with East Coast titans like the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra. West of Chicago, only the Los Angeles Philharmonic challenges San Francisco’s dominance. But nothing lasts forever, and Mr. Thomas, who turned 75 just before Christmas, is midway through his last season at the helm. Fittingly, the exit music, as it were, hearkens back to past triumphs. On Friday, Mr. Thomas and the orchestra will perform Mahler’s Symphony No.