Beauty of Classical Music

The Utmost Embodiment and Rhythm of Nature

2012-01-15T01:45:00.007-05:00

My trips to Heinz Hall to see and hear the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra are mostly driven by the joy of music. Yet there's often much more offered than just the music. Tonight I was treated to a very entertaining introduction to the Steven Stucky's Spirit Voices, Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra. In the lobby members of the Duquesne University School of Music were on hand to generously demonstrate percussion instruments with exhibitions and explanations of the instruments and their sounds; and they even gave us the opportunity to try out the instruments ourselves. I tried the Vibraphone, and my friend Miki tried the gong.

All three selections this evening share a similar character - the utmost embodiment and rhythm of nature. Ravel's Mother Goose was the first of these programmatic pieces with recognizable melodies wrapped around themes such as Sleeping Beauty, Tom Thumb, Beauty and the Beast, and finally the Enchanted Garden. Conductor Juraj Valcuha lead the Pittsburgh Symphony on a beautiful journey through the suite with dulcet rhythms, lush strings and a singularly optimistic sound.

According to the composer Steven Stucky, "Spirit Voices takes its inspiration from the diversity of spirits and other supernatural forces from cultures around the world who manifest their presence through sound. The music itself does not borrow from these original cultures but instead comes purely from my own imagination."

Stucky's inspiration combined with his own imagination have created a fascinating kind of new classical music for the audience. I myself found that half the enjoyment of the piece came from the sounds, yet the other half was from the interest I derived in watching the soloist, Dame Evelyn Glennie perform with the percussion. It was as if she was not merely playing the instruments, but was enmeshed in a form of dance amongst a collection of xylophones, glockenspiels, gongs, tom-toms, wood blocks, cowbells, beaters and sticks.

In his introduction, Steven Stucky indicated that the piece was full of colors and character with sudden contrasts, and that we might all want to be ready for surprises. He indicated that the PSO were full partners with the percussion, and that he hoped we would all be fascinated, surprised and excited.

After intermission came for me the real treat, Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances. On wikipedia I read that the original name was "Fantastic Dances," with movement titles of "Noon," "Twilight" and "Midnight." The symphony was wide ranging, with lush melodies, and sweeping romanticism, and full bodied orchestration. From the PSO I enjoyed the vivid sound and vibrant texture, and conductor Valcuha seemed to energize the orchestra further with his energetic phrasing. At times the sound was soft and clear, others, intense and breathtaking - all in all this is a composition that must be experienced live at the concert hall - listening at home (which I did a few days prior to the concert just to whet my appetite) just doesn't cut it.

The Merry Lives of Yinzer

2011-11-28T21:24:00.005-05:00

Yinzer - that's me, even though I don't often use that expression, yet my life was merry indeed at such a wonderful concert -- one with many references to Pittsburgh. I was able to make it to Heinz Hall an hour early to hear most of the concert prelude with Resident Conductor Lawrence Loh and PSO Concertmaster Noah Bendix-Balgley. This was a nice introduction to Mr. Bendix-Belgley and the interview process he had to endure to become PSO concertmaster, and Mr. Loh did an excellent job of introducing the music.

More merry was I to listen to an excellent rendition of Beethoven's Piano Concerto number 1, elegantly played by Leif Ove Andsnes, piano.

All of Beethoven's piano concertos are a joy. In the notes I see that "Both scores (1 & 2) appeared in 1801, the delay apparently caused by Beethoven’s desire to keep them from his rivals and reserve them for his personal use." I wonder, if Beethoven were to write music today, with places like youtube out there on the internet, if he would reserve his music for his personal use, or publish it online. If online, I expect he would have better luck than I, having published a nature video myself called 'American toad singing Western Pennsylvania' in the spring of 2008, only to have a so-called disputed copyright claim on my toad video by another company about a month ago. I disputed that claim, but youtube won't do anything about it. I recorded the video myself in a pool full of toads some years ago. How in the world can a big music company make a claim on it I have no idea, there is no music, just a toad singing. But this happens a lot where companies lay claim to content that does not belong to them. Beethoven would perhaps roll over in his grave if he saw the state of the music industry today. Note: I would like to also state that the pictures I post here are mine, made by me, as are the words :)

One of my favorite pieces was played this past weekend: Overture to The Merry Wives of Windsor (1846-1849) by Otto Nicolai -- I've quoted the line below from the PSO notes on their web page, I liked the reference, and must listen to Die Meistersinger again to hear the melody:

"The complementary melody is not heard again in the opera, though Richard Wagner so admired it that he borrowed it for an episode in Act III of Die Meistersinger. "

Another beautiful piece - Zigeunerweisen, by Pablo De Sarasate, was surprising in the ability of soloist Noah Bendix-Balgley to control the depth and breadth of the solo part. Manfred Honeck joked before the piece that they picked something not too hard, with not too many notes. His sarcasm was amusing, because this piece was extremely difficult with lots of notes.

At the end came a few Strauss selections with lots of fun - first Manfred Honeck indicates that there is an expression (paraphrasing) "in Germany it is said they work 350 days and are on holiday 15, but in Austria they work 15 days and are on holiday 350." This was the introduction to 'Auf Ferienreisen' (Holiday Trips) by Josef Strauss, where Mr. Bendix-Balgley strolls out in vacation garb, situates a beach chair, opens a few beers, gives a few to the orchestra including the Maestro, and generally garners many laughs. Josef Strauss' 'Feuerfest Polka' comes next, with a real anvil, and the percussionist (help me with his name, he was great!) places a terrible towel on the beach chair, dons a pair of sunglasses, and does his percussion on the anvil while drinking beer. What a great time!

Unflinching precision and beauty

2011-11-20T09:38:00.007-05:00

Unflinching precision and beauty - the evening last night was replete with precise notes, falling one after another without interruption, yet arrayed with timbre, expressiveness and energy. Gabriela Montero was at her best with the Prokofiev Concerto Number 3, and she performed two wonderful improvisations, one on 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star', the other based on the 'Here We Go Steelers' tune. She asked the audience for someone to sing a song. One lady sang Twinkle Twinkle melody -- it turns out I know her personally, and talked to her at intermission, so that rules out any possibility of a 'plant' in the audience ;)

Ms. Montero begins with the simple melody for 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star', then changes the key and introduces other forms of development. Next chords and other threads begin to appear -- counterpoint breezes through adroitly with cascading lines, and Presto: it now sounds like a full flung Bach composition, yet the Twinkle Twinkle continues to materialize. The spontaneous nature of her improvisation is impressive to say the least, and goes to show her amazing talent - not only as a performer but as a composer of classical music. The second improv was more in the style of Liszt, with a fluid meandering of fingers intertwined with a teaming cadence quite lively and exuberant.

The Prokofiev concerto was new to me. It began with a very fast tempo - which to me was almost feverish, and very enjoyable. After the first movement I heard someone say - amazing! The second movement was filled with lush strokes and the final movement exhibited grand gestures from both the piano and the orchestra.

Earlier in the day I listened to a podcast interview hosted by Jim Cunningham of WQED where she talks about her new composition, a piano concerto which makes a personal political statement about Venezuela. On facebook she indicates that she is working on a recording of the composition which she premiered recently in Germany called 'ExPatria'. This is an excerpt from her facebook page:

"ExPatria"
As an expatriate Venezuelan, it may be of little surprise that I should wish to express, in music, a longing for the beautiful country of my birth.
However, my debut as a composer reaches beyond private nostalgia to a very public cry. ExPatria is a portrayal of a country barely recognizable from that of my youth. It is my emotional response to the loss of Venezuela herself to lawlessness, corruption, chaos and rates of murder among the highest in the world.

After intermission I was awestruck by the beauty of the Brahms Symphony number 2 expertly played by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Guest conductor Christoph König majestically conducted the orchestra with an express set of gestures succinct in their effect with the players, and entertaining for the audience as well.

Gabriela Montero in Pittsburgh

2011-11-20T00:14:00.001-05:00

Gabriela Montero in Pittsburgh signing autographs - after Sergei Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3 she performed two wonderful improvisations, one on 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star', and the other based on the 'Here We Go Steelers' tune.

A Guide to the Orchestra - with a pop quiz

2011-11-06T08:24:00.005-05:00

According to guest conductor Leonard Slatkin, "Tonight is Show Off Night." He was referring to showcasing the talent of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and two of their players as soloists. Randolph Kelly began with the Concerto for Viola and Orchestra by Walter Piston. This was not one of my favorites compositions perhaps because it's very brooding, yet it provided a great showcase for the solo viola. Kelly's style was direct and straight forward, the volume worked well against the orchestra. I liked the second movement, yet at times it seemed like two unrelated compositions were attempting to weave their way amongst themselves. The third movement I liked best, more a classical style with pizzicato on the orchestra strings, bold brass, drums, woodwinds, the while orchestra as backdrop to the whirling viola. Kelly's best was during the small solo part in the midst of this movement - his command of the viola accented the performance.

After intermission Cynthia Koledo DeAlmeida was the soloist with the PSO in the L'Horloge de flore [The Flower Clock], a beautiful amalgamation of 7 movements representing a different flower at various times of the day - a marvelous way to programatically represent music. DeAlmeida's oboe sounded enticing with an abundance of pure tones and perfect transitions between notes. The composition was simple yet elegant, each hour and flower providing a different melody and mood. Here are a few thoughts I had for each:

slowly, blooming, pizzicato, tempo
scherzo, sprightly, spread forth, bickering, beautiful
awake, swaying softly, subtle, breezy, silhouette, shine
jumble, tapping, spinning, dance, skipping
warmth, floating, reaching, endeavor, asking
prancing, curiosity, sneaking, ruffle
racing, pause, derive, hurry, jovial

At the conclusion, DeAlmeida bowed to much applause - then she indicated to her fellow woodwind players to stand, but they would not, deferring all the applause to her alone. When Slatkin came back out he asked them to rise, and this time they did. I heard one person exclaim: "It takes a conductor to get the orchestra to stand up - now we know why they make the big bucks "

The final showcase was the use of young speakers, between the ages of 10 and 12 to introduce each of the sections and instruments during the performance of Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (Variations and Fugue on a theme of Purcell). This was the highlight of the evening, and was a lot of fun too with the use of the young people seated amongst the orchestra players. A few of their introductions include:

Sabine - Woodwinds
Anna - Brass
Abby - Strings
Elana - Percussion
Harry - instrument variation
Giovanna - Oboes
Weston - Clarinets, Bassoon, Violins
Lance - Violas, Cellos
Cassandra - Bass, Harp
Adam - French Horns
Alex - Trumpets, Trombone, Tubas
Sophia - Percussion, Timpani
Kendall - Bass Drum, Tamborine, Triangle
Riley - Xylaphone, Castinets, Gong, Whip

Then they all play together in a final Fugue where each instrument enters one at a time.

Slatkin joked: "As you leave there will be pieces of paper for the pop quiz"

Echos of plenitude

2011-11-05T00:30:00.004-04:00

Poems to fit the evening of classical music with Leonard Slatkin and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, written while listening.

Double Play (2010) by Cindy McTee

Disruptions peak curiosity
cognizant of theme
somnolent seniority
seem
flourishing minuscule
temperamental
building volume & orchestration
stereophonic fidelity
strings bring back to
contemplating stardust
sprinkled over temporal plane
planetary exuberance
thrust upon a solitary grain
somber horizon wrestling to be undone
drops of rainwater ebullient won
syncopated rhythm increases tempo
jazzy sawdust timber driving
leaping unbridled embellishment
duck before sudden impact sinews
weaving agile tributary ambling
drama heights dimensions
down through clouds of speculation
misty particles drop dissolve
savage soul unleashed wild impetuous
untamed dissonance striving ever forward
manifest particles curling off elliptically
free!

Ralph Vaughan Williams - Five Variants of "Dives and Lazarus" (1939)

gentle fields thy wait awake
and though thou do not share mutual outlook
I observe thy beauty in a vacuum
not affecting nor disturbing gentle radiance
relay and imbue said pastoral scene
it belongs to all of us who observe
significance, it is not necessary
sweeping gusts of vibrant strings
spew forth multiple threads of intertwining vines
solo violin echos on reflections below
passing streams of conscientiousness
building joining connected thoughts
back and forth hymnal harmony hyperbolic henceforth
rejuvenating souls no longer lost
linger three lines in trio reverberating theme
echos of plenitude
joining breeze to slice journey's end.

Echos of plenitude

2011-11-05T00:24:00.002-04:00

poems to fit the evening of classical music with Leonard Slatkin and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, written while listening.

Double Play (2010) by Cindy McTee

Disruptions Peak Curiosity
cognizant of theme
somnolent seniority
seem
flourishing minuscule
temperamental
building volume & orchestration
stereophonic fidelity
strings bring back to
contemplating stardust
sprinkled over temporal plane
planetary exuberance
thrust upon a solitary grain
somber horizon wrestling to be undone
drops of rainwater ebullient won
syncopated rhythm increases tempo
jazzy sawdust timber driving
leaping unbridled embellishment
duck before sudden impact sinews
weaving agile tributary ambling
drama heights dimensions
down through clouds of speculation
misty particles drop dissolve
savage soul unleashed wild impetuous
untamed dissonance striving ever forward
manifest particles curling off elliptically
free!

Ralph Vaughan Williams - Five Variants of "Dives and Lazarus" (1939)

gentle fields thy wait awake
and though thou do not share mutual outlook
I observe thy beauty in a vacuum
not affecting nor disturbing gentle radiance
relay and imbue said pastoral scene
it belongs to all of us who observe
significance, it is not necessary
sweeping gusts of vibrant strings
spew forth multiple threads of intertwining vines
solo violin echos on reflections below
passing streams of conscientiousness
building joining connected thoughts
back and forth hymnal harmony hyperbolic henceforth
rejuvenating souls no longer lost
linger three lines in trio reverberating theme
echos of plenitude
joining breeze to slice journey's end.

Leapfrogging Genius

2011-10-28T23:52:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago I blogged that Beethoven represented a singularity in as much as the composers before and since were merely prelude and postscript. Yet I'm doing a huge injustice to many other great composers. By leapfrogging Haydn and Mozart, both with a wealth of not just pleasant, but uniquely genius compositions in their own right, I've forgotten two of the best in the classical form. Tonight I was able to hear them both.

Before the concert in the lobby I recognized a musician that I thought I saw playing the violin several weeks before. I introduced myself, and found out that I was wasn't imagining, she was a 'sub' and had played during the Gala. How is it that we as humans can often recognize faces, or to transcribe the metaphor, music? Remembering the name is not quite as easy as remembering the selection I'm listening to, or to the face of a person I know I've seen before - she said her name is Rachel if I remember correctly - I hope she's able to sub again soon. I was told I was the first to recognize her in public.

In the concert hall, Leonard Slatkin enters, bows, and immediately begins the Haydn Symphony 67. Haydn's music is joyful, playful, tuneful, creative, dramatic, melodic, subtle and forceful without overpowering. In the first movement the double bass adds harmony. The second movement pushes deep timbers with the strings, and then we're treated to a two part counterpoint with the strings, left and right, then backdrop with the woodwinds. The bass and cello join in to complement a phrase. A slow ending exhibits a bit of murmur and mirth -- the entire string section is directed to play col legno dell'arco (tapping the strings with the back of the bow). The effect is quite creative - I enjoyed the sound it produced.

The 3rd movement embeds a zingy interlude where the principle string player left and right of the conductor play enchanting melody back and forth and together. Conductor Slatkin, in a move hardly seen in a classical concert, exits the podium, turns, and tips both violin soloists with a bill while they are playing, to great laughter and applause from the audience. The final movement again has the 1st violin solo and the 2nd violin accompany, but it's a trio, the 1st cello joins in.

The next selection by American composer Alan Hovhaness, his Symphony No. 2, "Mysterious Mountain," was the new piece for me this evening. Having never heard this before, I came with great anticipation and an open mind. Leonard Slatkin, who often conducts American music, introduced the music by indicating some of the elements, including a form of dissonance not usual for the harp, double bass and celesta (The sound of the celesta is similar to that of the glockenspiel, but with a much softer and more subtle timbre). From the start this music did not disappoint. It began with a gentle yet profound kind of resonance, probably due to the celesta, with bass playing pizzicati. From there the movement developed into a grand uplifting experience with surreal sounds seemingly always rising. The harmonies would buoyantly build a line, and just before that line would let up, the dissonant sounds we were told to listen for would chime in, adding the kind of rhythmic effect we might encounter in any walk with nature. The second movement began with a faster flowing pace. Soon it was rapid, racing with various sections, as if a multitude of leaves had just fallen from a tree, and were curried by the wind, then abating, curling with repetitions to and fro. The gale intensifies with the horns enraging and then the movement comes to an abrupt halt. The 3rd brought a slow struggle, much more dramatic with tension building. A final adagio could represent the final ascent to the top of the mysterious mountain - somewhat reminiscent of the 1st with the strings then woodwinds following with voices recanting the vivid view along the way, looking out and ever upwards, and now as we ascend the entire orchestra joins to embellish a grand finale as we have arrived at the peak - "the meeting place between the mundane and the spiritual worlds."

All week I've been looking forward to listen to James Galway play Mozart's Flute Concerto No. 2 this weekend at Heinz Hall. But what was a surprise to me was that he also performs with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in Bizet's Carmen Fantasy.

After intermission Sir James Galway enters the stage, bows humbly, and with the direction of Leonard Slatkin, conductor, begins. He's wearing a marvelous jacket of gold and black with red handkerchief and tie with a beige vest - he looks great. How can I adequately describe his playing? What I especially like is the trilling/lilting quality of the tones from his flute especially with the low notes, when held for a time. It's entertaining to watch him with finger movements darting up and down the scale with racing notes, then back to the sublime low frequencies as the orchestra accents. I've heard this concerto by Mozart many times, but here live with solos by Galway, it's like never before. Tte slow movement now absorbs special ebullient quality like I've never realized before. The 3rd is instantly recognizable - a spirited and sprightly razzle dazzle to conclude.

Next up: Bizet Carmen Fantasy with solo flute. Now this is the Pièce de résistance. What an interesting beginning - and on this journey we've probably encountered before, we hear a beautiful rendition with James Galway and the PSO.

Finally we are treated to three encore pieces which might be expected, and Galway calls them 3 Lollipops (after Thomas_Beecham).

Brian Boru's March - a beautiful tune!
Danny Boy
Badinerie by Johann Sebastian Bach (Galway said "Johann Sebastian..." and the audience answered "Bach", then he said "Who?", again "Bach", then he said "You're definitely not at a football match" meaning the audience wasn't loud or enthusiastic enough)

Then we were treated to one more encore - the Bach Badinerie one more time, only really fast - in fact, Slatkin exclaimed "See who can play this Bach piece faster!" - applause!

Flute Academy Flute Chorus - pre-concert music in the lobby.

From the depths of deeply vibrant strings to an arduously congruous ascent toward the light

2011-10-22T21:25:00.000-04:00

From the depths of deeply vibrant strings to an arduously congruous ascent toward the light, the three pieces of music presented by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra with Conductor Xian Zhang and solo violinist Xiang Yu were a surprising and breathtaking journey to say the least.

The PSO program began Friday evening with Steven Stucky, entering stage right, to discuss 'Radical Light' a 17 minute composition. In his words (paraphrasing): "I'm responsible for what's about to happen to you. The genre of this composition would be called a tone poem - it sounds hopelessly old fashioned, but that's the best way to describe it. It's a journey, not a symphony or something else, it has a kind of emotional journey, climax or feeling of rise and fall, not technical, theoretical or about skill, but the feelings - the string sound, a sparkly sphere, a marvelous slow movement, and finally reaching for the light. By the time we get to the end of the journey we will have reached as far as we can for the light."

The journey begin with the strings, in a high pitched form of dissonance that seemed harsh or discordant, and I couldn't discern the form of harmony. The sound was incomplete until the woodwinds joined to try to resolve the situation. I heard horns, then succeeding woodwinds juxtaposed in somewhat improper chord progression, one following another so that, each voice in turn sounded right, but their progressions seemed incongruous. Even so, the whole of the orchestration of these elements developed in an interesting, yet deceptive cadence. I also observed the xylophone and horns, and at one point a bell rang, then again the strings and next the orchestra making a sound as if an alien spacecraft were darting back and forth across the atmosphere. Then slow deep strings followed again by the high discordant strings, as if to drown out an increasing melodic tune like a marvel - it was a melodic ascension of 4 notes, then 5, reaching for the ultimate height.

Next we were treated to a marvelous performance of Prokofiev's violin concerto with soloist Xiang Yu. The timber of Mr Yu's violin was amazing - this I could hear from the outset, in fact, throughout the first movement I was struck by the use of the two lower strings of the violin in this concerto. Many concertos by other famous composers seem to stick to the higher frequencies of the upper two strings, but Prokofiev surprised me with his use of the deeper and richer notes that I often long for. I also observed some interesting changes in tempo and accented rhythm throughout. The slow movement was my favorite, seemingly in 3/4 time with flutes pushing a melody as the violin builds. At one point I couldn't help but envision a death-star intruding on a butterfly. The final movement was a bouncing scraping fast metronome, with flourishes and flair, like a syncopated rain dance.

The encore was the best part of all coming from Mr. Yu, I believe it was Bach or based on a theme by Bach, but it was exquisite! Here we heard the lush deep tones of this marvelous violin, with amazing ability on display in a simple yet elegant solo.

After intermission came the truly magnificent Symphony No. 4 by Schumann with an orchestration by Mahler. Here the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra truly shines. Conductor Zhang was really good with this composition, she had no score before her, but knew every cadence, every part, every placement of accent and highlight, and she adroitly directed the orchestra with succinct movements of hands, showing clarity to the sections or individual voices. The third movement was loud and vivacious, melodic with plenty of orchestration. Three pounding notes interspersed by a softer intermezzo, with contrast between the two like the difference between a brusque baritone and a sweet soprano singing operatic counterpoint. The final movement brought a fitting conclusion to this wonderful symphony.

A singularity of brilliance!

2011-10-01T23:24:00.000-04:00

Unconventional in his brilliance - shining like a singularity - an individual prone to capriciousness - developing outstanding works of classical music - unorthodox in his quest for the perfect composition - the exact sequence and progression of notes - this would be Beethoven. In any other person his nonconformity might seem eccentric, but in Beethoven the method of development, his chosen seclusion when writing, his individuality, produced more masterpieces then any other. The human spirit,
free from foible, is expressed in classical music better through Beethoven's compositions than in any other.
The culmination of this singularity, the exact pinpoint in time which marks the one composition that shines the brightest - that in my opinion is Beethoven's third symphony - called Sinfonia eroica [Heroic Symphony] (from Italian).

This link contains the Classical Notes description of the Eroica, a wealth of information, containing even a list of the best performances.

What about this evening's performance with Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra? Well let's just reiterate the slogan they've adopted - Hear why the world cheers - it is because they continually produce the best performances of the greatest compositions. Tonight was a tour de force, one exceptional achievement by the orchestra and conductor Manfred Honeck, seemingly unequaled by any before or unlikely to be equaled again - a singularity of brilliance.

Before the Eroica we were treated to two other composition by Beethoven before intermission. First was the Consecration of the House overture. Interestingly, in the lobby was a TV monitor playing a film from 1971 of William Steinberg rehearsing with the PSO for the opening of Heinz Hall, and they were playing the same overture. So I had an opportunity to listen to that version, then minutes later to the 2011 PSO play it again. My thoughts were that they had similarities and differences. The Steinberg version seemed more striking on each note, as if to accentuate more heavily. the Honeck version seemed to flow more naturally without the accentuation. Now which is better, well that's hard to say, but this simple comparison was a great exercise, but not exactly scientific.

Next we were treated to the Beethoven Triple Concerto, performed by the PSO and the "Eroica Trio" with Erika Nickrenz - piano, Susie Park - violin and Sara Sant'Ambrogio - Cello. Having heard this fantastic composition for the first time tonight, I have to say I've been missing a gem that I'd really like to hear again. The balance between the trio and the orchestra was just right and the exquisite sounds by these three soloists was a unique experience. Each player had such a delicate touch, with pleasing sounds that interplay with excellent combination

After intermission came the Eroica. The Human Spirit was smiling - first 3 then 5 notes and I had goosebumps that continued throughout the first movement. The Kettledrum brought 4 beats that continued to reverberate through my soul. Pounding then flowing, soft then loud, fast then slow, alternating then simultaneous, surreal then palpable, building then descending, accenting then natural, and often coming to an eventual crescendo without actually ending, the first movement was presented as an inconceivable exercise in classical development with jaw dropping effect.

The second movement starts in the depths of melancholy, accented by an oboe, and carries forward with full strings. The drum beats a soft foreboding metronome, as cellos segway to the strings. Then a shuffle of the rhythm - a new aspect soon appears, as if an apparition sent to dispel the trance of the sad tenor. With the woodwinds comes a masterful mix-up, eventually sidling into another countenance by the bass. The drums beat more loudly - suddenly the melody becomes supplanted by a surprisingly optimistic demeanor flexing its new found vigor, with bold brass and drums. But are we done with the ancient lament - not yet - its back and soft - holding then transitioning into a march. But the tempo is uplifting and with feld drum beats the optimism is back. The whole world of concentration is focused on a distant light coming nearer, and at the same time melancholy returns, but it is broken. Bass and Brass sustain the new temperament. Now co-joined, the old and new tones mix to maximize the joyous developing flavor - human spirit cannot be defeated when we've got the proper outlook. The music pauses, takes a breath, regroups, plans, makes ready and ambles into the next movement with a charge.

The third movement seems like a musical joke, but after a bit it becomes more triumphant than anything else. It marches right along until we get the the 4th movement. Four notes and we finally see that point of creation. God created the universe out of the 6 subatomic types of quark, and yet Beethoven created the 4th movement of his 3rd symphony out of 4 notes. Those 4 notes are the elementary constituents out of which he combined variations and themes to develop the whole movement.

Pictures at an Exhibition and Heinz Hall's 40th

2011-09-25T11:21:00.000-04:00

This year the PSO is celebrating Heinz Hall's 40th anniversary - it was renovated in 1971. Some of the photos of the construction, the building plans and the program and tickets of the inaugural concert are on display in the lobby, along with a painting of Modest Mussorgsky, who in the year 1874 wrote 'Pictures at an Exhibition', a suite in ten movements composed for piano. However, what we hear performed by the orchestra is a beautifully orchestrated version composed by Maurice Ravel in the 1920's.

Listening to the music, I hear for the first time the sounds and music which must have been conjured in the imagination of Mussorgsky by the paintings. I had not seen the paintings until after the concert, but based on the titles of each movement, I was finally familiar with the programmatic content intended. I've heard this piece countless times without thinking about the programmatic content - and perhaps that's good because I could hear and interpret for myself what the music means to me. This evening what occurred to me is that every other movement seems to alternate between something hauntingly beautiful, as with one movement that effectively uses the Saxophone, Bassoon and Oboe to blend an eerie effect, with other rather upbeat and snappy movements like the 'Ballet of the Chicks in their Shells' and 'Baba-Yaga - The Hut on Fowl's Legs'. The conclusions came in the form of The Great Gate of Kiev, by far the longest and most impressive conglomeration of brass and bravado led by conductor Manfred Honeck and the PSO to bring the audience to an eventual standing ovation.

The surviving works by Hartmann that can be shown with any certainty to have been used by Mussorgsky in assembling his suite, along with their titles,^[2] are as follows:

No. 5
Sketch of theatre costumes for the ballet Trilby

No. 6a
Jew in a fur cap. Sandomierz

No. 6b
Sandomierz Jew

No. 8 Paris catacombs (with the figures of V. A. Hartmann, V. A. Kenel, and a guide, holding a lantern)

No. 9 The hut of Baba-Yaga on hen's legs–clock in the Russian Style

No. 10 Project for a city gate in Kiev–main façade

Dreamwaltzes and understanding music

2011-09-24T09:36:00.000-04:00

Over the summer I read through a very interesting book in an attempt to improve my understanding of music. I will try to use these techniques for the upcoming season of the Pittsburgh Symphony. For instance, with Pictures at an Exhibition, the ideas below helped with understanding of the work, and increased my appreciation of it as well - which is an understatement because I've always appreciated this work.

Likewise, Dreamwaltzes, American composer Steven Stucky’s fantasia on Viennese composers Schubert, Brahms and Mahler, is much better understood when concentrating on some of these aspects. When listening 'Dreamwaltzes' I was able to perceive some of the following: Form - there was form, but a much more complex form than the classical type I'm used to - it seemed somewhat abstract, and ranging over various forms. Rhythm - certainly there existed an overall rhythm which was one of the more interesting parts of the piece. Melody - The melody existed in different forms throughout, some were more abstract, as with the sliding scales of the strings and other instruments, the musicians would bring the pitch down through several octaves by sliding their fingers along the string. This generated an eerie effect somewhat reminiscent of perhaps the music heard in Hitchcock or other films, but I don't want to generalize the effect - it must be heard to be understood. Other times the melody would be more classical as with Schubert, a slight interlude in that form then back again to the thinly veiled high frequency strings which would accompany much of the dramatic woodwinds and brass.

Perhaps others would be interested in these techniques when attending a concert with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra...

"The Understanding of Music", 5th ed., 1985 Wadsworth, Inc.
Charles R. Hoffer

Attitude in Listening
Ask "What is the composer trying to achieve in this portion of the music?" and similar questions. In this way, listeners gain a much better understanding of the work and will probably increase their appreciation of it as well.

Improving Listening Skill

1. Give undivided attention to the musical sounds.
2. Concentrate attention first on the main themes of the work.
3. Remember the main themes of the work.
4. Notice what happens to the themes and musical ideas as the music goes along.
(extract motives - change rhythm, bob in and out, unifying ideas, two themes vie with each other)
5. Apply knowledge to what is heard. (what form, theme presented, developed, presented again)
6. After the main themes are grasped, become more aware of the subtler and smaller features of the music.
(slightly changing pattern of chords, brief interruption of a rhythmic pattern, new combo. of instruments, insertion of a fragment of a melody)
7. Notice personal reactions to what happens in the music (note the response to what is heard, as they change, does a second appearance of a melody seem more emphatic?, a third time, is there a duration or pitch change to a note or notes, accented? - Can the reaction be accurately be put into words? , is there a sense of energy? calm? ?)
8. Don't conjure up visions or fantasize when listening to music, unless it is work specifically composed for that purpose (program music).
(distracts from the qualities of the music itself).
9. Practice learning to listen to music more effectively.
(themes, solos, form - listening for main features - then subtle musical qualities; repeated hearings of a work )

Musique du monde

2011-09-17T22:45:00.000-04:00

Music of the world.

O, wonder!
How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,
That has such people in't! - Miranda - The Tempest - Shakespeare

'Tis new to thee, and to me was full of delight -- it wasn't just the creatures, but the music!

Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony (No. 4) first movement commenced this evening of delightful music - light and airy and laced with festive Cadenza, his music always brims with optimism and joy. The fourth movement, which we did not hear, has much more drama and tension, but the opening movement, which the PSO played to perfection, opened with a flourish, producing drama only to the extent that the strings and woodwind and brass and timpani all vie for attention in transitional positioning, exhibiting a hybrid harmony where the entire orchestra combined into one sublime exposition. As pleased as I was to listen and appreciate the approximately 10 minutes of glorious music, I only wished it could have been the entire symphony - but I shouldn't complain because up next was Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto.

Before the concert I watched a youtube video posted on the PSO facebook page with Anne-Sophie Mutter discussing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto. In the interview she said:

"What I like about the violin concerto the most is the fact that it has this Midnight Summer's Dream spirit in it, it has the young man's appasionata/character which is so much a part of every piece of Mendelssohn - a kind of very youthful -- stormy, but yet very gentle and very pure in essence - which comes through in the music"

She paused before using the word 'stormy' -- I wondered if she was searching for the perfect adjective to describe Mendelssohn's music, or perhaps she could have been trying to translate 'tempestuous'...? I looked it up, and I can't find a perfect word to translate 'tempest' in the German language.

I often think of Mendelssohn's work in this way - tempestuous and sometimes impetuous. As I would say that I have a tempestuous love affair with this form music, the music itself, as in Shakespeare's "The Tempest" it is seemingly always new, as if I've lived my entire life without it on an island, and have opened my eyes and ears to discover the Beauty of Classical Music for the first time, each and every time, and now perhaps I fully see what the composer must see - to perceive that pure essence and sometimes impetuous youthful character which underlies the music.

Anne-Sophie Mutter played the violin much like the way she described it in the interview. Her phrasing of the music seemed to stretch the bounds of what the soloist would be expected to embrace. The soft passages were very soft, almost so soft as not to be able to hear except in a hall like Heinz Hall with the impressive acoustics. The louder, lively and fast passages (Allegro) she exhibited with the passion and fury that embellished the fervor I came to expect, and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra provided the perfect dramatic backdrop to it all.

Later in the evening Mutter returned to play Pablo DeSarasate's Fantasy on Bizet's Carmen for Violin and Orchestra, Opus 25. Now this was even more of a flight of fantasy, full of accent and delight - a performance that figuratively brought the house down with a standing ovation.

The other performances this evening included Georges Bizet's Suite from Carmen with the fantastic Les Toréadors which is instantly recognizable to just about anyone. The evening's last performance was Ravel's Bolero. To hear Bolero in person is probably 10 times more enjoyable than to listen to the music in any other pre-recorded venue. It starts out so low, yet you can certainly still hear it, then gradually works its way up to a grand and loud finish, is amazing. The dynamics of the performance came out really well.

Anne-Sophie Mutter discusses Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto

PSO 2011 Euro Tour - Mahler Sym 5 in Berlin

2011-09-11T18:23:00.000-04:00

I just finished listening to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra perform live in Berlin - an enjoyable performance of Mahler's Symphony No. 5.

Symphonie Nr. 5 von Gustav Mahler - Live aus der Berliner Philharmonie

Under the leadership of music director Manfred Honeck, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performs on 11 September 2011 at Musikfest Berlin. Live stream of Mahler's Symphony No. 5 by the orchestra is dedicated to the victims of the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001.

Manfred Honeck says in a statement:
"The 10th Anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 is of great global importance. For the people of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania, they have a very special place: one of the four planes crashed in a field near Pittsburgh after passengers on board intervened. These brave men gave their lives for the lives of others. To you and all the victims of September 11, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra dedicates this global stream of Mahler's Symphony No. 5 from the Berlin Philharmonic. "

--link--

PSO 2011 Euro Tour - Mahler Sym 5 in Berlin

2011-09-11T17:47:00.000-04:00

Symphonie Nr. 5 von Gustav Mahler - Live aus der Berliner Philharmonie

Under the leadership of music director Manfred Honeck, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performs on 11 September 2011 at Musikfest Berlin. Live stream of Mahler's Symphony No. 5 by the orchestra is dedicated to the victims of the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001.

Manfred Honeck says in a statement:
"The 10th Anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 is of great global importance. For the people of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania, they have a very special place: one of the four planes crashed in a field near Pittsburgh after passengers on board intervened. These brave men gave their lives for the lives of others. To you and all the victims of September 11, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra dedicates this global stream of Mahler's Symphony No. 5 from the Berlin Philharmonic. "
--link--

A Day - a sequence of events - Rapture

2011-06-11T00:12:00.001-04:00

She was there, at Heinz Hall, and I shook her hand. But I'm getting ahead of myself...

Writing is hard. Writing is difficult. Difficult is writing. I never once had one lesson. Just a few random thoughts as I prepare to describe tonight's concert. And of course I'm sitting here in front of the computer thinking of what to write, yet the concert was several hours ago, and I've already forgotten umpteen fabulous thoughts I wanted to say.

Manfred Honeck spoke at the WQED reception following the concert this evening. He is very soft spoken - his tone of voice is almost hypnotic - one can't help but like him for this intonation and of course for his marvelous smile which we see after the conclusion of every piece he conducts, during the applause, when he appears at the beginning of a composition, and of course tonight at Heinz Hall.

This day has been a long and deliciously full one. I took off work to take my daughter and her friend to the 3 Rivers Art Festival. The weather was perfect and the art was just amazing, yet that was just they day. Now it is night and I'm looking out the window - I see darkness. What many fail to realize is, is that a writer is working even when looking out the window, night or day. But I digress.

Whence the transition from day to night first began to happen, I cannot pinpoint precisely. Between the last shadows of sunset, and the beginning of the first selection came a horde of concert goers into Heinz Hall, a time of waiting as I watched the PSO musicians joyfully practice, and Manfred Honeck enter the stage with his usual grinning flair, where he would quickly commence Walter Braunfels' Fantastic Appearances of a Theme by Hector Berlioz. I took notes during the Fantastic Appearances, and of course I can barely read the now. I see the word 'chase' - oh yes, one of the movements certainly seemed like a chase, a marvelous fancy of flight, with the various sections of the orchestra each dancing their way in and out of the movement. Then came a slower more romantic movement which showed off the beauty and power of the string section, followed by a scherzo with a sort of question, brewing, building, with a hypothesis of thought - a conjecture which was only to be answered by 'Mit Breite, doch nicht zu langsam und etwas frei' which, translating myself means: 'with breadth, just not too slow and somewhat free'. I really enjoyed this piece (even thought it wasn't the whole composition) and am glad Manfred Honeck brought it to us this evening.

Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 with Emanuel Ax, piano. Now that's enough to draw me to the concert this evening. Ax's performance was simply magnificent. I also enjoy watching him play. I spoke to a few friends at intermission. One indicated that Ax's hands remind him of Beethoven himself. Another sat close enough to observe that as Ax would strike the keys, occasionally it seemed as though he was moving his hands in a sort of vibrato, normally associated with a stringed instrument. [Vibrato is a musical effect consisting of a regular pulsating change of pitch. It is used to add expression to vocal and instrumental music. Vibrato is typically characterised in terms of two factors: the amount of pitch variation ("extent of vibrato") and speed with which the pitch is varied ("rate of vibrato").[1]]

As I listened to Mr. Ax play the piano, I was struck by the sheer number of notes being played. They say that Mozart wrote a lot of notes, but I'd say that Beethoven has him beat. This particular concerto is so full of notes for the piano, it prompted me to try to estimate the number. Let's say he played for 20 minutes, at 6 notes per second per hand. That comes out to about 14400 notes. Anyone know if I'm close?

I also noticed how peppy Mr Ax is when he plays and when he enters the stage. He seems to be truly enjoying himself in his performance. Between phrases of the music, I often see him looking up at conductor Honeck, and of course that's all part of the timing, but when he looks he's smiling.

Ok, so when I write I sometimes procrastinate. Even this late at night. Yes, I put on the TV. And I see there's a show called 'What makes Pittsburgh Pittsburgh' Which reminds me, after the concert Jim Cunningham gave Manfred Honeck several presents. One was a case of Austrian Beer: Another present was some polish beer. Okay, I think I'll try either kind, but my preference might be for the Gösser Bier. Sind Sie über 18 Jahre?

Brahms' Symphony No. 4. Now that's rapture. What else can I say? The first movement seemed to be the same kind of development that was made famous by Beethoven. Somehow Brahms took 2 notes, and developed them. At least to my ears that's what I heard. Sure, there were many complex dynamics built into the movement, yet you can't mistake the various places where those same two notes (not the same pitch every time) are repeated again and again, sometime going up, sometimes going down. And then there are 3 then 4 notes.

The PSO seemed very well balanced with this Brahms symphony. Ever part of the orchestra was easily heard. The 2nd and 3rd movements are very familiar selections to anyone who's familiar with classical music. Yet when they got to the 4th and final movement I couldn't recognize it - I'm not sure why.

I met a fellow blogger again tonight - Jennifer. And that opening line was just the hook, and now you have the resolution. Jen and I were both at the reception following the concert. I didn't see any of the other bloggers, even though I thought there might be a few. It was a nice event, hosted by WQED, and of course coordinated by the staff and employees of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, who did a great job of making it so much fun.

A Conspicuously Sensual Symphonic Theme

2011-06-03T23:41:00.000-04:00

There was no overt attempt to mask the conspicuously sensual symphonic theme this evening that Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra delivered before our hungry ears. The beautiful music was placed right out there before us, the listeners, to hear and to enjoy. The four selections all shared a somewhat romantic, sometimes modern, yet indelibly satisfying music that quelled an insatiable appetite for sound, simply for the sake of the aesthetic pleasure in relishing the resonance, vibration and intonation of each accented note, each symphonic chord that strikes deep within the soul, and scores with musical tones; no words, just glorious notes.

Richard Wagner's Lohengrin prelude to act 1 is a favorite of mine. I know, I've indicated that so many selections are a favorite, but this one really does stand out near the top of the list. A fan of Wagner, yes, and yet this is the first time I've heard Wagner live in concert. And wow is all I can think. I'll listen to this music over and over and yet never grow tired. It's motivational, as if to make one's mind soar beyond the bounds of our physical, to contemplate what's beyond the possible, to grasp a higher plane, mere words cannot say, the present is a realm which now approaches the infinite. And then it gets better, louder, more meaningful as the percussion and horns brazen a flourish, then strings bring the subtle meanderings around to gentle resolution - and it is profound, found again and again with an ending reprise. And I'm wanting - to hear it again.

This is immediately followed by the premiere performance of Alan Fletcher's Concerto for Bassoon and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, commissioned by and for the PSO with Nance E. Goeres. I always enjoy listening to new selections, it's a chance to experience something for the first time, and to concentrate on the music to try to understand it's meaning, its aesthetics and its impressions. I liked this concerto from the outset. Nancy Goeres did such a great job at introducing the concerto beforehand, and with the solo selections, it seemed amazing - some long and drawn out, and others quick and technically challenging - with a dynamic range on the instrument that seemed quite wide and ranging. Alan Fletcher did a great job of blending the Bassoon with other instruments, and the PSO, led by Honeck, blended the parts quite well. With the harp, it sounded like a perfect amalgamation, with the drums a clever counterpoint and often a sonorous march, with the large cylindrical bells (what are they called) it was a metronomic duo, and with the strings the Bassoon would soar. This concerto has something for everyone, starting off like a Shostakovitch modern sound, then moving to the second movement with a slower more romantic andante, then ending with building march-like rendition more classically structured, where entropy equalizes counterparts, and at the end, it was a sudden conclusion, not typical, and surprising, perhaps the bet way to conclude this addition to the concerto repertoire. All three movements received well deserved applause.

Honeck, Grimaud & Tower

2011-05-16T16:30:00.001-04:00

I'm going to miss Joan Tower's appearances at Heinz Hall to introduce her music. I've hear 4 or 5 of her compositions this season, and each one is fascinating in its own way.

As I mentioned in another blog post, the composition I liked most was 'Sequoia', which she wrote 30 years ago, and is by far the longer, but not necessarily more dynamic. All of her pieces are interesting, and after hearing 'Stroke' I find it to be the most dramatic, probably because of the way it fits so well to the subject matter.

This weekend last she introduced 'Stroke' which she dedicated to her brother who had a stroke. Apparently he was able to virtually attend this concert, because she indicated that the PSO arranged for it to be 'Skyped' to him. Technology can be an amazing and wonderful thing.

This composition, as well as the 'Sequoia', was able to capture the metaphorical musical representation of the phenomena she was attempting to portray. It was a bit of a scary journey, and the PSO handled the composition well. Just as Sequoia made be feel the vertical height and breadth of the massive tree, Stroke gave me a sense of the terrible debilitating effect.

Of all her compositions, Joan Tower indicated that Sequoia was the most difficult, and almost apologized for it to the orchestra members, way during the introduction. This was her last appearance this season with the orchestra.

As I said, I liked Joan Tower, and will miss her. She seems to be a down to Earth person, and at the same time we've seen the genius in her compositions. What a great combination.

Hélène Grimaud, piano
Manfred Honeck, conductor
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 23, K. 488

Hélène Grimaud has a great smile, and great hands. Really, to see her hands range up and down the piano, and to hear that beautiful music with the fabulous Mozart concerto no. 23, was a real treat. I took photos of her at intermission, and with every person she beamed a beautiful smile, it was infectious. My only regret was that I didn't get in line to get an autograph myself, because the line was too long and I'd miss the second half of the program. I hope the PSO has her back again.

One more reason I like Hélène Grimaud -- her fascination with nature and wolves: "Wolves are like most wild creatures," Grimaud says. "They want to be left alone." I can relate to that myself with my frequent trips to nature, with only my camera in tow. At the Westmoreland Conservancy in Murrysville, the signs sometimes say: 'Leave only footprints, take only pictures'...

Hélène Grimaud, Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 23

2011-05-14T23:34:00.000-04:00

Hélène Grimaud, piano
Manfred Honeck, conductor
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 23, K. 488

Final Alice with Hila Plitmann and the PSO

2011-05-08T20:55:00.000-04:00

Final Alice is based on the last two chapters of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and is sung by soprano talent Hila Plitmann. This performance was completely amazing. I was was nothing less than 'awe-struck,' that's the best way to describe it. I didn't really take notes during the performance because I wanted to really just sit there and observe.

Hila Plitmann basically stole the show, and well she should because it centered around her performance as Alice and all the rest of the characters in the story. The symphony at times would play loudly, and occasionally drown out her voice, yet I was still mesmerized. Some of the scenes were way out there, like nothing experienced before. Others were softer and very tonal, with memorable melodies and music.

During the post concert chat with Leonard Slatkin, Hila Plitmann and composer David del Tredici, conductor Slatkin asked Ms Plitmann "How do you prepare for this?"

Ms. Plitmann: "It's the best challenge out there. I had an interview the other day, and I was told about something you had said about what it takes to prepare for something like this as a singer and I feel that the wonderful think for me, I don't know how it happened in my life, but somehow the set of skills that I have seem to fit with this. There's a lot of things I can' do but this I seem to be able to do."

Mr. Slatkin: "The range, low-A to high-D, so we're talking two and a half octaves"

Mr. Tredici: "But I think the terrible thing is how it sits high for so long. The occasional high note is not so hard but a low note is high-A, I mean the way it stays there, in that first aria. Then you have to talk - I was wondering, is that a problem to talk and sing, alternating it?"

Ms. Plitmann: "It's not so much while it's happening, right now you can hear my voice is a little, sounds like a chipmunk, and that's part of the process of having to do something like this"

Audience question: "I have to commend you on that tremendous performance. It's incredible to even memorize that sort of body of work, and to work in not only the opera, but the speaking parts and know the story line and the timing -- that's just an incredible thing. While that popping was going on (problem with the microphone) to keep your train of thought, that was amazing" [My friend Miklos Sarkozi]

Ms. Plitmann: "Thank you so much."

Mr. Tredici: "And let me say, the way that Maestro Slatkin shaped one hour - the way it was shaped makes an enormous difference - it was just masterfully done."

Mr. Slatkin: "It's a journey, the fact that the piece begins and ends the same way, with that one note in the oboe, it sets off the journey, and I've done this piece 5 or 6 times over the course of 5 years."

I anxiously await the next time Hila Plitmann appears with the PSO!

Post-Concert Artist Chat, discussion of Final Alice, with conductor Leonard Slatkin, Hila Plitmann and composer David del Tredici.

ps: sorry this post is late, I've been busy all week taking photos of immature Great-horned Owl chicks...

Variations on a theme by Prokofiev

2011-05-08T20:20:00.000-04:00

Peter and the Wolf had a distinctly Pittsburgh theme this weekend past, performed by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Leonard Slatkin and narrated wonderfully by David Conrad. I've never seen Mr Conrad on TV, but in person, he did a great job narrating the Peter and the Wolf, especially with the variations which included some of the following:

Penndot
Doppler Radar
Traffic on Greentree Hill
Most livable pond (for the duck)
'Yins can't flap
Leaving Lawn Chairs to reserve parking space
Cat named U.P.M.C
Meadow - near Cleavland
Orange traffic cones
Steeler Man
Scratch my back with a hacksaw
Double Yoy
Blond woman reporter on the scene
15 yard penalty
Empty bankrupt IC beer cans
Still haven't gotten over the Superbowl
Tail-gating parties
Father was Charlie Sheen
Sitting on a natural gas bonanza
Sick and tired of the whole Frackin' mess

It was very humorous, and the music by the symphony was delightful.

Twisted Storybook Favorites with the PSO

2011-05-07T07:20:00.000-04:00

Stage at Heinz Hall, Twisted Storybook Favorites with the PSO

Concert Prelude, discussion of Final Alice, with composer David del Tredici and Marah Gubar, Director of Children's Literature program and faculty at the University of Pittsburgh; moderated by WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham

Mad Hatter at Heinz Hall lobby, Twisted Storybook Favorites with the PSO

Artist at Heinz Hall lobby, Twisted Storybook Favorites with the PSO

Artist at Heinz Hall lobby, Twisted Storybook Favorites with the PSO

Twisted Storybook Favorites with the PSO

Post-Concert Artist Chat, discussion of Final Alice, with conductor Leonard Slatkin, Hila Plitmann and composer David del Tredici

Post-Concert Artist Chat, discussion of Final Alice, with conductor Leonard Slatkin, Hila Plitmann and composer David del Tredici

Items on Display at Heinz Hall lobby

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland illustration by Salvador Dali

Alice Liddell photo by Lewis Carroll, Heinz Hall lobby

new sculpture at Heinz Hall

Ohlsson and Blomstedt with the PSO

2011-04-09T23:35:00.000-04:00

This evening was a rare treat - Herbert Blomstedt conducting the PSO, and Garrick Ohlsson playing the Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 - also the Brahms 1st Symphony - what could be better?

Before the concert began, I spoke to an acquaintance I see often at Heinz Hall; he wanted to tell me that he read my blog post from a few weeks ago discussing Nicola Benedetti's appearance playing the violin with the PSO. He thought she was charming and beautiful, and his general impression was very enthusiastic. I was certainly pleased that he read and liked the blog :)

A musician of the PSO, English Horn in hand, introduced the concert as a very special evening, "The fireworks you hear tonight will come from us first, then across the river later" [after the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game].

Guest conductor Blomstedt began the concert quickly and succinctly, with baton darting as if 2/2 time, smiling, and with his left hand he often seemed to be imploring the orchestra to bring forth the music.

The concerto led off with strikingly dramatic drums and strings, and soon Garrick Ohlsson joined on the piano. This Brahms concerto, at least the first two movements, were not familiarto me, thus my first real experience is yet again the beautiful live music from a fantastic soloist along with the PSO -- a great way to instantly draw a liking.

The woodwinds played like beckoning calls, and Mr. Ohlsson played 4 steps up and 2 steps down followed by English horn calls and the two main violins playing solo together. The sequence was interesting, but the part I liked best with this movement came next: ding-Ding on the keyboard in dramatic harmony with the orchestra in a somewhat faster pace and louder volume. Then a sort of love theme is played alone by the orchestra and the keyboard joins in. Here I find the effect somewhat discordant. Next the orchestra and the piano form a sort of alternating dance swaying back and forth, a thrilling bit of drama followed again by the horns and drum making harmony once again. The audience can't help but applaud after the end of the first movement.

The slow movement shows some of the beautiful technical and interpretive skills of Mr. Ohlsson. And it is the third movement that I finally recognize: and it was played to perfection.

After intermission I'm again struck by the constant pleasant smile from guest conductor Herbert Blomstedt. He begins the Brahms Symphony No. 1 with drums driving the tension and increasing the energy. He seems to have a wonderful rapport with the symphony. To me, the Brahms symphony seems to have all the right notes, there never seems to be anything awkward, each phrase is interesting and inevitable.

I sense a perfect synergy of synchronous syncopation,
saturating my senses with sublime syllables of succulent spectacle.
Sometimes subtle, sometimes sumptuous, smooth and silky,
scintillatingly sheer, soaring successive slippery slopes,
succeeding with superb sequences of symphonic splendors serenading my soul
- and that was just the first part of the first movement.

A powerful force came forth from the very domain,
encompassed my ears with sounds that aptly sustain,
with a subtle embrace,
filled with power and grace,
compelling a cadence of chords to the final refrain.

The symphony ended, and a standing audience applauded - and I smiled. Herbert Blomstedt aptly shook hands with the principle musicians; he then waved his hands in a low motion to the musicians of the Pittsburgh Symphony, as if to say: wow, this performance was great. When he reappeared the musicians stomped and rocked their feet on the stage and vigorously waved their bows as if to say thank you to the conductor. As a reward he initiated an encore of a part of the third movement by holding up three fingers. This was quite a treat, to hear it again, it was beautiful. Indeed we were treated to fireworks tonight!

Liszt's Thematic Transformation

2011-04-06T13:27:00.000-04:00

I was unable to attend last weekend's performance, but was glad I could tune in to WQED-FM which broadcast the concert live. I managed to catch the second half including Liszt's Piano Concerto Number 2.

Out of interest I read Matt Campbell's post and how this was to be a new experience for him. I, on the other hand, have heard this concerto many times -- I purchased a CD years ago because I love Liszt, and I've literally heard it perhaps a hundred times in my car. So with that in mind I listened intently on Friday night. The tempo used by conductor Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos was somewhat slower than I was accustomed to, but it seemed to fit well. Pianist Jorge Federico Osorio played very well, and the audio quality of the broadcast came through very clearly. However I wished I was at Heinz Hall, where I could listen to the subtleties of the orchestra. Nevertheless, I was pleased to be able to listen to this stimulating composition by Liszt performed by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

What I didn't know was that this was a concerto in one long part, instead of three movements. Even though I had the CD, it never occurred to me that this music was always moving forward, ever changing, without interruptions. Indeed, my new discovery of the idea behind this “thematic transformation", was a thrilling addition to the obvious adoration I have always had for this piece. And even on Friday night when I was listening, I was only mesmerized by the emotion and thrilling aspects of the music, and not concentrating on the details of movements.

The following paragraph is a concise description of Liszt the composer :

Liszt is music's misunderstood genius. When Robert Schumann heard Liszt play, he was struck most of all by the young musician's "tenderness and boldness of emotion." Clara Schumann, an important pianist herself, told her husband, "When I heard Liszt for the first time in Vienna, I just couldn't control myself, I sobbed freely with emotion." Although his popularity as a pianist was nearly unrivaled in the nineteenth century, his ultimate importance to music history is as a serious, boldly original, and even revolutionary composer.

Scheherazade with the PSO

2011-03-26T01:06:00.000-04:00

In a last minute change, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra added a piece to the program Friday evening. It was the Requiem for Strings by the Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu, and it was added to pay tribute to those who have lost their lives in the disaster in Japan. It was quite a moving piece, obviously written before the disaster, yet a fitting tribute.

Paul Silver of the PSO viola section introduced the piece -- "with the understanding that emotional and spiritual healing must also occur -- we hope a spirit evocative of music, born upon gentle waves can make their way back to Japan, as they rebuild their lives."

Slowly, softly, the music began. It seemed to move forward, as if with steps, and often asking a question. The effect and use of dissonance seemed to tug at my heart, elucidating a a sense of sorrow. Yet musically very pleasant. Often different sections of the orchestra would start off at a different pace, and then end a phrase together again. I imagined it would be a difficult piece to play. At the end there was no applause, as requested by the introduction - just silence.

Next they PSO staff brought in the piano and the violin players returned. With that I imagined it would be hard for both the orchestra and audience to quickly switch emotional context. Indeed, the human spirit needs time to rebuild, but that's always what we do, we tend to rebuild.

With the Beethoven Co. No. 2, Johnathan Biss had no trouble taking up the melodic passages, blending elegantly with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The synchronization with the orchestra was indeed exquisite - Andris Nelsons gets much of the credit for this - he was able to pull the orchestra in at just the right moment, keeping time with his baton like a metronome. Beethoven, being my all time favorite composer, can't miss with any of his music. And to hear it live with the PSO was a great treat. The last movement is the most famous, and was performed with plenty of alacrity by the soloist and the orchestra.

The last time I heard Scheherazade was on the boardwalk in Ocean City last summer. She played for donations, and really was quite good. She was an immigrant, from eastern Europe, Romania if I remember (I asked), and she indicated she was working her way through school. Now that's the spirit of hard work and doing what you love, even if it is as a way to help make extra money to try to accomplish your goals.

Indeed it reminded me of the story of: 'Scheherazade, the fictional teller of the stories known collectively as "One Thousand and One Nights" or sometimes "Arabian Nights". Doomed to death by a vengeful sultan, Scheherazade prolongs her life by telling the king a new story for a thousand nights. When she finally runs out of stories, the sultan has fallen in love with her and makes her his queen. Rimsky-Korsakov used the story of Scheherazade as the inspiration for his popular programmatic work, with its familiar musical (and literary) themes.'

This story came to me as an introduction to the performance, and I placed it here because it seems the perfect place to reflect on the human spirit. It keeps on working, striving to recover from setbacks, or to avoid pitfalls. This evenings performance was indeed an inspiration. And to say the least, one fantastic performance by the PSO, famously led by the guest conductor Andris Nelsons, who seemed to soar off the stage as he leaped in the air - I'd even see the reflection of the felt red of the podium on the souls of his shoes.

Nicola Benedetti with the PSO

2011-03-05T09:39:00.000-05:00

I was really excited to be attending the concert this evening with Yan Pascal Tortelier, conducting the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and to be a part of the premier of Nicola Benedetti here in Pittsburgh -- it's always a treat to experience new talent, and especially a young musician with the ability and temperament to perform the less-often performed repertoire as was the case tonight -- it was thrilling!

Before that, however, the PSO again performed 'Tambor' (drum) composed and introduced this evening by Joan Tower. The subject of the piece centered around percussion and rhythm. As she described, there were 3 aspects:
1) percussion as a backdrop, the drums as an eyeline to the orchestra with short repetitions coming behind, sort of an edge, then with the solo violin (performed by Andrés Cárdenes), 3 triangles acted as an icy backdrop.
2) a counterpoint and
3) percussion solos
It was all wrapped up into a sort of flowing music that I like to compare to the analogy given by Leonard Berstein as the kind of music which is hard to write, and would make a great backdrop for a movie score, and has to be so good that you don't even realize it's even there, yet without it, the whole would not seem complete (I'm paraphrasing from memory). I don't know if Ms. Tower intended this same sort of impression when writing this music, but that's the imagery that came to mind when I heard this action packed journey, which seemed somewhat similar to the other composition I heard last Fall, 'Sequoia', yet different in the actual use of percussion as the color.

Next, Nicola Benedetti entered the stage and began the first of the two pieces she would perform: Poeme for Violin and Orchestra by Ernest Chausson. This piece in particular seemed extremely challenging -- one of those kind of compositions which sound fabulous, with the violin and orchestra combined, giving a general feeling and atmosphere of a beautifully combined expression. There most certainly must have been expressive, rhythmical poetry intended by the composer and certainly the performance by Ms Benedetti was riveting and was synchronised well by Yan Pascal Tortelier, yet I wondered how the musicians themselves must have thought of the performance.

With the the next selection I believe my wondering thoughts were answered. During the performance of the Tzigane for Violin and Orchestra by Maurice Ravel, on several occasions during some of the most difficult yet intriguing parts I observed Ms. Benedetti beaming with a smile not yet seen before while performing. It was contagious, I smiled too, I believe the whole audience did too. It was a growing wave of joyful feeling of bliss as if all her insecurities had been set free, as if she had portrayed the music with just the exact kind of interpretation she had intended, and it seemed to spread as that same wave over the audience as an exquisite ethereal statement of harmony between soloist, orchestra, conductor and audience which culminated in a kind of rapture which erupted into an instant standing of ovation from the audience, and the empyrean finale of a singular performance.

At intermission she signed autographs. I got two myself :) What was really interesting was that she was sitting in orchestra row L center, not far from where I was sitting, and observing a fantastic performance of Firebird by the PSO for the second half - an artist in the audience.

Here are some quotes from last fall from Nicola Benedetti...

Plays a violin called the "Earl Spencer Stradivarius (c. 1712)" which she characterized in this interview as "an incredible instrument with a never ending capacity for sound and colors - as really developing yourself through the instrument. It changes a lot with different temperatures and different humidity, it's a very sort of temperamental instrument - it also reacts very strongly to bow and different kinds of hair, so its a very sensitive instrument, but you can't really get such beauty without the sensitivity, so it kind of goes hand in hand. I think most people that play strads say somewhat similar things, I think they do anyway."

On Fan Appreciation: "Signing CDs after concerts is always one of the only chances you get to speak to your audience and to really feel and understand and hear what they felt about what you've just done, and quite often it's so enormously different than what you yourself felt. Quite often this things if you felt somewhat uncomfortable or if you have some insecurities. actually speaking to people and hearing how much they feel the music and how much they focus on the general impressions of the concert and how much the feel the piece of music as opposed to necessarily how you've interpreted the piece of music, then that's what really carries. I think it's always a sort of comforting and an important thing to do, it gives you a chance to be much closer to them."

Pastoral Symphony, or "I am number six"

2011-02-27T00:33:00.000-05:00

According to Beethoven, the Sixth Symphony is "more the expression of feeling than painting"

A classical period of chordal progression,
afforded my mind with a kind of expression,
from apogee heights with harmonic collision,
to octaves of light under modal succession.

These were the lines in a pastoral theme,
building radiant smiles laced with idyllic beam,
whence nature and land belong to quelled dream,
and visions reveal my fresh startled esteem.

The moment in time to fall in love with Beethoven

2011-02-25T14:14:00.000-05:00

Who remembers the moment in time when they first fell in love with Beethoven?

Beethoven's manuscript for his Symphony No. 6

The question pre-supposes that you are, indeed, in love with Beethoven. The assumption is that you really really like the music composed by Beethoven. I do, and I suppose it's not too far of a stretch to assume that you do too.

This morning on WQED-FM 89.3 Jim Cunningham played his interview of Lars Vog t, who will be paying the Piano Concerto this weekend with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra at Heinz Hall in an all Beethoven program, including Symphony No. 6, "Pastoral", Piano Concerto No. 1 and Overture to Lenore, No. 3.

In the interview Lars Vogt described the moment in time that he fell in love with Beethoven. He was 10, and it was a recording of three of the Beethoven sonatas, including one of my favorites, the Appassionata (considered by Beethoven to be one of his most tempestuous piano sonatas).

It's hard to say personally when I first fell in love with Beethoven. I know for certain I was young, probably a teenager, and probably listening to Beethoven's 5th Symphony. It's got such power and force, yet is simple and surprises. Beethoven often surprises with his notes that always seem just right.

Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony is beautiful. I first remember hearing this when watching Disney's Fantasia. Those images are ingrained in my memory along with the notes, and are difficult to separate when I hear the music even today.

Through the years, the more I hear Beethoven, the more I fall in love with just about every composition he ever wrote.

The following excerpt is from Leonard Bernstein - "The Joy of Music" (I borrowed the book again recently from Carnegie Library)

And so Beethoven came to the end of his symphonic journey, for one movement, that is. Imagine a whole lifetime of this struggle, movement after movement, symphony after symphony, sonata after quartet after concerto. Always probing and rejecting in this dedication to perfection, to the principle of inevitability. This somehow is the key to the mystery of a great artist: that for reasons unknown to him or to anyone else, he will give away his energies and his life just to make sure that one note follows another inevitably. It seems rather an odd way to spend one's life; but it isn't so odd when we think that the composer, by doing this, leaves us at the finish with the feeling that something is right in the world, that something checks throughout, something that follows its own laws consistently, something we can trust, that will never let us down. {p. 105}

(The telecast concluded with a performance of the first movement of
Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.)

-- The last sentence was borrowed from "Why Beethoven?," page 21.

Why not stop by Heinz Hall this weekend and enjoy the beauty and the joy of music, Beethoven style. Face it, it is inevitable, you'll learn to love Beethoven.

Tchaikovsky Finale with the Pittsburgh Symphony

2011-02-16T20:38:00.000-05:00

As I arrived to Heinz Hall before the finale of the Tchaikovsky festival a while before the concert, I decided to stand in the lobby and observer for a while. Around was the usual hustle and bustle of the various sundry people coming into the main entrance area out of the brisk cold streets. Many of those arriving were smiling, some were laughing, others looking down at their tickets as they walked slowly and carefully forward momentarily without observing their way. Girls in pink, boys in blue, ladies in mink coats, men in sweaters, leather coats or coat jackets, wandered out of the entry way to the various other entrance halls with obvious looks of anticipation. Occasional groups of students from local universities or colleges would come ambling awkwardly forward, pausing and moving as a group, discussing their musical journey, or some doing social media like texting on their hand held devices, yet clinging to the others. Perhaps I was the only one observing, and my endeavor was more than an idle look into the entry of the patrons, but a way to pass a bit of time before the performance, and my food for thought for the construction of these notes.

What do they anticipate, what will they hear? After all, this is the finale of the Tchaikovsky festival, with two glorious examples of his compositional genius, Symphony No. 5 and the Violin Concerto. I even overheard at least two conversations in Russian language. Pittsburgh has a large international presence, and with this program it seems only natural. A group of 3 people on the second level lobby overlooking that grand hall were also speaking Russian, I almost wish I understood what they were saying.

Tonight Manfred Honeck returned to conduct the orchestra. I found the conducting methods of Gianandrea Noseda, from last weeks concert, and Honeck, for this evenings performance to be widely varied, yet both have a commanding aspect in their own distinct style. I like them both - it's difficult to compare without somehow seeming critical of one versus the other, yet I'll try. First the layout of the orchestra was different. Last week, with Maestro Noseda, the Bass were on the right, and the Viola and Cello were slightly rotated. With Maestro Honeck, the Bass were arrayed on the left. I find the sounds from either configuration to be pleasing, so in that respect I'm not the critic that can describe the merits of either. Perhaps someone from the PSO would like to comment. However, I do like the fact that the changes give me the opportunity to see different musicians in different positions.

With respect to their motions and technique while conducting, I'd say that Maestro Noseda is much more animated than Maestro Honeck, perhaps using much more energy. That's not to say that Honeck isn't also out their with sweeping motions of his arms and baton along the same lines, it's just that when our Music Director does it it somehow seems almost effortless, yet to the same overall effect on the orchestration. Manfred Honeck often stands completely erect, with a elegant sophistication of his posture, yet still exudes the kind of direction and emotion directed toward the players as much any other conductor. In this respect I admire his ability to straddle a fine edge of control, where in one respect he's composed yet confidently and effectively leads and synchronizes all the players.

Serge Zimmerman played the violin solo of the Tchaikovsky Concerto, accompanied by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. This performance seemed to be at a somewhat slower tempo that I've heard this selection before, which I like. The lilting tone of the violin seemed perfect for this concerto. Zimmerman did such a fine jobs in the solo parts. I spoke to an acquaintance who I see often here at Heinz Hall -- His impression was that Zimmerman and the Concerto were really good. It's always interesting for me to hear what others think of the performance. Not everyone is always in agreement, but this time it seemed that everything went just right for the Violin Concerto. The first movement starts out with beautiful melodies, when mixed with the softness of the orchestra, and the flute, sound sublime. About two thirds of the way it there is a solo part that seems technically challenging, followed by the symphony with a grand Russian theme. My favorite part is the third movement which played fabulously with the recurring melody, one I like to whistle afterwards.

The Symphony No 5 was played so expertly by the PSO, I simply can't do it justice in just a few words. All I can say is that the beautiful amalgamation of Conductor Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony gave one of their best performances.

One final note. If you haven't had a chance to read through the program notes for these Tchaikovsky festival performances at Heinz Hall and elsewhere, and you can still get your hands on one, it's definitely worth it for the wealth of information about Tchaikovsky, his compositions and the performances.

The right place at the right time

2011-02-05T16:34:00.000-05:00

The right place at the right time, that was my appointment with destiny. This evening at Heinz Hall suit the bill for the proper conjunction of these four dimensions, intersected with my presence, thus a confluence of sound, space and time dealt me a full hand, and I played it out to completion. Tchaikovsky was the featured composer this evening, thus beginning a two week run of compositions. Don't be late for this performance, those first few bars of the Piano Concerto No. 1, in B-flat minor, is nothing to willingly miss. Those opening notes are one of the most famous in classical repertoire, and this was no exception.

Denis Matsuev played the piano with a furious depth of technical detail and delicate interpretation highlighted mostly by the many solo passages literally scattered throughout. The first movement contains a beautiful romantic part sandwiched between the scintillating opening, played exquisitely by both the PSO and Mr. Matsuev, and other sometimes incongruous passages mixed with pieces of flair. The enigma of Tchaikovsky sometimes confuses me, genius melodies, grand passages that seem just right, yet some parts of the 1st movement seem forced and not particularly coherent with the rest. Occasionally the soloist and the symphony seemed out of step, and I observed the conductor looking back to the soloist as if to say, get back on track. Yet it was certainly fantastic to hear and enjoy the journey, and I marvelled at his obvious skill.

Conductor Noseda led a heroic effort to bring this concert to our eager ears - he regained the timing quite nicely in the second and third movements which played out extremely well, the tone of the piano and the volume of the orchestra well balanced, and I enjoyed the amalgamation. From my seat I could see two monitors which faced the orchestra - obviously not meant for the audience. On those monitors was a view of Gianandrea Noseda conducting the orchestra and the soloist from the orchestra's perspective. Wow- what a great thing, but why not make it viewable by the audience, I wondered to myself. From that view it seemed more natural, and looking back and froth between the back and the front view by alternating my attention, I was able to discern the subtle and marvelous movements of his baton and hands in a way that seemed to describe the music much better. It seems such a great idea to show the audience what the orchestra sees, and what I saw seemed more poetic than simply looking at his back.

After intermission came excerpts from Romeo and Juliet performed by actors, then the PSO played Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet with tenor James Flora and soprano Danielle Pastin singing - now this again was a wonderful treat as I've never hear it this way before - and to my surprise it was sung in Russian. Their voices were fantastic. Again we were treated to the actors on stage with excerpts from The Divine Comedy, Inferno, which was a fitting way to introduce "Francesca da Rimini." This piece by Tchaikovsky is a sweeping composition somewhat like his symphonies. I've heard it before, but never like this. It was truly magnificent. The PSO did such a great job - afterwards the audience rose to instant and sustained to applause.

Step back to the future

2011-01-28T23:52:00.000-05:00

Conductor Arild Remmereit quickly enters Heinz Hall, brimming with a wide smile, and his rakish good looks, he waves to the audience, then briskly begins Mozart's Symphony No. 40. Many times I've listened to this symphony on CD in my car. Hearing it for the first time live and in concert is a treat. Remmereit's style of conducting is an animated immersion into the music, reaching low and bringing up the strings, with his hands adroitly leading the woodwinds and horns into action. No need for a baton or podium, this music he obviously knows by heart, and with his direction, the symphony orchestra accentuates this classical composition.

The second movement (Andante) begins with the viola section, and quickly the elegant blending of sound moves like a wave through the sections, at times highlighting the pureness of the higher notes coming from the strings - a beautiful sound indeed. Smiling again, Remmereit starts off the third movement, a Menuetto, as if he is dancing with the orchestra in a Waltz, leading the movement back and forth, his hair waving as he gestures. Then comes a mini-intermezzo of sorts, that Mozart has sandwiched between the Menuetto, with highlights provided by the Bass and English Horn, then again the toe tapping tune returns. Finally an Allegro brings a furious movement of the fingers on the strings, and we hear one of the best forms of music provided by Herr Mozart. I wish it wouldn't end, and if it were in my car, the CD would progress to Symphony 41, but here we have vigorous applause by multitudes of happy smiling faces. I'm patient, I'm certain the PSO will bring Symphony 41 someday.

Next enters beautiful Viviane Hagner with her violin, and a magnificent dress of silver background and colorful ornate patterns adorned. To me this is the highlight of the evening. The PSO led by conductor Remmereit introduces the Haydn Concerto with their usual aplomb, and as Ms. Hagner joins it, I'm instantly impressed not only by her playing but by the timber and quality of the sound from her violin - the volume is powerful. The four instantly recognizable notes that begin use a special technique of playing two strings each at the same time, bringing out a special harmonic quality. The second movement (Adagio) is intimate in the appeal provided by Ms. Hagner, the luscious tones accented by quiet pizzicato provided by the string section. The Finale: Presto, I'm amazed, a lively performance by a reserved soloist (in stature), yet resoundingly outward in the quality and volume of sound.

The Haydn Concerto was written around 1765, 20 years or more before the Mozart Symphony that preceded this performance this evening. I can't help but imagine what it would have been like to have lived in that time, and to have experienced each new composition anew. Tonight Ms. Hagner took me back in time, as if it were indeed the first time this concerto had been presented to a listening audience. And when it was over, I was forced to step back to the future, and stood and applauded, as if waking from a dream.

Intermission begets the advent of Sibelius Symphony No. 5. I envision a series of scenes, as if sequences of a motion picture. Perpetual motion found in the strings is augmented by particular ambiance of the woodwinds and horns, like the birds and the bees in a mid summer's amalgamation. By the end of the movement the climax is intense, and as I see in the conductor's furious strengthening of the tight knit and voluminous melding of sounds from 100+ orchestra members, it ends at the peak of a spectacular precipice, and the audience can't help but applaud, even though we've got more to go. The second movement employs an effective use of pizzicato. The third and final movement brings out, finally, the love scene, a beautiful sequence of notes presented by the English Horns, the famous melody of this Symphony - unforgettable! The scene leads to a chase, and eventually a recapitulation with my famously coined love scene melody, only this time a bit ironic as if lost, and eventually at the conclusion, again found. A great ending to a marvelous evening!

Valentina Lisitsa

2011-01-15T10:04:00.000-05:00

Who says classical music isn’t ‘hot’? Tonight we found out otherwise, with the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2. Valentina Lisitsa poured her heart out on the piano, it was spectacular to watch and to hear. The strings of the PSO opened with sizzling sounds that exploded with scintillating reverb bringing that ‘hot’ lush sound I’m often longing for when I attend a Pittsburgh Symphony. And the whole of the first movement seemed to whiz by with such alacrity and aplomb, I was awe-struck. But it was the second movement that literally brought goose bumps. The romanticism is evident in this movement – I’ve listened to it so many times, and I never grow tired. The final movement has some of that famous sounds that many have heard before – again a very romantic theme, and the piano and the orchestra share turns repeating the theme over and over, leading up to a stunning and climatic finale. The hands on the piano were amazing, and the audience leapt to a standing ovation. I’m so glad to have had this opportunity to witness the joy of this concerto, performed by an artist, Valentina Lisitsa, who’s smile was radiant and beaming with effuse expressions, especially at intermission when she signed autographs. I shook her hand, congratulated her on a great job on my favorite concerto of all time — and now, I have a favorite performance of this beautiful concerto. (from May 2010)

Duet Handbells at the PSO before the Holiday Pops

2010-12-21T20:26:00.000-05:00

I enjoyed the Holiday Pops with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the Mendelssohn Choir

Before the concert began, in the lobby at Heinz Hall in front of the Christmas tree, Robert and Roberta Erickson at the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Heinz Hall, performed Solo and Duet Handbells

2010-12-05T07:07:00.000-05:00

This is the Christmas tree at Heinz Hall:

While waiting for the start of the Verdi Requiem (which I really liked), I took my own photos of the framed pictures that adorn the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Christmas tree. Click on the image to see a larger view. Who can name all these events? I think the top left picture is the PSO performing before the Pope. And the bottom left looks to me to be PSO performing at the Musikverein in Vienna. The top right reads 'PROMS' - is that in London? And of course Heinz Hall is below that. Anyone know the rest? Leave a comment if you do.

After the concert while exiting, I was pleased to meet Joanne Rogers. I knew that she was a pianist herself, having heard her music played on WQED-FM on several occasions.

And here I am taking pictures...

A hearty meal and lots of desert!

2010-11-27T11:01:00.000-05:00

Last night, as I entered the Family Circle seating area on the upper level of Heinz Hall, I looked down and noticed that the stage was setup somewhat differently. There were individual podiums placed strategically for the members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. They were arranged so that as you moved outward in a semi-circle, the players were progressively higher. I thought it was a good idea, yet it's difficult to say if it lent any audio quality to the performance. I suspect it's more to do with the Orchestra Main Floor: when one sits down there it's often hard to see the woodwind players and others that sit behind. In that respect I believe this is a great idea, I hope they continue with future performances.

Johannes Moser was the featured cellist with the Dvorák Cello Concerto. What a grand concerto this is: beginning with the full force of the orchestra in typical Dvorák style. The first movement is built around four notes that seem fitting for the Cello: dah dit dit dah is the best that I can describe it with words, the notes are woven all throughout. Mr Moser doesn't begin his solo part until about four minutes into the performance, and that's the way I like it because that beginning part by the orchestra is pure symphonic Dvorák, and builds the anticipation for the soloist.

The orchestra really shined in the first movement, but in the second movement, it was Mr Moser all the way. The soft tones from the cello were really quite enjoyable to hear and to experience. A friend and his father attended with me, and one of them thought the cello didn't project enough volume - perhaps the nature of this movement is indeed that way, but I could hear and delighted in the softness of the sound.

With the final movement, one reaction "my favorite movement by far. What genius it must have taken to have written this." Another: "it didn't seem as good as the first two movements." I'm certain that everyone has their own reactions. Mine, I thought it was a very good movement, there were some symphonic flourishes and some multi-string playing by the soloist that were really interesting. All in all, I'd say this is a wonderful concerto.

If I back up just a bit, there were Viennese waltz and polka demonstrations provided by Arthur Murray Dance Studio in the Grand Lobby prior to the concert. Four couples volunteered, and were shown these dances by the two dancers as the rest of us looked on.

After intermission Manfred Honeck said: "Tonight it's been like a Thanksgiving, first we had a hearty meal, and now its time for lots of desert!" Of course he was describing the Waltzes and polkas by the Strauss Family about to begin. Desert is my favorite part of the meal, and so too is the music that the PSO played so wonderfully, beginning with the Overture to Die Fledermaus, one of my favorites!

Last year this concert was beautiful, yet this year it was so much more. First there are all the waltzes, they speak for themselves - if you've never experienced this music in person in a concert hall I implore you to do so - the live music is without compare. One of the selections this year was the "Little Chatterbox Polka" with children of PSO orchestra members playing musical ratchets - it was delightful.

This year the 'desert' was heaped with one added topping: soprano Rebecca Nelsen, with her beautiful voice, treated us to the laughing and singing and the joy of "Mein Herr Marquis" wearing a marvelous white dress; also in "Vilja", she introduced as: "one of the most beautiful pieces in operatic repertoire .. tells a beautiful but sad fairytale".

Later she performed with the PSO, "Spiel’ ich die Unschuld vom Lande" (Audition Song) - indeed her portrayal of three different personalities auditioning was marvelous, a country girl, a queen, and I didn't quite catch the last one.

When it seemed the concert was over, Rebecca Nelson appeared one more time with the lyrics "You may think its time to go, but I'm not done yet - oh no!" A fabulous song, I'm not sure the name, she danced back and forth on the stage, she exits one side, then immediately enters opposite, and voila: there must be two of her - what magic? Was this an understudy or a twin sister? It was fun!

She made one final encore appearance clothed in a beautiful green dress - as she danced and sang, she gave red and yellow roses to members of the audience. Indeed this was an entertaining evening.

Myself and my friend Miki (Miklos); photo taken by his dad, also Miklos

The Finnish connection

2010-11-07T22:40:00.000-05:00

I had two tickets with me Saturday, and one was a sure winner - it was the ticket to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra - the other, the lottery, no I didn't win that one.

On the way to Heinz Hall I listened to Igor Stravinsky's "Le Sacre du Printemps" - "Rite of Spring" - it seemed like it would be a fitting introduction to the first selection also by Stravinsky: "Scherzo fantastique," both compositions have the same style, but the Scherzo was more light and airy. Presumably this was based on a hive of bees, and certainly it wasn't hard to image that analogy. Yet I was also able to conjure deer, birds, various scattering ground animals, a waterfall, a gently elegant swan arriving to the scene, and then back again to the bee analogy. A very pleasant scherzo.

Next up was Jean Sibelius "Symphony No. 7" in one movement. It opened with the rich depth of the strings blending their full force in a fabulous amalgamation: one of my favorite sounds from a symphony. Throughout this continuous symphony I sensed a continual building - a motion up and down in sight and sound, an emotional outpouring from the various sections of the orchestra as if an interaction between two people. It was mesmerizing in its effect. Toward the end the metaphor continued to build until an obvious climax of symphonic sound, and followed by an emotional aftermath of finish. It was fitting that a Finnish conductor, Susanna Mälkki, lead the PSO on this emotional roller coaster written by Finnish composer Sibelius (when he was around age 59). I saw in the lobby that the piece we would hear later, Finlandia, was written much earlier, around 1900.

After Intermission came the fantastic Concerto No. 1 by Dmitri Shostakovitch. What a treat, the music, obviously much more modern than the rest of the program, was invigorating. The superb style of Leila Josefowicz, the violin soloist, was amazing to hear. The music began Nocturne in a somber tone with cello, then the violin. Then came the Scherzo with a quality I've heard before from Shostakovitch. It sounded very much like his Piano Co. 2, which I first heard in Disney's Fantasia 2000, subtitled "The Steadfast Tin Soldier." Leila Josefowicz just blew me away with the Passacaglia third movement as well as the final Burlesca. Throughout the performance she played with sustained determination on her face. One thing I wondered: How could she remember all those notes, and the synchronization with the symphony, it must have required a lot of practice and a great memory, not to mention the work done in practice with the PSO before these concerts.

I enjoyed beyond expectations all three of the compositions as prelude, but I have to say, the highlight can never fail to be one of my favorites: Finlandia by Sibelius. I could see the audience around me appreciably perk up when conductor Mälkki began this composition. It started with a powerful brassy kind of brass, yet not over-damped nor overpowering to my eardrums simply for the sake of volume, only the very best and cresting of sound. The adrenalin is pumping now, and everyone is in rapt attention. Halfway through the composition begins a softer melody that to me seems to be a very patriotic tune, one that I hear in my mind's ear over and over after the concert, and I'm humming in the lobby when it's over, even while waiting for Leila Josefowicz for the post-concert CD signing in the grand lobby.

The Autograph

2010-11-06T23:46:00.000-04:00

Leila Josefowicz signs an autograph for a little girl who waited in line for quite a while.

Sometimes, a picture really is worth 1000 words.

During her solo, Leila Josefowicz played so many notes in the Shostakovich Violin Concerto No. 1, to me it seemed a feat almost impossible to remember let alone execute with fabulous ability.

Sarah Chang in her own words

2010-10-30T09:40:00.001-04:00

Sarah Chang returns with the PSO

2010-10-29T23:04:00.000-04:00

Tonight at Heinz Hall Sarah Chang performed, along with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Max Bruch Violon Concerto No. 1. Bruch's brooding first movement is really a prelude, and Ms. Chang's abilities are immediately on display. The orchestra chimes in with louder building lines, and they take turns slowly introducing the mood.

I'm struck by the flair and entertaining style she uses when playing, often leaning back after a phrase to rejoin the orchestra, or during a cadenza following through with a 360 degree broad sweeping motion of her bow like poetry in motion, her beautiful long dark hair flowing along with her and following as if part of the animation. When she played, her fingers of her left hand danced along the strings while her right hand, it's reflection also seen in the sequins of her beautiful dress, expertly moved the bow across the strings. When the concerto finished, she beamed a broad gleaming smile at conductor Ludovic Morlot, then bowed multiple times for the audience, saying thank you with her lips.

In the post concert chat Ms. Chang mentioned that she was very glad to see Concertmaster Andrés Cárdenes return this weekend again. I was glad to see him too, and it was nice to hear his solo at the end of Joan Tower's 'Sequoia'.

Joan Tower introduced her compositions last week and this. All three of the pieces were very nice new music, but I must say that Sequoia, which she indicated that she wrote 30 years ago, was by far the longer, more dynamic and grand composition. I believe she said there were 64 percussion and/or timpani - indeed there were quite a lot of instruments and players arrayed on the stage. She said the piece was very difficult, and almost apologized for it to the orchestra members, in a fun way during the introduction.

I must admit that even though this is the first time hearing this music, I instantly became enamored with it. Several times the music portrayed a feeling of vertigo, a fitting metaphor which coincides with the title - I could envision a camera panning up the length of a huge sequoia tree, going on and on, as did the music, almost mesmerizing. There were beautiful reverberating sounds with the xylophones and winds playing together in a wonderfully synchronized blending. I'd really like to hear this again someday.

The last piece of the evening was Ravel's suite 2 from Daphnis et Chloé. What can I say - this is really beautiful music played flawlessly by the Pittsburgh Symphony and with the added treat of the vocals of the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh. With the choir, this piece comes really alive! I could see smiles on the faces of so many of the choir members during and after the music, they all seemed so happy to be up there and indeed I was happy to be in the audience. I couldn't ask for a better evening of entertainment.

Olga Kern with the PSO

2010-10-23T23:36:00.001-04:00

Olga Kern after performing Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 1
with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, signing autographs and at the post concert chat. I asked her if she would be willing to come back again and play Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 :), but of course that would be up to the PSO

Striking similarity: a possible variation on a theme by Haydn?

2010-10-15T21:52:00.000-04:00

I heard Haydn's Symphony no. 13, final movement, and I wondered if I'd heard it before:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieAKMmHV3PM

Then after a bit of thinking, I realized it's those same 4 notes that are used marvelously by Mozart in the final movement of his final Symphony, no. 41.
Has Mozart done a variation on a theme by Haydn?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA_1DpWeWL4

Experience something new with the PSO

2010-10-04T19:55:00.000-04:00

Richard Strauss: Don Juan

The PSO gave a stirring performance of this overture which I've heard before. Manfred Honeck indeed mixed the various instruments in a subtle yet flavourful treat. This is one tone poem I'd recommend to everyone.

I have recently enjoyed watching the movie: "Adventures of Don Juan (1948)" starring Errol Flynn, complete with fencing, court intrigue and an evil Duke to defeat. I daydreamed up images of the scenes from the movie in my mind while listening to the music. It makes for a great amalgamation of visuals to the marvelous symphonic tones of the music being performed live -- somehow better when there is this kind of counterpoint -- as it was for me in my imagination.

It made me think that symphonies like the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra ought to try some sort of effort like this to combine the music with something more visual. It's enough for me to view the orchestra themselves, but I often think how much better it would be to add a visual content on occasion. Often venues take old silent films and add live music. Last year, the PSO hosted Cirque de la Symphonie - a truly exciting new concept, and a fabulous way to listen to the beautiful classical music being performed while watching the amazing performances and adept skills of these extremely capable aerial flyers, acrobats, contortionists, dancers, jugglers, balancers and strong men -- that's a good start.

Wouldn't it be great to take a tone poem or overture like Strauss's Don Juan, and combine it with an old movie like the Adventures of Don Juan, I'm not sure how it could be choreographed, but it would certainly be more interesting. Perhaps a series of scenes or stills from multiple old movies spliced in a form that fits the music. Well it's just a thought, or perhaps a hint.

Bela Bartók: Piano Concerto No. 3

I really enjoyed the overwhelmingly performance given by Yefim Bronfman as piano solo along with Honeck and the PSO. I watch Mr. Bronfman's hands on the keyboard and wonder at the ability.

Sometimes I watch conductor Honeck to see how he synchronizes the performance of the solo with the symphony, it must not be an easy task. For me this is a new piece, and it's always a treat to hear for the first time a performance that I've not yet experienced with the PSO.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony No. 39

One of my all-time favorite pieces, one that helped introduce me to the wonders of serious classical music. I went into a phase in the past where I seriously considered classical music over pop music, the later growing old with repetition. Classical has the advantage that you can hear something new every day of your life, and you'd never run out. So I went to Monroeville library, which, at the time had a quite extensive collection of old LPs with classical, and listened to as much as I could. I tried to gather every single one of Mozart's Symphonies. My favorite two, if one can chose, would be Nos. 25 and 39. So here I am at Heinz Hall many years later listening to Mozart's fabulous Symphony No. 39 for the very first time live - and it is everything I adored when I first heard this masterpiece.

If you yourself bore of repetitive music, try to experience the depth and breadth, the very wealth of music that classical music represents. It's funny, my daughter tells me that whenever she hears my classical she thinks it's always the same thing, and I ask, does Offenbach's Can Can from Orpheus in the Underworld sound the same as the thunderstorm in Rossini's William Tell overture, or do either sound the same as the Morning Mood of Grieg's Peer Gynt? She knows those three - so I see she smiles - an indication that she knows otherwise - that these pieces are indeed not the same, but of course she has her favorite music, the new pop, just as I did when I grew up. So my advice is to listen and enjoy!

Of note, I read that Tomo Keller of the London Symphony Orchestra was our guest principle violin this last weekend. He did a nice job with the solos in the Don Juan and throughout the performances.

According to the PSO Artistic department, Mr. Bronfman's encore was Frederic Chopin's Etude, Opus 10, No. 12. This is one piece that I've heard before, many times, in popular movies or culture.

When I heard the encore Saturday night, I said to myself: 'that must be Chopin,' but I didn't know which piece. It's a crescendo of impending conclusion, a vibrant theme unmistakable in composition and ripe with finale. And Bronfman played it superbly, with much applause to follow. I hoped for a second encore, but it was not to be.

Beyond Development

2010-09-25T01:10:00.000-04:00

Opening night at Heinz Hall with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Manfred Honeck, conductor, and Yuja Wang, piano was a treat I have been looking forward to, and now it was a reality. As always, Honeck opens with "The Star-Spangled Banner by John Stafford Smith." Isn't it ironic to have an Austrian born and raised maestro conduct our distinctly American theme here in our country before our distinctly American audience. Liberty and individualism works for everyone, the whole world over, when it is embraced and adored as it is so very much here. Thank you Manfred Honeck for conducting this piece with such enthusiasm.

Before that, Music Director Honeck was welcomed with such enthusiastic applause, he even mentioned it himself, and that he was looking forward to making wonderful music.

Michael Gandolfi: Garden of Cosmic Speculation

As Mr. Gandolfi personally described to the audience himself this evening, his selections were meant to be played in any order, as if when one is visiting this garden in Scotland, one might visit in any order, whatever happens to be the sequence. This evening this piece was presented in 4 parts, and the sequence seemed just right.

It opened with "The Universe Cascade" - as I speculated, I envisioned an entire day at a garden buzzing with bees and insects, only the audio of this day was fast forwarded to extreme high speed, collapsing that entirety to only a few bars into a relative quiet scene where I speculated that the evening had arrived, and now the tempo reverted to a realistic pace. Soon I thought I heard a very brief glimpse of a suite from Bach, but then the garden reappeared, then again the patchwork quilt of natural sounds became a symphony by Beethoven, was I imagining this? The whole time a bell was ringing, perhaps a sound from a nearby village, or else the sound of a jay singing as the bird flies from limb to limb around the garden.

The Second movement "The Willow Twist" brought before my ears a suspenseful chase scene, one that could easily be used in any adventure movie, like a James Bond action sequence. But then there were birds chirping.

Next came "The Quark Walk" as if a disturbance in the force, and I quickly speculated that this movement represented lightning, thunder and rain. The bell was the lightning, the drum played a marvelous thunder rumbling sound, and the rain was represented by the piano and the whole rest of the orchestra following suit. I thought that this was one of the best representations of a rain shower that I have experienced, not a huge storm, but a simple garden shower.

Finally came the last selection titled: "Gigue (vision) /Chorale (the sixth sense: intuition)." At first it was spirited then slow, and I had an impression of sacred music, yet naturally blended with the sounds and feel of nature, again including the sounds of birds.

The whole while I was watching Manfred Honeck conduct this new piece, one that I've never heard before, and seeing the way that he directed the orchestra to synchronously illuminate in real time this marvelous medley of movements, in no specific order; I was speculating, yes, a cosmic speculation, as to the nature of classical music and how we ascribe themes as such to the music we hear. It's fascinating to contemplate the various metaphors of life that music conjures forth before our eyes whence the music flows through our ears and into the garden of our brains via our very souls.

Sergei Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini played by Yuja Wang, piano. This was truly the highlight of the evening. Lovely Miss Wang brought sounds and technique together in what was indeed a rhapsody, it can't be described any better than that. This piece is one of my favorites, but in the depths of Heinz Hall before a live audience and with a wonderful orchestra to bring out the multiple dimensions of music unable to be experienced except first had, I relished this unique adventure.

The first part explores the extent into which a great composer as Rachmaninoff can take a simple theme, and develop it to an extent that seems beyond what is possible. Just when you think there's nothing else that can be done with the simple and somewhat macabre melody, one more theme and extension to the developed ensemble of themes comes forth and amazes even more. I blogged last time about development, the kind that has always been the very best from Beethoven. Thus the juxtaposition of Rachmaninoff and Beethoven, and these two pieces together in one program seems to be the perfect fit.

When the next movement comes up suddenly, I imagine this isn't anything at all like the rest, it's a romantic melody that seems pure Rachmaninoff, yet he has fit it right there smack dab in the middle of this piece, and it seems to fit well.

Finally the ending: It's got the same kind of energy and inventiveness as we are used to from Beethoven, yet again inventing more ways to evoke perhaps a new theme and the original melody over and over to a wonderful and spirited conclusion.

After intermission we're treated to what else but Beethoven's 5th. The first movement's tempo was a bit fast, but it was played in such a perfect fashion, how can I complain. Honeck had no score before him, I can only assume that this oft played symphony is perfectly ingrained in his mind, as it is mine, I've heard it so often.

I really liked the Scherzo which showed off the talents of all of the sections of the PSO. We hear Bass and Cellos start, as if in a race which is being commenced by conductor Honeck. He next points to the Violas and they start their section of the race, next he glances towards the Violins, then to the rest of the orchestra, and this game goes on and on, in a truly interesting manner which brings a smile.

And of course the final movement. I can't help myself, every time I hear it in my car, I'm singing along. But how can one sing along to the final movement of this symphony: Easy, when you love the music as much as I. So now I have to needlessly restrain myself, the nervous energy seems too much, it's almost torture. So I simply imagine the accompaniment in my mind and tap as much as I can get away with with my leg. This movement seems to have the longest finale of all time. Just when you think it might be coming to a close, it reinvents itself one more time and goes on and on. I want it to never end, yet at the same time I feel it must. Eventually it does, and the applause, as it was for Miss Wang earlier, was beyond compare.

After the concert was over we were treated to a post-concert talk with Yuja Wang, which I'll save for later.

Beethoven's 5th

2010-09-21T09:47:00.000-04:00

I'm looking forward to this weekend's concerts with the PSO at Heinz Hall... Let's see, we've got...
Manfred Honeck, conductor and Yuja Wang, piano

Michael Gandolfi: Garden of Cosmic Speculation
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 5

I've never heard the first piece, but it certainly has a colorful name, and ought to be interesting. The Rachmaninoff is indeed spectacular, I've heard it so many times I can't count, and I never grow tired. It's been played countess times in the last few days on WQED-FM, just in time to perfectly whet my appetite!

Beethoven's 5th symphony is one of the most popular and best-known compositions in all of classical music, and one of the most often played symphonies.^[1] It opens with the following:

dit dit dit daaaaah
dit dit dit daaaaah

That's my representation, the PSO has it as Dah Dah Dah Daah.

In Morse Code, it would translate to the letters S T; what could that stand for? I'd say:

Symphony Transformative - for this symphony, along with Beethoven's 3rd, altered radically in form or function the very power we encounter when we experience a symphony. I like to think of these masterpieces from Beethoven as a focal point in the history of music -- everything before was as a pyramid building the structure for which Beethoven forms a pinnacle of the very form -- everything since has been a metamorphosis of the cumulation of this form -- therefore Beethoven is the pinnacle at a point in time for classical music or all forms of music for that matter. This idea I originally gleaned from Leonard Bernstein in his book: "The Joy of Music". I've expounded on the idea in my own metaphor of beauty - a point in time where beauty is so sharply focused, nothing before or ever again will seem as sharp.

Bernstein says in a conversation with friends, wondering why we all believe Beethoven is the greatest composer who ever lived:

"Beethoven -- like him? I'm all for him! I adore Beethoven. I'd just like to know why Beethoven and not Bach, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Schumann-"

And that's what I'm wondering as well. Why does the PSO lead or end their concerts so often with Beethoven. Because we all seem to love him. His music is a joy. Bernstein goes on to convince his friends that each of the elements of composition: melody, harmony, rhythm, counterpoint, orchestration, when taken apart, dissected, don't show a particular greatness individually. It's the development and the wonderful way in which the music is amalgamated together that somehow is perceived as a statement of sharply focused beauty. It's been a while since I read this book, I'm going to go out and read it one more time, it's quite entertaining, in fact, it's a joy.

This is me standing in the garden of Heinz Hall, which I understand has now been re-modeled:

Fun - a PSO Preview Concert

2010-07-07T23:40:00.000-04:00

It was serendipity that led me to the path of these lovely and gracious ladies, they invited me to an after concert drink at Olive Or Twist; which was very nice of them to let me intrude on their evening of fun. They were there with Jennifer, my fellow PSO blogger (center), who I happened to run into in the Heinz Hall lobby. The conversation was as much fun as the concert.

Fun is certainly the best word to describe this concert. The selections were well thought out - pieces which are indeed popular.

Yes, we experienced many happy movements of various compositions with the most pleasant of melodies; some lively, others simply enjoyable or memorable like the Finlandia. Various aspects of the breathtaking harmony blended enjoyably in nothing but entertaining merriment.

Well what else could be asked for but a season full of these lively compositions, and since this is a preview, we know for certain that the upcoming Pittsburgh Symphony season will indeed divert our minds on a journey of musical witticism - witty escapades mixed with festivity, beauty, and sometimes somber reflections.

But tonight was mostly a fun treat for the ears, and the mind. The evening was convivially narrated by Larry Richard, and Thomas Hong thoughtfully conducted the orchestra. One purpose of the evening was to try to convince the concert attendees to become subscribers to the PSO performances - I suggest you do! One fun moment was when Mr. Richard asked Mr. Hong to fill out this huge form with his name: and he did, but the name was Brad Pit :)

I want to congratulate Laura Motchalov on a fabulous violin solo of Max Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1. She was magnificent in the movement presented along with the PSO. After intermission, she had changed out of her beautiful blue dress into the standard dress black and was back on stage performing along with the rest of the PSO artists - now that's dedication.

Tief - how deep is Mahler's Third!

2010-06-12T00:04:00.000-04:00

Tonight's concert at Heinz Hall was extra special!

Manfred Honeck, conductor
Jane Irwin, mezzo-soprano
The Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh,
- Betsy Burleigh, director
Children's Festival Chorus ,
- Christine Jordanoff, director
Mahler: Symphony No. 3

This is but a brief list of why I think this concert shined brighter than Venus on a summer's night:

Manfred Honeck - when he conducts he's both a force of music, and at the same time comes across as humble and respectful. His smile seems to melt the audience's collective hearts.
Jane Irwin, mezzo-soprano -- wow, her voice was fantastic, and the words, written in German, were easily understood; I got to meet her at the event after the symphony --
The Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh along side the Children's Festival Chorus sang some beautiful songs along with the symphony - that was a treat.
Mahler's third - yet I see no subtitle; the first symphony was called "Titan" -- I guess when you start out with a giant like Titan, is there anywhere else left to go -- not up, but a broader, deeper symphony was this third, thus I suppose no subtitle is necessary when you grow thus.
Farcical yet tragic - Mahler's understatement of his symphony -- from wikipedia - "Mahler himself recognised the idiosyncrasies in his work, calling the Scherzo in the Third Symphony 'the most farcical and at the same time the most tragic piece that ever existed ... It is as though all nature is making faces and sticking out its tongue.'"' -- I wasn't sticking out my tongue; in fact, I was sitting there in awe with my mouth ajar, marveling at this beautiful music.
Nature - Mahler once said: “I might be called (with due deference to Him) the singer of nature. Since my childhood, nature has been for me the ‘one and all’.” Well as I've called myself a country-boy at heart, I feel one in tune with this composer - who is in tune with nature - especially after hearing his first and third symphonies. I need to hear some more, they are not played nearly enough. Somehow I missed the second symphony.
A Vital Force - If nature, to Mahler, is an overwhelming vital force then I wholeheartedly agree. I see nature everywhere and in everything. Mostly good, but nature has its deep and somber moments as well, and we heard that tonight in the first introductory movement and spread throughout this symphony. The range of the emotion was invigorating. The deep bass sounds and the drums where broad, expressive and moving, the strings were vivid and the woodwinds and brass trumpeted trilling messages of fervour.
The PSO - they were wonderful, what else can I say - except I believe the sounds was better tonight, perhaps the larger expanse caused by the projection of the back wall permitted a better permeation and greater dissemination of that fabulous brass sound.
Tief - Deep -- The lyrics/words by Nietzsche used this word 'Tief' to describe his 'deep dream from which he has awakened.
Die Welt ist tief - The world is deep. Tief ist ihr Weh - Deep is her woe. Doch alle Lust will tiefe Ewigkeit - Yet all joy wants deep eternity -- Und tief ist diese Sinfonie!
I was told that principal Trumpet for the PSO, George Vosburgh was off stage somewhere on the fourth floor playing that remote trumpet part in the third movement. To me that was one of the most beautiful solos and fantastic movements to a symphony I've ever heard. If I had to pick a favorite at this particular moment in the history of the world, this one is now it - it's my current 'next best thing.'
A friend who I saw at the after concert event hosted by WQED (why didn't everyone stop there on the second floor of Heinz Hall afterwards) told me Mahler is his favorite composer, and that if he had to pick a favorite movement from any symphony it would be that beautiful last movement where the strings of the PSO had their showcase - he does have a good point - but there can only be one favorite.
It was great to have Manfred Honeck stop afterward and speak to the folks who stayed after the concert.
Speaking of 'next best thing,' we are always searching for just that, the next best, and most important thing on our minds at the moment. Tonight I saw folks going to so many venues in downtown Pittsburgh, it's great to have an alive and vibrant community filled with the arts. If I could clone myself, one of me would be at the PSO, and the other would have been at the Three Rivers Art's Festival - I'm told they have an inflatable floating head of Andrew Carnegie on display, what a great sense of humour our town has!
I got to meet my new facebook contact Susan Johnson, who told me that little tid-bit about the sense of humour we all have in Pittsburgh :)
Likewise I met many of the people who work for and do the radio shows for WQED, including Jim Cunningham and all the rest. It was a pleasure to meet everyone.
Thanks to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for such a great season, and especially for letting me blog for them!

btw: I counted over 30 microphones strategically placed, the PSO was recording this live for later release on CD.

Brotherhood: Beethoven's Ultimate Statement of Joy

2010-06-07T09:28:00.000-04:00

"Yet how incongruous: Beethoven, in his deafness and isolation, was separated from his brothers by a gulf of intellect, phenomenal egotism, and—finally—silence. He came to personify the triumph of individuality, not brotherhood. " -- program notes on Beethoven Symphony No. 9.

I wonder, these words to me also seem philosophically incongruous. I've often delved into the rational investigation of the truths and principles of knowledge, and I continue to return to the thought that it is the individual striving to be better and to discern the ultimate truth - and to communicate the beauty and grace of this knowledge that brings a more lasting 'brotherhood' than any artificially concocted artifact of brotherhood thrust upon the collective in ways they many may lament or mistrust. Only individuals, upon their own impetus, can come together in brotherhood when the understanding through succinct interchange of ideas is ideally struck. What better elucidation of the harmonious ideas that Beethoven was trying to achieve than his Symphony number 9: The 'Ode to Joy'..? How many have heard this masterpiece and felt the ultimate joy he was trying to express. I feel ultimately connected to Ludwig van Beethoven through his music, more so than 10,000 million words could express. I feel the message and I propose that many if not most other 'individuals' do so as well. Was he isolated in his deafness: perhaps to those immediately around him. But who better in this world have expressed such wonderment as Beethoven? Separated from his brothers by a gulf? Perhaps not so much in reality when one considers his gift to humanity, which shared so generously. His triumph was not so much individuality for the sake of it, but it was his use of his own individuality which brought this gift of brotherhood to us all. Who can walk away from this symphony with any other feeling? No longer incongruous are these thoughts I forswear; rather: harmoniously matched and suitable is his brotherhood of all mankind in his ultimate statement of joy.

"(at the end of the first performance) with the audience applauding madly and waving handkerchiefs, the alto soloist went to him and turned him around. Then he was able to see the enthusiastic response he could not hear. Perhaps it was, at last, a rare moment of joy for Beethoven."

Indeed!

To Joy

2010-06-05T22:51:00.000-04:00

Arrive an hour early for the final concert of the first year of our Beethoven Project and enjoy a Concert Prelude with PSO Resident Conductor Lawrence Loh.

I did make it almost on time to see Resident Conductor Loh and his description of the 'Ode to Joy' Symphony by Beethoven. Lawrence Loh was very entertaining. In this sequence we see him describing all the movements of the symphony, and their depiction of various emotions from sad to joy, and along the way all the developments in the composition that take us on this journey into an amazing harmonic weaving which builds on the simple themes and melodies (for instance the third movement) and intertwines various flavors of the same phrases for different instruments and sections of the orchestra in a beautiful statement of both melancholy and ultimately joy.

Well the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra led by Manfred Honeck did not disappoint, their triumphant return to Heinz Hall along with the soloists and the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh delivered the nicest and fullest performance of this Symphony No. 9 that I've ever heard. Well I've only heard it one other time live in concert, and that was at Heinz Hall a few years ago. But this time it was such a treat. I'd like to hear it again and again. I've got several recordings on CD, and I only wish this one was available for purchase.

During the performance it was fun to watch various members of the orchestra and also the chorus. I couldn't help but notice them smiling from time to time, something about this symphony makes one smile: It's 'to joy', I suppose that's why. The magic of Beethoven is the affect his music has on everyone.

One more thing: I kept hearing that word repeated again and again by the chorus. That was the style that Beethoven used, to repeat the words over and over, to great effect. It was the word 'feuertrunken' which is always translated 'fire imbibed'. Well the actual literal translation would really be: 'drunk with fire.' Somehow, I think after hearing this symphony, I am drunk with fire (and I wanted to use my photo to demonstrate :)

Next week I'm really looking forward to Mahler: Symphony No. 3, a new piece for me.

An die Freude

2010-06-04T12:22:00.000-04:00

Check out Mark Rohr's concert notes on 'making the rhythm swagger' -- a description of the Scherzo in Beethoven's Symphony No. 9

Firepink, a photo I took this spring -- sort of
reminds me of 'making the rhythm swagger' --
I can't wait to hear it again at Heinz Hall
this weekend.

Here's some of the text of Schiller's poem -- 'An die Freude'.

I like this translation myself rather than the one you find publish because it's more literal to the original German, rather than the poetic twist you see in published English versions:

Freude, schöner Götterfunken,
Tochter aus Elysium,
Wir betreten feuertrunken,
Himmlische, dein Heiligtum.
Deine Zauber binden wieder,
Was die Mode streng geteilt;
Alle Menschen werden Brüder,
Wo dein sanfter Flügel weilt.
Seid umschlungen, Millionen!
Diesen Kuß der ganzen Welt!
Brüder, überm Sternenzelt
Muß ein lieber Vater wohnen.

Joy, beautiful spark of the gods,
Daughter of Elysium,
We enter fire imbibed,
Heavenly, thy sanctuary.
Your magic substance reunites
What style strictly divided;
All men become brothers
Where your gentle wings dwell.
Be embraced, Millions!
This kiss for the whole world!
Brothers, beyond the stars
There must live a loving Father.

Anne-Sophie Mutter performs with the PSO

2010-06-02T09:30:00.000-04:00

English version of the interview...

Anne-Sophie Mutter performs with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in Vienna - About Downloads, conductor experiences and breaks in the interview

Standard: Are there many downloads of your recordings?

Mutter: No idea, but I hope so. This would suggest that there are also some people below my age [downloading], for classical interest. If I'm traveling on, I also use an MP3 player, it's incredibly practical. And iTunes is a great thing. I can not imagine to lug suitcases full of CDs on tour. For private use, I prefer CDs. Subtleties, nuances there are better genuinely gained.

Standard: As a performer you like to devote extended periods of individual work cycles.

Mutter: at premieres it is clear. The point is, after the initial presentation in the next two or three years, it is possible to obtain many premieres. I try, for instance, where I can only [perform] violin concerto by Sofia Gubaidulina "reinzuquetschen." The work is great! It grabs you by the throat - from the first notes on!

Standard: premieres are important to you. Writes just half the world for you new?

Mutter: No, sorry, rather just a small part of the world, but of those it the important to me. Wolfgang Rihm has just written something, he and Krzysztof Penderecki have written something for violin and double bass. Even Andre Previn has sent me a violin sonata, which we will then premiere in 2012 in Essen. And I also hope very much that Sofia Gubaidulina will sometime take my request, writing something for violin and Aquaphone

Standard: Aquaphone, why is that?

Mutter: I have heard a piece for two cellos and Aquaphone, the whirring sound of the instrument - I was almost blown away, and Gubaidulina plays the instrument itself by the way, too

Standard: Pierre Boulez should also write something for you, yes.

Mutter: There was and is the order of the Paul Sacher Foundation with me as soloist. I do not know how it stands. With Boulez, the conductor, I had time with - my - a great pleasure working for some.

Standard: This was not as complicated as Sergiu Celibidache?

Mutter: For heaven's sake, no! If it is speed Celibidache questions failed to. Maybe his time greeting, I should everything that has ever said Herbert Karajan me of forget, in addition to me aroused resistance. From then on it was certainly very difficult, and it did not come to the concert. After the rehearsal, I have canceled the concert for artistic reasons.

Standard: Were there long periods, which you have not touched the violin while?

Mutter: Absolutely. Back when my first child was there. Then I remember a period of three months in which I was very busy. That is not bad. I have five and a half years, started playing violin, and am now 46th So, because three months are not relevant. There are of course always very intense work phases. But I am generally not a man who every day 8:00 to 12:00 on the fiddle would work. I can also at times the door is not even afford the luxury of me. Flexibility is also important for environmental reasons. Then I practice just at night or in between or even without the violin.

Standard: Why They recorded the Brahms Sonatas for violin and piano on now?

Mutter: One sometimes forgets things where you have buried his sweetest - in the garden of the vast repertoire. It is certainly good and right two years ago felt already, so we had taken into the vague eye. Then we also had a room available, recordings of acoustically suited for. And so the time is then placed in was when I did not have to give concerts. I had early lasting impression by David Oistrakh as a listener will, yes. By Alexis Weissenberg, I then played the sonatas.

Standard: What is the basic approach to interpretations of her?

Mutter: I'm from the big picture and, without losing it, then I fall in love in detail. Then I try to make sense of this big picture of the work to integrate the details. Of course, you consider: Where are the highlights of the work? How to play the recapitulation, it will change the tempo? How does all this sound to you? In the Brahms sonatas, it is also a helpful luxury that every composer has not, that it is correspondence, referring to the works.

(Ljubiša Tošić, THE STANDARD / print edition, 22./23./24.05.2010)

Immer schon und auch jetzt, in der Krise der Branche, eine stabile "Klassikaktie" - violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter.

Biography:
The German violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter (born 1963) was once discovered by Herbert von Karajan; they published their CDs and have always been with Deutsche Grammophon.

PSO 2010 concert tour of Europe

2010-05-23T08:41:00.000-04:00

Click this image for a map of the tour with interactive links...

The PSO 2010 tour continues, this is the latest:

______

TWO MORE COUNTRIES IN THREE DAYS

POSTED BY STEPHANIE TRETICK

The Philharmonie concert hall in Luxembourg was a pleasant walk from the hotel. Bassoonist David Sogg brought his folding bicycle on tour, and may have taken a more circuitous route however.

The Philharmonie is a dramatic structure of white columns and geometric surfaces, here dwarfing the people outside.

The smooth surface at the building seems to invite [...]

PSO 2010 Euro Tour

2010-05-13T20:36:00.000-04:00

In/Outside Heinz Hall after the PSO concert

2010-05-12T18:57:00.000-04:00

PSO 2010 European Tour

2010-05-11T16:08:00.000-04:00

Click the image to view the google map of the tour

PSO 2010 European Tour
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra BNY Mellon 2010 European Tour
blogs.pittsburghsymphony.org/2010/05/bny-mellon-2010-european-tour/

PITTSBURGH – Music Director Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) embark this week on the 12 concert BNY Mellon 2010 European Tour from May 15 through 29, 2010. In addition to two concerts at Vienna’s famed Musikverein, the Orchestra is also performing in Switzerland, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovenia. Joining the Orchestra and Maestro Honeck are violin virtuoso Anne-Sophie Mutter, renowned pianist Emanuel Ax, and dynamic cellist Jan Vogler.

Repertoire for the tour includes one of Maestro Honeck’s signature works: Mahler’s Symphony No. 1. Performances include Brahms’ Violin Concerto; Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8; Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5; Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor;” and Schumann’s Cello Concerto.

Depth of Focus

2010-05-08T09:00:00.000-04:00

Everything I expected, and more. That's the proverbial phrase, yet there it is, I've thrown it out and I hope you catch it. Hilary Hahn exuded technical mastery and exquisite tone. Her fingering on the strings were amazing to watch. And the whole of the the PSO brought a depth that moved my very soul.

Backup to the afternoon before the concert. I decided to do a photo similar to one I'd seen on Hilary Hahn's web site. I read in her journal that this perhaps this is her 'snow' year, as she encountered snow in Nashville and at many stops along a recent European tour. Here in Pittsburgh we had quite a bit of snow, and perhaps it was everyone's snow year, but to tell you the truth, I'm glad it's spring now and that there is glorious weather out there with green leaves and birds singing everywhere. In her photo she was holding her violin out in front of her, and the depth of field shows the difference in focus. So I tried to replicate the effect, setting up my camera on self timer, then running, turning and holding up my genuine fake Stradivarius before the shutter would release.

In the last movement it was interesting to see the techniques that Sibelius ascribed to some of the instruments of the orchestra. The Cello section kept a fabulous tempo moving along not so much by the drawing of the bow across the strings, but more so with a clever bouncing of the bow - which produced an sound almost akin to the low drums, they too were keeping time. The tribal flavor if this movement is hauntingly melodic and lingers with me still today. Yesterday morning I was humming along to the country tunes of Red Rain Music, and today I find I'm whistling the melody of the Sibelius Concerto

During the applause it was refreshing to see Miss Hahn applaud the orchestra and even the audience, with the obvious humility to appreciate those around her and we that came to hear her play.

After intermission the next grand treat was the huge Shostakovich Symphony No. 5. Not only had the size of the orchestra increased, but the grandeur and depth of the music also enlarged. I was fascinated by the politics associated with the writing of this symphony, as described in the program notes. I can feel for Shostakovich and his dramatic struggle between freedom of expression, and towing the government line. Freedom is a virtuous thing, and he didn't exactly have the freedom we all enjoy. His solution to me was clever, this symphony, while a response to demands from politics, seemed to me to have hidden mockery to that very system. It started slow, with 4 feld notes, repeated, and then went in to convoluted mixtures of directions, as if torn. There were militaristic marching mixed in, as if to portray a nationalism, but then the second movement mocked that them with a jovial joke. The third was slow, but ramped up a time or two and the final movement brought the house down in its grand style. All together I believe the composer accomplished two goals, to put together something that the politicos were asking for, and at the same time resist total loss of individualism with his the obvious mixture of themes.

Preview: Hilary Hahn returns to Heinz Hall

2010-05-05T16:42:00.000-04:00

Heinz Hall
Friday, May 07, 2010 at 08:00 PM
Saturday, May 08, 2010 at 08:00 PM
Sunday, May 09, 2010 at 02:30 PM

Manfred Honeck, conductor
Hilary Hahn, violin

Sibelius: Violin Concerto
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5

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I heard Hilary Hahn first at Heinz Hall with the PSO in the mid 90s. I couldn't remember the exact date, so I asked the friendly and helpful PSO folks who responded:

'She first performed here in May 1994 with Maazel. (we think it was for 3 performances) '

I'm pretty sure she played the Beethoven Violin Co., if I remember correctly. What I definitely do remember was how awe struck I was that a 14 year old teenager could play so well, it was simply amazing.

Fast forward to this weekend at the PSO, and now I'll be experiencing her music one more time, this time with the Sibelius Concerto, one of my favorites. This concerto is certainly as winsome as the Beethoven, yet it has a deeper, more meaningful foreboding character, not in a dark way, but with a love-sick variety of a soul who is yearning. At least that's my impression, especially the third movement. Anticipation for the fourth and final movement should bring a smile, there's tons of resolution to the tension in there.

I look forward to the performance, I hope you do too!

Some like it hot

2010-05-01T23:33:00.001-04:00

"Jazz, well I guess some like it hot,
personally I prefer classical music" -- Tony Curtis 'Some Like it Hot'

Who says classical music isn't 'hot'?
Tonight we found out otherwise, with the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2.
Valentina Lisitsa poured her heart out on the piano, it was spectacular to watch and to hear. The strings of the PSO opened with sizzling sounds that exploded with scintillating reverb bringing that 'hot' lush sound I'm often longing for when I attend a Pittsburgh Symphony. And the whole of the first movement seemed to whiz by with such alacrity and aplomb, I was awe-struck. But it was the second movement that literally brought goose bumps. The romanticism is evident in this movement - I've listened to it so many times, and I never grow tired. The final movement has some of that famous sounds that many have heard before - again a very romantic theme, and the piano and the orchestra share turns repeating the theme over and over, leading up to a stunning and climatic finale. The hands on the piano were amazing, and the audience leapt to a standing ovation.

I'm so glad to have had this opportunity to witness the joy of this concerto, performed by an artist, Valentina Lisitsa, who's smile was radiant and beaming with effuse expressions, especially at intermission when she signed autographs. I shook her hand, congratulated her on a great job on my favorite concerto of all time -- and now, I have a favorite performance of this beautiful concerto.

I do not know the name of the selection that Lisitsa played as an encore, but it was soft, delicate and stirring.

The concerto was sandwiched between two pieces this evening that couldn't have been more different. The concert began with "Rocking the Cradle," in which composer Richard Danielpour gave a very descriptive introduction of what it is all about. Myself, I prefer to hear the music in a vacuum, not knowing the programmatic context, so that I can form my own impressions. Because of that, I had a difficult time appreciating the music until the second movement. After intermission came Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" I first heard a long time ago when I watched Disney's Fantasia, and of course that context was all that I conjured, lava and dinosaurs, yet I was smiling all the while.

Abstract wisdom of the past is clear,
mixed with current subtle sounds I hear,
probing rhythm of my thoughts appear,
I'm trusting you my dear

Jack Everly, the PSO and Cirque de la Symphonie

2010-04-26T13:20:00.000-04:00

In a world full of politics, business, sports, and other competitive endeavors, it's nice to take a step back from that world and occasionally experience a new artistic performance meant simply for entertainment, and based upon the incredible skills of eight talented individuals accompanied by the lush symphonic sounds of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Jack Everly, that repose was achieved.

Saturday afternoon I had the pleasure to take my mom, my daughter and her friend to the Cirque de la Symphonie - truly an exciting new concept, and a fabulous way to listen to the beautiful classical music being performed while watching the amazing performances and adept skills of these extremely capable aerial flyers, acrobats, contortionists, dancers, jugglers, balancers and strong men. The stage at Heinz Hall took on some very distinctive purple, blue and red hues for this particular performance.

My three companions overwhelmingly voted their favorite as Jaroslaw Marciniak and Dariusz Wronski, former Polish national hand-balancing champions. Their act was an artistic performance that was almost like a ballet in that their motions were very slow and deliberate, and the stunning effect captivated everyone, with the PSO playing Also Sprach Zarathustra and The Pines of Rome in the background. My daughter remarked that the Symphony is much better, for her, when they have something like this program to make it more entertaining. Of the music, she liked George Bizet' "Les Toreadors" from Carmen, especially because they had recently studied that in her school's music appreciation class, and well, because it has such a great melody.

Personally for me, it's hard to vote for a favorite, since every act was spectacular, and as a whole the entire program gets my vote as a favorite, but if I had to pick I'd say the acrobatics of Christine Van Loowere so, inspiring. The act consisted of two stage-height ribbons that she adroitly handled to perform amazing aerials making it seem so effortless as she ascended with spell-binding trapeze - it was like poetry in motion. The lighting was very effective, shadows of the performers would miraculously fly along the large walls out into the audience, the combination gave such a wonderful effect.

Then there was Vladimir Tsarkov, the juggler, performing the 'Red Harlequin' act - funny and very entertaining. Being a juggler myself (purely just for fun), it was amazing to see how many balls, batons and rings he could juggle at one time.

Jack Everly, the conductor for the evening, also gets a nod of approval -- he was funny and very entertaining. I'd like to see the PSO bring him back again and again. One act had the juggler bring him forth, and along with Elena Tsarkova, they would do a magic act where Jack and Elena are put into a cloth tube - Elena is tied securely with a rope - and in 20 seconds the tube is removed to reveal Jack's coat on Elena, the ropes securely tied on top. We all wondered - how did they do that..? Jack's joke was to come back to see the midnight performance - with a quick 'Whoops' when he acknowledged the kids in the audience.

And of course the PSO itself did a great job with the music. Many of these selections I know very well, having heard them may times. The PSO played them with great aplomb, and the sound came through marvelously. I wondered how they could play with all that was going on around them, especially the juggler, who was so funny.

Vast oceans of harmonic bliss

2010-04-17T20:09:00.000-04:00

Vast oceans of written words are scribed with kindled passions running through the veins of inquisitive souls -- vivid passages glisten with the sweet love revolving in one's sphere of influence whence the thoughts and senses acquire a greater dimension of fluency. When I strive to extol vast hemispheres of new worlds yet to be experienced, I feel the exhilarating essence of induced feelings of gleeful anxiety. And I, the lowly observer, listening to passages of music made bare before my ears, often find instances of interlude yet to be savored, sometimes conjuring before my mind's eye an adventure to taste and to grip in ones own two hands, an affair to remember and a new encounter to thrill the heart in barely veiled anticipation. Yes, these are the events that drive fresh adrenaline to stir my interests, and as the senses stir, progressively the concert becomes my intimate and the venture is complete.

As luck would have it this weekend, I asked a friend at work to attend the concert on a 'guest blogger' pass (no really, I just invented that term), and she accepted. Neither of my guests
had experienced a classical symphony concert before, although they both told me they had been to performances at the Benedum previously. So it was my idea to let others experience the beauty of classical music.

I myself grew to love this form of music over many years, sort of a gradual transition which led me to somehow become such a fan that it's almost exclusively the only kind I listen to now. Sure, I'll still occasionally play The Moody Blues, one my favorites, or listen in to some of my daughter's music, including one of my new favorites: Sara Bareilles. So it's always fascinating to find out what kinds of music others enjoy. Paula, on the left in the photo, must be a fan of The Temptations because she mentioned that they would be playing at Heinz Hall on Sunday night. Tara, her daughter, didn't commit to a favorite form, so I was hoping she'd be open minded to the symphonic music. One comment she did make was that she enjoyed watching the conductor, Juraj Valcuha, a guest conductor born in Slovakia and who now spends much of his career in European cities including Paris, based on the program notes. Indeed, Mr. Valcuha was very animated, and was using his baton all over the podium, in ways that seemed to inspire the orchestra into seamless synchronization and fluent harmony.

Well I must say, my two guests were a delight to host for this evening. When they found out I got the tickets they said they were 'super excited' in the email response - well it wasn't just hyperbole, they really were. They enjoyed the music and the performance, at least, that was the impression I got based on their eagerness to discuss the aspects of the performance, the instruments, piano versus strings, and alas, perhaps the 'scary' nature of the brass during the performance of "The Mermaid" composed by Alexander Zemlinsky.

Personally, I really enjoyed the Beethoven 3rd Piano Concerto, and Yefim Bronfman was amazing with the piano. He seemed to have a form of 'scope', sort of in a space inside himself when he played the piano passages. I could see him occasionally move his lips as if reciting words that would go with the melody. The PSO played as his counterpart marvelously. As Beethoven is one of my favorite composers, this piece was one of his masterpieces that I could easily hear again and again.

The Mermaid was also a nice piece of music, although at times I didn't quite understand the programmatic context. I'd have to say that I'd prefer to hear it again, as I said before, this music grows on me, and the more I hear it, the more I like it.

One more note: Bronfman's encore was a fun, seemingly impossible, and certainly amazing piece, I hear it was Paganini's 24th Caprice (IMPOSSIBLE solo violin work).

Pittsburgh nights with a Russian theme

2010-04-10T00:18:00.000-04:00

It was a cold and windy day in the Burgh, juxtaposed between warmth prevailing the Spring season and hearty musical interludes that affectionately melt my soul. I was on my way to yet another Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra concert. Earlier in the day I had forgotten the selections to be played this evening. It was one of those moments, when asked, one can't quite recall, and when I was asked what was on the slate for tonight, my thoughts were a week from tonight towards the next program, and it took me by surprise. Yet I really did know that Yan Pascal Tortelier would be conducting the PSO for Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5, and that piano soloist Stephen Hough would be playing along with the PSO in Tchaikovsky's Concerto No. 2, and yet I could not recall on the spot - and me the supposed expert - a bit embarrassing to say the least. I had even listened to an internet interview with Mr. Hough that morning discussing the lesser know Tchaikovsky Concerto. It's funny how the mind works.

In addition to being a blogger I'm also a subscriber to the PSO's season, and I try to attend as many concerts as I can. This evening began when I entered the lobby. I was fortunate to listen to Katherine M Zhou, the Steinway Society Young Artist Winner play many selections in the lobby. She was wonderful on the piano, and when the last selection came, I knew I could recognize that tune. I told myself that it sounded like Edvard Grieg, even though I didn't know for sure. And when I found the program notes, it was indeed Grieg's "March of the Dwarfs" - a selection full of gratifying melody that one could remember for hours, yet I wouldn't have that luxury, because the PSO concert would begin shortly.

Maestro Tortelier, as is his wont, began the concerto as soon as Mr Hough was seated at the piano - there was not laborious introduction - and we all delved right into the music. Right away we could hear Mr. Hough's style of playing, his mastery and his romanticism.

His debut with the PSO was nothing less than superb. The concerto seemed to begin as a march, but soon went off into certain furious passages on the piano, then intermixed with simpler tones and notes, somehow mixed into a suitable opening. Some of the piano parts were so technically challenging, my mind could not begin to try to assimilate the kind of skill necessary. The audience applauded after the first movement, and it was a joy to see Mr. Hough's smile and a lip synched 'thank you'.

The second movement was more my style, a trio with the cello, violin and piano with orchestra as the backdrop keeping time. the final movement was a tuneful spirited fare with lots of melody and songs arrayed as items along a musical path, racing with joyful fun. At it's conclusion the whole of the audience immediately rose to raucous applause.

For an encore Stephen Hough played the selection "Moscow Nights," except it seemed to begin with the a Rachmaninov theme, and for a moment I thought he would play a Rachmaninov concerto as an encore, but then it immediately moved into the Moscow Nights music. At intermission a very congenial man named Fred introduced himself while observing me taking photographs of Mr. Hough. He struck up a conversation, and told me the story set in 1987, Van Cliburn was invited to perform at the White House for President Ronald Reagan and Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev, and that it was Gorbachev's wife who asked for Mr. Cliburn to perform Moscow Nights. I knew the melody, but had never heard the name of the Russian song, originally composed in 1955.

After intermission came another delightful performance by Maestro Tortelier and the PSO with the Prokofiev symphony! My favorite parts were the 2nd - reminding me of dance - perhaps a rumba or tango - and we saw conductor Tortelier dancing with the orchestra (it takes two), then the deep tones of the 3rd followed by the 4th and final movement; it seemed to get better and better as the symphony progressed. This was no classical symphony like his first symphony, which is delightful in it's own beautiful style. This symphony was full of new and romantic themes. One of my favorite aspects was the impression I had that the tempos were like a metronome or perhaps like a clock keeping time, sometimes pushed by the basses or brass, and it kept progressing and eventually moved through and into the stirring finale, another robust conclusion which did bring warmth to my heart.

The Planets, Holst and the PSO

2010-03-22T20:46:00.000-04:00

Each of the planets in its progression aligned before our ears, and in their turn these passages from the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra were presented one by one. And as I listened all I could do was smile. I could not write notes, I could not conjure words, hearkening to that stunning sound -- it came to me as an image upside down, inside out, inverted in sensory magic, and before my mystical mind was an n-dimensional universe, with planets everywhere.

Which was my favorite? It is hard to pin down, but I have to say that Holst weaved a magical chord in: Uranus, The Magician, what a mischievous tonal wandering, I like it more than ever before. Of course Jupiter is always fraught with jollity, and a bit of frivolity.

I reached, but she was no longer there,
and as my reward 'twas an empty hollow embrace,
these fragile hands no longer feel her supple silky hair.
Would I awake from a dream bereft of her sweet grace?

Alone, like the planets that revolve around the sun,
some with moons, some with none,
yet all alone are they in their darkest void of space,
never slowing, never yielding, till their path is done.

Lost souls wandering, connecting with only means
of simple communication, like light beacons between the stars,
some understood, others pass us by, missing our horizon,
until the heavens unite our worlds, a journey ever far.

Berlioz: Harold in Italy

2010-03-21T00:02:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to Randolph Kelly, viola, in Hector Berlioz: Harold in Italy -- his solo was fabulous. I perceived that his playing sometimes became lost in a whirlwind of passion, a torrent of tempest -- the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra all around gave tumultuous beauty to the composition, yet did not tear Mr. Kelly's passion to tatters.

Somehow this is the vision I perceive when I think of a soloist accompanied with an orchestra. There was beauty all through the first three movements. His playing was not as pronounced as many of the violin soloists we are used to, yet it was distinct enough in those 3 movements to reach my ears; the temperance and smoothness of the viola was simply pleasing. It was only the 4th and final movement that acquired a robust torrent of bravado, which on its own stood out like a symphonic tempest, yet somehow I felt that the soloist was overshadowed. Perhaps it was by design, a particular penchant of Hector Berlioz.

At the completion of this half, there was much applause for Mr. Kelly and guest conductor Yan Pascal Tortelier, who did a great job introducing the piece beforehand. At one point Mr Kelly walked over to congratulation his own viola section to much applause -- during the 3rd movement their playing was pronounced. In the program notes it indicated that these were the "wandering minstrels of the third movement’s Serenade."

After intermission -- Holst: The Planets -- what can I say -- it was spectacular!

Connections: Rossini, Mozart and Tchaikovsky

2010-03-13T00:47:00.000-05:00

A rendezvous with classical music is often a journey to the depths of one's soul. Often I see it as a look into our emotions, our hearts and our passions. When I hear the best of this form, it often elicits a lucid experience of what I love most, and for me it is the core of this music, this glorious art-form that transcends all others and mixes these emotions in inexplicable manners and expressions which fulfil and bring joy and a smile to my lips. This happened tonight as I listened to the selections performed by the Pittsburgh Symphony orchestra under the baton of Gianandrea Noseda, one of my favorite conductors.

Benjamin Hochman gave a fabulous performance playing the piano in Mozart's Concerto No. 19, a piece I've experienced countless times, and was perfectly glad to finally hear live and in person. I found it fascinating to hear from some friends and others that they had not heard this before, nor the Cinderella selection by Rossini, another of my perennial favorites. So I myself must be an oddity, or simply a classical music enthusiast of sorts, and it was nice to hear these selections with which I am so familiar.

Perhaps I am lauding the PSO in particular, but I suspect that the live performance aspect, as I've mentioned before, brings out the very best of the acoustics, the dynamic range, and the total tonal hearing phenomena to its fullest form - one's hearing of the actual instruments at a concert hall like Heinz Hall is without compare.

The final selection, Tchaikovsky's symphony No. 3 was breathtaking, and typical of his symphonies for it's flair, Russian sounding themes, and total triumphant bravura. Being a lesser known symphony, this performance gave me the opportunity to hear it for perhaps only the second time. The final movement was better known to me, and the rest was new. My favorite parts were the softer movements - the 2nd, 3rd and 4th - out of the total of 5 movements, yet they were each interesting in their own respect.

In the 2nd there commenced a soft pastoral theme, and at one point the low basses were keeping the beat, while the rest of the orchestra dramatically presented breathtaking mood. Later, at home, I listened to this symphony again, and I didn't hear the exact same thing, probably because it's difficult to hear the same dynamic range. The 3rd movement was also quite soft, mixing in resplendent melodies dramatically placed using somber sounds, with low frequencies and low volumes, easily heard in Heinz Hall with its acoustics. I wondered how it would ever be done on a recording, without the use of a volume compression technique, which sort of ruins the intended effect. Throughout these movements the string section held the pieces together like a lofty tether on a lazy afternoon, holding clouds and feathers together in an ambling mixture of tepid flowing fluid.

The 4th movement took the pastoral theme from the previous and expanded it in a way as to seemingly make the sounds of the instrument come alive. At one point I envisioned within my mind the scrambling of small animals, perhaps in the depths of the large Russian forests, full of lush greenery and huge conifer and deciduous trees lining the entire canopy. Quickly, with conductor Noseda's sweeping of his arms, he inspired the orchestra into motives and sounds subtle yet attuned to my metaphor. I heard the rustling of leaves, the swaying of trees, the commotion in the forest lessened, and the sound faded out finally with the final scurry of the final animal to one side only to behold the entrance of the fifth and final movement.

Then the grandeur commenced, only this time my imagination brought forth to my mind the image of the huge brown bear, a national 'personification' of Russia -- a large magnanimous creature, not clumsy, rather more cuddly, despite his size. This magnificent beast ambled into the scene slowly, with slower and softer sounds from the orchestra building concisely to a masterful statement built upon a melody that is overlaid multiple times, and eventually the whole ensemble brings together this image I've conjured for myself into a climax rivaled only by Tchaikovsky himself in his subsequent symphonies. One of my friends stood to applaud and exclaimed "There's no doubt, that is most definitely is Tchaikovsky!"

What are the connections between these pieces and the conductor with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra? Well, tonight the banding piece is the PSO, our very own wonderful American Orchestra which is the binding connection itself. This evening was played three completely different pieces, written many years ago by European and Russian composers, and as conductor Noseda said himself in the post concert chat, the PSO has a "versatility that stands out," according to "different styles," and was able to play these pieces "three different ways," marvelous ways, they are not just "good," but these musicians want to play the music in a way that "touches," by "participating in the music." That was a wonderful complement to the PSO from Maestro Noseda, who is not only an impressive conductor, but a marvelous speaker in his own right. He also described connections between each of the selections this evening. Stay tuned for another blog post on the post concert chat...

Mixing Metaphors

2010-03-05T22:57:00.001-05:00

Durable notes, shedding impatient grandeur,
and when they, upon their wings, do soar -
I see eloquent shades uplifting, enveloping uproar,
Mixing metaphors, my heart can hurt no more.

I rise, I fly, I glide well high,
my effort, little and with subtle tilt of wings,
climbs over her visage, her sight slightly cries,
swiftly gained yet gainsaid shadows bring
me crashing back to transient sighs.

Rejecting doubt, rather, believe in love,
Radiant, enveloping, completely without abandon.
Heed pure words offered with honest candor,
Eloquence comes rarely, as the wings of a dove,
genuine sincerity is offered up once more.

Leonard Slatkin at PSO

2010-02-20T15:56:00.000-05:00

Leonard Slatkin at PSO - New music and what he would conduct - Heinz Hall with Mason Bates and Richard Danielpour post concert chat

Leonard Slatkin at PSO - Mason Bates and Richard Danielpour post concert chat - Discuss their compositions Liquid Interface and Pastime - Heinz Hall - Gershwin American in Paris - Bernstein On the ...

Photos - Slatkin, Bates and Danielpour at Heinz Hall

2010-02-20T00:06:00.000-05:00

I read in a review by the New York Times that the PSO's program seems to some how be lacking in new music.... Well I'm not sure their definition, but judging by the evening's performance, there were two new pieces, one by Danielpour who we've seen several times this season, and an amazing Techno fusion with the orchestra and the composer Mason Bates playing 'Electronica' which could hardly be called anything but new music, something very close to popular culture, yet not lacking in interesting symphonic elements.

I was very pleased with the new music. There were quite an array of instruments here this evening (see some below). There was this large drum which I suppose made a storm like sound for the 'Liquid Interface' composition, and there was a washboard, played very interestingly, and there were even multiple glasses filled with water - the musician played it by running his wet finger along the edge!

There was also Bernstein's On the Town, and finally, Gershwin's An American in Paris, how could I go wrong?

It was nice to see Leonard Slatkin return and I'm glad he is as energetic as ever.

Leonard Slatkin at PSO - does only music that 'touches me', as in 'the music of this country'

Mason Bates and Richard Danielpour post concert chat - Discuss their compositions Liquid Interface and Pastime

Leonard Slatkin, conductor

Mason Bates: 'Liquid Interface'

Richard Danielpour: 'Pastime'

Video Harp on display at Heinz Hall

Creator: Paul McAvinney

Finger tracking and gesture interpretation software

Paul McAvinney and Dr. Joe Newcomer

Produced by the Sensor Frame Corp, Pittsburgh 1991

Presented for the PSO by Joe Newcomer

Various instruments used for the concerts this evening

javadoug standing at the banister at Heinz Hall

Young artists in the lobby before the concert

The moon, before the concert :)

Love at first sight

2010-02-01T10:03:00.000-05:00

Mahler Symphony number 4:

The first movement begins with sleigh bells, piccolos and other woodwinds followed immediately by what I perceive as a pastoral setting conjured with the string section, which continues throughout the whole symphony.

I imagine: Skating and a snowball fight, as if scenes from the movie "The Bishop's Wife," which somehow pops into my mind. Then the tempo builds with a pretty little melody played by the flutes.

I continue to perceive my picturesque study, framed by the oboes, piccolo and flute. Gradually I begin to think of Mahler as being a landscape painter who, with his composer's brush, paints broad strokes filling the canvas hall with harmony later to be augmented with crisp shapes which take melodic form.

Then a sudden change of tempo, as if on a journey, a tour of the snow covered fields, perhaps then to a villiage, and then people going too and fro, as the sleigh approaches it's destination - home.

2nd movement:Scherzo

With the flute I hear - a walk - a journey. Every instrument is used well, they are staggered into the music, reminiscent of the way Ravel wrote his Bolero, yet not like that music, really. I hear a subtle playing, against the dramatic theme.The oboe at the ending is very surprising, pleasantly.

3rd movement: Slow

Another surprise appears, smiling. Slow strings - Cello and violas - then joins the violins - oboes follow and the English horn. Eventually I hear the bassoon, with a beautiful low sound. At length I perceive the harp, playing a selection which at first made me think a piano was on stage, yet it was the harp.

Maestro Honeck raises the ante for a moment, lifting his baton, and the orchestra grows with restrained volume, then continues forward and back to the pastoral sound. The vibrancy continues, then changes again, with melodic pizzicato, with the base, and eventually I hear and see the drums. Again I visualize the composition being painted by Mahler before my eyes and ears, again I perceive each brush stroke being applied to this canvas, never rushing, yet always building, perhaps towards the final movement.

4th movement:

A reprise of the opening movement with melody heard before, and again it joins into another pastoral scene. Soon I hear a melody that reminds me of the music from Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo. Often in classical music we hear that music is based on the theme of another composer's work, and I wonder if composer Bernard Herrmann has used these few notes as an inspiration for his composition on that film. Perhaps I'm wrong.

I visualize in my mind's eye waves splashing, crashing over rocks, I hear the harp, I'm seeing the very essence of this music. I'm completely into this music and its portrayal, and the way that Manfred Honeck is conducting and the beauty that is coming from the PSO directly to my ears.

In all I'd say that Mahler's 4th is a symphonic delight which is love at first sight (hearing), and just as with Beethoven's symphony number 6, will remain one of my favorites for it's pleasant pastoral setting.

Gil Shaham, violin

2010-01-29T23:15:00.000-05:00

Gil Shaham performed the solo for both of these at Heinz Hall this evening:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 2
Franz Joseph Haydn: Violin Concerto No. 2

His movements were graceful and deliberate.

The violin he played had the most magnificent tone.

When the movement called for two strings to be played simultaneously, the sound came forth with striking clarity, and immediately grabbed my attention. Then he would return to the pure tones of the composition and his marvelous style. His smile was brimming -- there is never a doubt when I see that, it's the musician who equally loves the music.

I've heard both of these concertos before; both have marvelous simplicity yet melody and harmony which are catchy and so pleasant to hear. Although my favorite Mozart violin concerto is number 3 - for it's wow factor, I do have to say that number 2 is equally nice, and this performance was invigorating. Mr Shaham and the orchestra (smaller than the full orchestra) played the notes extremely pure, and with the excellent acoustics at Heinz Hall, I could hear and enjoy a distinct clarity. If I closed my eyes it was as if I were right there up on stage.

The Hayden was another concerto I've heard often on CD and radio, and is much better when played live at Heinz Hall. Here is Mr. Shaham playing another Haydn concerto: Haydn Co 1, 1st mov

One of my friends thought it might be odd to play these two smaller limited concertos at Heinz Hall, as if this were a chamber concert, but somehow I believe it worked, it was a good classical introduction to the second half of the program, the larger romantic Mahler Symphony number 4.

As I was listening to both of these concertos, I imagined I could place myself anywhere in the concert hall, and photograph the artists and their instruments on the stage. Since I am an amateur photographer, I enjoy visioning what a possible 'shot' would look like, even if I don't have my camera in hand. The PSO doesn't allow photography of the musicians on the stage, I suspect it is because flash would completely distract warm-ups or the actual performance; and perhaps because they want to maintain a certain decorum, and would prefer that their photographs be professionally produced to be of good quality.

So I sit there, and listen intently to the wonderful music, and I imagine the perspectives I could create, the kinds of lighting I could use for background 'bokeh' a sort of effect you often see in photography. The photos above were taken in the lobby as Mr. Shaham was signing autographs.

I'll post again on the wonderful Mahler Symphony...

Bruckner's 7th and upcoming Mahler's 4th

2010-01-27T10:19:00.000-05:00

I've just heard that they will be recording Mahler's 4th symphony this weekend (Fri/Sun). I like when the PSO records a performance for multiple reasons, not the least of which is that there tends to be less background noise in the theater, they usually request we put forth a 'wall of silence'. So if you are like me, that makes for more enjoyment of the Orchestra.

Bruckner's 7th symphony was a massive structure which somehow overwhelmed me. This was my first hearing of this symphony, so please accept my comments with a grain of salt. Several of the movements were very good, and on the whole, I enjoyed the way the Pittsburgh Symphony played this music, a very good performance was the result. Yet when I say overwhelmed, I mean it was loud at times, as if it was loud just to be loud, it didn't bring a reason or a harmony that I could latch on to. I couldn't grasp the context. I think perhaps one of my problems was my closeness to the orchestra. If I had been up above, the gallery seats way in the back, I believe I would have enjoyed this experience much more. For a Mozart slow movement, being up front has its advantages, but for this symphony, not so much.

The program notes indicate that Bruckner was a Wagnerite, and to the degree that this music was like Wagner's I agree, yet I wasn't left with the same beautiful feeling I get when I listen to just about any of Wagner's music. There is a certain aspect of Wagner's scores, something I just can't describe, which is so beautiful that often I'm left with goosebumps. I didn't get that with the Bruckner. Yet I know I will return again to Burckner's music, because as has happened to me in the past, I have grown to like music that previously left me wanting.

The most enjoyable part of the performance was watching the symphony and the conductor. It was Honeck's sublime conducting that gave a supreme veneration, his lofty bearing elevated my enjoyment as I watched the fluid motions of his arms and baton.

Ax struck a resoundingly brilliant chord

2010-01-23T00:29:00.001-05:00

There is a reason why I keep going back again and again to experience the piano concertos with Emanuel Ax as the soloist: simply put, his virtuosic talent, his keen and ardent desire to play the music and to enjoy the orchestra left me impatiently longing for each passage, each phrase, each cadence and eager for more yet hopeful this beautiful concerto would never end. And this concerto number 5 by Beethoven, this keen and sharply struck chord of melody played against the flourishing orchestral embellishments contrasted in temporal position toyed with my introspective mind. The concerto itself is lavish yet contrapuntal, liquid yet precise, classical yet romantic and effervescent in metaphoric scenes which in my mind ranged from waterfalls to the earnest entreaty of love.

The concerto began with Conductor Manfred Honeck quickly sweeping his arms in a lunging motion to signal the intensely evocative beginning of the first movement -- and then the piano began, ranging up and down the keyboard in what was the beginning of many similar phrases which to me conjured images of water tinkling over stones. And from that simple beginning the orchestra took over, extending the theme and developing the melody, with sounds distinct to this concerto, yet evoking portions of Beethoven's symphony number 6. When the piano rejoins, it begins on a journey of building tucks and turns, as if a tennis match between Mr. Ax and the orchestra, back and forth. When he wasn't playing the keyboard, Mr. Ax would look toward Maestro Honeck with a brimming smile, and swaying to the music personified by the orchestra, invoked an instant infectious smile in my heart. His eyes were alert and aptly attentive to the direction of the conductor, then, returning to the keyboard, would produce a succinct rapturous passage, soft, yet cascading with a deluge of quickly paced notes that just flew. I'd imagine children's rhymes in one moment, quickly followed by rolling thunder produced by the orchestra into an apex of expanding flourish.

The second movement was slow, with earthly tenderness brimming with gentle wonder. Could I be at a lapse for words with it's beauty? This movement bears repeating, so I listen again at home while composing this text, and I hear these words in my minds eye:

Once there was a place for thee,

as kind and gentle grace can see,

where grass grows,

and love knows,

all I've seen,

wondering what could be.

Listen from 0:20 to 0:52 to hear the melody with the words I've written.

The orchestra repeats this melody, this time the piano meanders along the keys in a beautiful counterpoint. Together the two parts of the concerto have intertwined, and the movement concludes by immediately forming the beginning of the 3rd movement with a quiet introduction, like a prelude of reverberation, or an echo of what will come next. And it does, in robust form. By the end of the final movement it was advantage Ax, then game set and match!

_____________
Part of the display at Heinz Hall associated with Beethoven's hearing loss:

Upcoming PSO concerts

2010-01-18T14:37:00.000-05:00

I've been enjoying the concerts at Heinz Hall this season, and look forward to the upcoming:

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5, "Emperor"
Bruckner: Symphony No. 7

Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 2
Haydn: Violin Concerto No. 2
Mahler: Symphony No. 4

I also note that the PSO webpage still has Symphony No. 3, "Eroica" for Feb. 5th and 6th, even though I saw the following on the Post-Gazette blog:

Pittsburgh Symphony to substitute Mahler for Beethoven at Heinz Hall for Carnegie Preview

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will replace Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3, “Eroica,” with Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 at Heinz Hall for the weekend of Feb. 5 and 6 in order to better prepare for the group’s Carnegie Hall concert, in which the latter is featured. “I am sure the orchestra would play it brilliantly, but I would really like to have a fantastic preparation,” said music director Manfred Honeck of the concert Feb. 9 in New York. The PSO just released an album of Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 on the Exton label, raising the stakes on an already important concert for the PSO. Violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter will join the PSO in all the concerts to perform Brahms’ Violin Concerto. — Post-Gazette Classical Music Critic Andrew Druckenbrod

Riddles Word Cloud

2009-12-22T20:42:00.001-05:00

Riddle me this --

What's soft yet subtle, delicate yet fine, fragile yet tender, and gently sensitive through every bar?

zart -> found in all 3 pieces this weekend, in one form or other...

1. Zoroastrian

2. Mozart

3. Zarathustra

zart, in German can be translated to English in any of these ways...

adjective

soft
tender
delicate
fragile
subtle
fine
gentle
sensitive

The PSO with Stefan Jackiw playing Mozart's Concerto No. 5.

Honeck pre-concert chat - Mozart Requiem

2009-12-06T14:05:00.000-05:00

John Lithgow in the post-concert chat:

> 'The Requiem Mass was a thing of great and terrible beauty.'

It was and is a thing of great beauty. I've heard the Requiem before, but I have to say, that this time somehow I heard it with much more clarity. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Mendelssohn Choir and Heinz Hall account for much of that. And now, with this first experience with a live concert of the Requiem, I find that much of it was simply brilliant musically, it was pleasing to my ear, and I found it eminently joyous, with little hint of sadness. It was only those haunting notes near the end that seemed to allude to the kind of emotion perhaps associated with death and loss. The genius of Mozart is the overwhelming sense of emotion that is invoked by such simple musical phrasing, and an enormous wealth of classical development.

Mozart's Requiem

2009-12-05T00:43:00.000-05:00

Manfred Honeck's personal version of Mozart's Requiem was more than an experience, it was a search for one's very own soul. Honeck created a canvas, covered with sounds and sights and spoken words. He painted an artistic masterpiece upon that canvas, and I am glad I was there to experience this artistic creation, and to see it unfolding and hear the majesty. Could we imagine what the Mass of Mozart's funeral could have been like? This was a fantastic version of that hypothetical idea. The Requiem, complete with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, conductor Manfred Honeck, John Lithgow as narrator, Chen Reiss soprano, Lauren McNeese mezzo-soprano, Alek Shrader tenor, John Relyea bass, and the wonderful choral sounds of the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, Betsy Burleigh director, and even Gregorian Chant, conjured this image and sound.

One of my favorite parts was Lithgow's reading of Mozart's letters to his father, Leopold Mozart. This letter is revealing in that it shows several themes which I took to heart. One, that Mozart himself may have been ready to accept life and death: "death is the true ultimate purpose of our lives." But what did he mean by that? I see it this way: life after death, and does it exist. My take is yes: I envision an image of my father, who has passed away, and that image is somewhat blurry; then beyond that is an image of myself, slightly less blurry, and beyond that further still is an image of my daughter, quite sharper in image quality, and the caption: Yes, there is life after death, and somehow, with this image, I don't fear death, I can easily, when the time comes, whenever it comes, and with God's grace, accept death. I finally see that this life after death is generational, and I see perhaps what Mozart meant in his letter to his father.

With the sights I could almost imagine Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral, the place where Mozart's funeral mass was actually performed; only then they did not play his Requiem. I believe Mozart himself never heard or experienced the complete orchestration and choir perform his magnificent piece. What a shame, but it was not a shame that it is his legacy and that we were able to experience it this night, and it was: beautiful! I'm still hearing the haunting sounds of the violins left play their two notes upward, and the violins left play their two notes downward, this melodic music flows in tuneful ways that bring both melancholy and joy, simultaneously, that is the genius that was Mozart.

I'll blog some more on this concert, but for now, I wanted to share a few thoughts and photos.

I would have preferred a different poem than Sachs, something more contemporary to or preceding the death of Mozart; perhaps this, and would that Lithgow could speak the speech, I pray thee, as I present it to you, trippingly on the tongue, and it would have been as this:

Dirge

COME away, come away, death,
   And in sad cypres let me be laid;
Fly away, fly away, breath;
   I am slain by a fair cruel maid.
My shroud of white, stuck all with yew,
   O prepare it!
My part of death, no one so true
   Did share it.

Not a flower, not a flower sweet,
   On my black coffin let there be strown;
Not a friend, not a friend greet
   My poor corse, where my bones shall be thrown:
A thousand thousand sighs to save,
   Lay me, O, where
Sad true lover never find my grave
   To weep there!

-- William Shakespeare

Romance and Waltz

2009-11-29T08:37:00.000-05:00

Tchaikovsky is one of my favorite composers. I especially like his symphonies, and his first piano concerto is equally a favorite, it is without a doubt a sublimely romantic composition. Therefore I was eminently pleased to experience this concerto with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and pianist Sa Chen. The PSO has invited several new and upcoming soloists this year, and they have all given such wonderful performances.

Sa Chen was simply amazing. She sat before the grand piano, her hands delicately arrayed upon the keyboard, with a glint of anticipation in her eyes. Soon conductor Manfred Honeck began with a sweeping arc of his arms and baton, and the orchestra commenced, bringing the first four descending notes from the English Horns, da dat dat da, leading into the a flourish of similar notes from the whole orchestra, and finally to the full hands and fingers of the pianist thundering their harmonic knell strokes upon the keys three times from the very lowest octaves, to the middle tones, and all the way to the right with the high notes, as the orchestra played one of the most recognizable of all romantic themes in unison.

Then it was time for Sa Chen to play a solo with the aid of some well place pizzicato, and her fantastic abilities were immediately seen and heard. Throughout the performance she had an amazing capability to effortlessly play the keys, loud or softly as appropriate, and make it look so natural. My recommendation to anyone attending a piano concerto: sit left of center as I did, so that you may see the hands on the keyboard, and where I was I was able to see the reflection as well.

This piece is memorable not only for the momentous introduction to the first movement, and the romantic theme that is prevalent throughout, but for many unforgettable melodies that are fabulously interwoven throughout the whole of the concerto.

If I am not mistaken, and correct me if I am wrong, but many of the solo parts traditionally ascribed to the oboe were this evening marvelously played by a solo piccolo, to marvelous affect. This soloist wasn't listed on the web page, but she did fantastic, I was impressed (there were actually two piccolo, the other being the principle, Rhian Kenny, who did a great job herself). In fact, Maestro Honeck singled out the piccolo player for applause at the conclusion, after the main applause went to Sa Chen, of course. Sa Chen then went on to play an encore, which was very beautiful. I did not hear the name of the composition; if anyone knows, please comment.

After intermission, the theme was Johann Strauss, Jr.: Music by the Strauss Family. Honeck structured the first part of the Strauss evening as a tribute to the women in Strauss family life, including Josef Strauss: Frauenherz (A Woman's Heart) and Johann Strauss: Wein, Weib, und Gesang (Wine, Women, and Song). According to Honeck: "I'm not sure what Johann Strauss thought of this song, but he probably thought that wine, woman and song made for a great combination." All of waltzes and scores played this evening were wonderful, and I'm glad that some of the more obscure pieces were played. Somehow it felt like New Year's Eve at the conclusion of the evening, especially after two 'encore' pieces were played, ending with the Radetzky Marsch by Johann Strauss Sr.

Sees but one

2009-11-13T23:16:00.000-05:00

Riddle me this --

What's soft yet subtle, delicate yet fine, fragile yet tender, and gently sensitive through every bar?

zart -> found in all 3 pieces this weekend, in one form or other...

1. Zoroastrian

2. Mozart

3. Zarathustra

zart, in German can be translated to English in any of these ways...

adjective

soft
tender
delicate
fragile
subtle
fine
gentle
sensitive

The first piece this evening conjured for me the following elements -- Driving, stark, bold, dramatic, charismatic, chordal, hyperbolic, harmonic, melodious: all these words came to mind while listening to the first two movements of the Concerto for Orchestra (Zoroastrian Riddles) by Richard Danielpour. His music was certainly a joy for me to hear, for all the kinds of elements described by my adjectives, and for all the musical ideas that were some how conjured up while I listened. But to be sure, there were only a few moments of gentle tenderness in this particular composition, at least in the two movements that were performed so well by the PSO this night. The two soft moments came during the second movement, and were indeed finely woven feathery fixtures delicately wrapped between the driving rhythmic undertone which sustained the piece so well.

Before the work began, Mr. Danielpour himself introduced his composition, written in 1995, by indicating we would be hearing a series of voices, like a giant forum or committee, and by the end, it would be as if humanity would all be saying the same thing and become one.

Next came one of my favorites, Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 5, with the solo being performed by Stefan Jackiw. Mr Jackiw's performance seem only slightly hesitant, yet technically sound during the first movement. But then came the second movement, and the passion was instantly set loose. Now we see the true tenderness and gentle heart that brought to mind my opening riddle (zart). Mr. Jackiw and the PSO instantly flowed together as a sweet amalgamation. Now we finally know the answer to my riddle... What's soft yet subtle, delicate yet fine, fragile yet tender, and gently sensitive through every bar? The PSO with Stefan Jackiw playing Mozart's Concerto No. 5. The third and final movement was again another form of riddle, or a kind of wrapping, which began sweetly and vividly, then suddenly transformed into a kind of driving waltz, a kind of mini-scherzo, embedded withing the main parts of this movement, finally to return to the sound which was as before, to provide a fine ending with a gentle smile. Was this Mozart's riddle, written in music?

Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30. What's there to say... the opening says it all, a huge sweeping sound. We've all heard it in 2001, A Space Odyssy. Now I hear it live, along with the rest of the composition. I have to say, other than the opening, I really only liked the quieter parts of this music (zart). There was one part in particular where the bases started off low, in grand fashion, not something you hear every day, or even every year. Then it gradually transitioned from right to left until the whole orchestra was playing. That was genius! It was definitely Richard Strauss, the sound I could instantly recognize, but on the whole it wasn't as good, in my mind, as his other compostions, especially the one I really like which was the Alpine Symphony as performed last November by the PSO.

And then there was the conductor, Maestro Andris Nelsons, who I really like very much. This is the second time I've seen him conduct the PSO. His style was stunning, with a perfect mix of aspects -- Effervescent yet not overpowering - demanding yet cordial - And his enthusiasm and smile seemed to sweep across the orchestra. His body movements were very animated, but not too much so as to take away from the soloist int he violin concerto. It was as if he was carving a beautiful sculpture, and then molding form from clay, next swimming as a swan in a lake, then walking a tightrope, and various other graceful gestures which with his body and hands formed the very texture of the music.

And finally this poem, while it begins with the advent of autumn, it also sums up the diverse forms of music experienced this evening:

Shifting shapes are formed by wafting breezes
as hue, saturation, and brightness - they adorn the ardent eye.
Subtle desires burn as yellow and orange conflagrations
indebted to the loss of green whence envy makes me sigh.

Riddles are curious forms of words and modes of thoughts
transformed to fit analogy and context quickly on the fly.
Curiosity has a hundred heads, our visage sees but one,
enhance mind's eye to fit the sky and let your mind comply.

Chee-Yun at Heinz Hall

2009-11-07T23:15:00.000-05:00

Such an effusive smile, much like the way she plays the violin, pouring out such vivid passages of stylistic soul, overflowing with spirit, sparkle and pizazz!

After the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto she signed autographs. For once I decided to get an autograph as well, I was taken by her charm.

A Sound, Perfectly Balanced

2009-11-01T00:43:00.000-04:00

Words cannot fully say, but notes can -- notes beautifully transcribed by conductor and musician into music played on the finest of instruments, and music transduced into space and time which circles and surrounds throughout the atmosphere of the concert hall with its final destination: my ears, my heart and my soul. Those lovely sounds written hundreds of years ago by composers such as Saint-Saëns with his Piano Concerto No. 2 and Hector Berlioz, with his Symphonie Fantastique.

And what a sound, perfectly balanced and matched for each section of the orchestra with power to reverberate down to the very core. This particular selection, this piano concert by Saint-Saëns, I had not heard before this last weekend's performance. What a flavorful mix of piano and orchestra. As it said in the program notes:

"Acclaimed French pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet makes a rare PSO appearance in Saint-Saens Piano Concerto No.2, a concerto the composer remarked was a reflection of a sea voyage."

And a voyage it was, especially with the acoustics of Heinz Hall. Watching the hands of Mr. Thibaudet was fascinating, and amazing; his ability took us all on a journey through breezes and storms and smooth sailing beyond what my imagination could conceive, without the inspiration of notes provided by Saint-Saëns.

After intermission, Conductor Marek Janowski took us on another form of journey, this time one that was strictly fashioned from words to a story, a story outlined by the composer Hector Berlioz himself. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra followed the direction and put forth an overwhelmingly robust performance, but as an individual in the audience, I was not required to interpret the score strictly as portrayed. Instead, I listened hoping to feel an abstract flavor, but it was too late, my mind kept running back to the words I'd previously read in the program, and it somehow fit too well, very well, and marvelously well. So I accepted it in turn and went with the flow.

I want to make a special note that the Tubas and Harps were my favorite aspects of this piece. The harps, in that there were 4 of them, and they were easy to hear and accented several of the movements. It was fun to watch these four musicians perform with such synchronization. The tubas were fabulous, and stole the the last movement because they drove the special melody which so fantastically forms the foundation of this music. A melody that many would instantly recognize.

Afterwards, a friend commented amidst the loud applause: "Now that would overpower any stereo system, no matter how big."

Symphonie Fantastique - an abstract flavor, by me...

Hello, hurrah, herald garish hooray,
Heed Halloween with Hector Berlioz;

Heard hectic haunting ghoulish dismay,
amidst half notes wholly grandiose

Hell hath no fury, quotations oft do say,
Quell quaff nor stray, elation cannot bray.

Delinquent syncopation inverted contra-play,
rhythm under reason, sanctioned as ballet.

Felt, not merely Heard

2009-10-24T11:05:00.001-04:00

I'm fascinated by the art of classical composition, even though I don't know much about the true aspects beyond mere development. I'm often in awe of composers for their ability to hear in their mind's ear what the composition would be without actually hearing, this is such a unique ability.

American music composed by American composers, that is the theme this weekend at the PSO. The quintessential of those composers is Copland. The PSO performed the two selections by Copland beautifully! Additionally, John William's horn concerto with soloist William Caballero was a great new piece for me to hear. The English Horn is such a mellow and pleasing instrument, and this was an inspiring composition to highlight the horn as well as the percussion (see photo). These elements all brought a smile to my face.

I'd say the penultimate of the very best compositions by an American composer must be the Adagio by Barber, in that you would present this last in the credits, as if making a special guest appearance of an important piece, but not to imply that this piece comes last or even next to last, but that it is indeed special. I place it high above most compositions because of its romantic and stirring emotional flavor. It is classical in nature, and for me has the classical European feel to it; and it is quite simple in form, yet stirring and powerful. This all-strings piece completely filled Heinz Hall with such verve and strident harmonious ardor, it's eagerness and enthusiasm completely overwhelmed my sense of dulcet euphoria, and this only begins to describe the elation of a sound that transcends hearing.

Words about music, Music about words

2009-10-19T23:25:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday's PSO concert at Heinz Hall began with Leonard Slatkin, conducting Peter Mennin's Concertato for Orchestra, titled "Moby Dick". The forces of the sea were fabulously brought out in this movement. Yet for me, it was like the beginning of a great symphony, only to end too soon, without the rest of the movements, and that left me hanging for more.

But I was not disappointed, because the next piece was the world premier of Richard Danielpour's A Woman's Life. Soprano Angela Brown had such a beautiful voice singing the words of the poetry of Maya Angelou, the 7 texts which make up the cycles of a woman's life. It fittingly ended with the mention that what she really needed was a friend, no more, no less.

Now back to my thoughts of a metaphor. The first work, Moby Dick, seemed to be the stereotypical 'Man's Life'. So what would be more fitting than to combine that work with this premier of a Woman's Life. And indeed they did seem to fit together quite well, musically.

During the performance I must admit that I couldn't understand the words, but the voice was beautiful, and I rarely can understand the words in operatic music. Consider that Beethoven's ninth symphony, the choral parts are in German, and although I know a bit of German language, I don't understand the words, when it is performed, and that too is beautiful music.

After intermission came the beautiful and masterful Jean Sibelius Symphony No. 2. This was a perfect finale for the evening, a broadly sweeping symphony that indeed had moments that could have been set at sea, and others perhaps on land. The proverbial stormy sea being a setting fit for a man, and perhaps the gentle heartwarming homecoming of a land setting being the woman's home and life. Now if those two were combined, the man and the woman would unite and be as one, and somehow the fourth movement suggested this to me, in no uncertain terms -- several dramatic themes came together and formed a singular motif that provided a thoroughly enjoyable ending.

Marvin Hamlisch & The Informant!

2009-10-11T20:20:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday, October 10 at 2 pm at the Waterworks Cinema, Marvin Hamlisch and the PSO hosted a special screening of "The Informant!", for which Marvin wrote the original score. Prior to the screening Marvin discussed many aspects of his composition and lead a Q&A with the audience who where there to see this special screening.

I took this photo while he autographed a poster of the movie "The Informant."

For me, he opened up a world of introspection into the aspects of the film score that accompanies movies; ideas I had never really thought of before. First, he discussed the notion of the two different kinds of film score, underscore, and open air. Underscore is written to be played at a slightly lower volume played while the actors are talking; the other being music played out in the open.

Apparently this movie had 53 separate 'cues' or separate pieces of music which are played throughout the movie. He indicated that at first, it took him a few weeks of thinking about how he would start, especially considering the movie is a comedy, and the music would be a key aspect in that role.

Mr. Hamlisch indicated that he hadn't written a score for 10 year before this, but now he might consider doing more.

One person asked if he uses modern computers to compose: He indicated that he doesn't even read email. He said there is nothing wrong with that technique for composing, but that he does it the old fashioned way: pen and paper, pen so that he can scratch out sections that don't work out.

Someone asked if he had seen the movie (perhaps meaning the movie WITH the music), but he immediately exclaimed, humorously, that he'd seen it 1000 times. He basically plays the movie before him, just like a DVD, so that he can think of ideas to compose the music, and ways to make sure that the scene, and the music are the correct length. For him, composing film score was sort of like that saying, purportedly of Michelangelo that goes: well, to make an elephant, I take away from the stone, and what remains, that's the elephant.

After his talk, we all saw the movie. What an enhanced experience to know the kinds of things to listen to after hearing his talk. Indeed the music really did make the movie!

Inspired by Music

2009-10-03T00:33:00.000-04:00

I, of course, was inspired by music. Classical music never fails to entice my soul, to gratify my heart, to enthrall, and to bring sheer waves of delight. Whenever I hear it, I become lost -- in a good way. Suddenly transfixed as if phase shifted into another universe, the time space continuum of the symphonic music makes it easy to forget the dull mundane aspects of whatever was, and thrusts this new aspect upon me, and I smile, and I listen, and I hear.

This season the Pittsburgh Symphony has a theme for many of its concerts entitled "Inspired by Nature." What a fitting description, to me, of all of the classical forms of music. This evenings performance of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons was the first of these compositions that adheres to this theme. The seasons, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter are deliciously represented by this music, it's easy to hear the specific parts and how they may represent each season in turn. The experience of this concert live at Heinz Hall was especially pleasing. The sound is so much better, and many of the bases and lower tones were brought out in crisp and clear fashion, with dimensional effects unrealized in audio recordings. This showcased the best of the PSO string section, and one Harpsichord.

Before that was a fantastic performance of the Variations on a Rococo Theme. Anne Martindale Williams was phenomenal on the cello. Her technical mastery of this piece composed by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky was breathtaking.

The concert opened with the Star Spangled Banner, since this was the new opening night, the previously scheduled Beethoven 9th was postponed because of the recent G20 conference held in Pittsburgh. It was great to see the musicians perform this great piece standing.

Then we were treated to a splendid Sinfonietta by Francis Poulenc. What a treat for me, I have not heard this before tonight. This was my favorite part of the evening. This is such a fascinating piece of music with four movements. Each movement, to me, seemed to also be 'inspired by nature.' I envisioned this music as a chase, with perhaps a cat chasing a butterfly, in the first movement. Each time the cat would bat at the butterfly, it would flutter by and escape the sweeping arc of the paw, again and again. The second movement I envisioned another form of chase, this time a fox was after a rabbit. It would dart and weave, and the sly fox was quick but could not reach his target. The music seemed to have instruments juxtaposed in 1/16 time offset against each other, as if that were the fox darting, leaping and just missing the bunny. Then the third movement slowed, to find in my imagination perhaps a lazy river, with swans and all sorts of flora floating by, now the scene reveals an island with maidens idling in lush green fields. By the fourth movement the chase is back on, only this time it is a dance which eventually becomes a ballet scene. The men and the women are ballet dancers and the two main characters eventually spin together in the finale. Thy float up into the sky as we hear the performance end with a sprightly spin of many pixies and merry maidens in a concluding pirouette.

Truly inspired by nature, the nature of music, in my minds eye and my listening imagination.

PSO Preview, from Hoe-Down to an American in Paris

2009-09-04T11:09:00.000-04:00

Last night a preview concert at Heinz Hall afforded me a chance to re-immerse myself into the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's particular flavor of classical music. Seating was not assigned, so my friends and I eagerly occupied the Grand Tier section, upon choice ornate chairs. It was a great vantage point to see and hear the orchestra, but my preference is still in the upper sections, as far as quality and even distribution of sound are concerned.

Conductor Lawrence Loh opened the concert with Copland's "Hoe-Down" from Rodeo, an instant crowd-pleaser to say the least. Following, the host Larry Richert, announcer from KDKA radio, infused his humorous impression of the music: 'Beef, it's what's for dinner', as the old TV-ad would say.

Next came a new piece of music for me, Shostakovich Symphony 5, II. Allegretto. All evening the selections were only parts of a composition. This was a way to present as much to the attendees as possible, as an introduction of what will be heard in the upcoming season. We heard one of my favorite composers, Johann Strauss Jr's "Long Live Hungary." My friend also in attendance appreciated the work since he loves waltzes and his father was born and raised in Budapest. It was an excellent performance. His comment: "Very good expression - very crisp"

Ellen Chen-Livingston played the violin in the Adagio middle part of the Brahms concerto. Her long flowing red dress was beautiful, as was her rendition of the solo parts of this excerpt. My friend and I were really impressed. Her two daughters presented Ms. Chen with beautiful roses. Then came Mozart Symphony No. 30 IV Presto, which Mr. Richert indicated was the first time the PSO had played this piece. I would like to hear the whole symphony, all of Mozart's symphonies are very pleasing. The 'presto' projects a fascinating picture of the season to come.

Finally, before intermission, the PSO rocked the house with a fantastic exhibition of "Mars" from "The Planets" by Holst. Wow, the dynamic range of this symphony orchestra is hard to believe if one doesn't hear it in person at Heinz Hall.

After intermission came Richard Strauss' "Also Sprach Zarathustra" (the music most associated with the movie "2001, A Space Odyssey"). This is another one of those 'WOW' pieces that the PSO does so very well. Then came a piece commissioned for Richard Danielpour "Zoroastrian Riddles." I enjoy new music, especially when I can hear it more than once, so I look forward to experiencing the whole piece in the upcoming season. If you think about it, new classical music is really very much a collection of riddles, because to hear, absorb, and fully appreciate a composition, I find it is best to sample it again and again, to transcend first impressions, to build a deeper understanding and appreciation. Riddle me this Batman: Why not try it yourself? Come and listen to the PSO.

Music Director Manfred Honeck, who was not there up until this point, was introduced and presented an explanation of his thoughts on the music this season. He talked of his favorite composer, Mahler, and the heights to which his music transcends emotions like sadness, joy and love. His admiration for Pittsburgh was revealed in his comments about our energy, vibrancy and renewal, along with our passion. It was Honeck's passion for music that always kept me en garde and yearning for more last season.

The two last performances of the evening, were Gershwin's "An American in Paris," and Prokofiev's "Symphony No 5." Both highlighted the PSO very well, in their range, depth, and especially subtleties and clarity of expression. Don't forget next week's 'Enchanted Evening' with Itzhak Perlman, violin, and Manfred Honeck conducting, Wed, Sept 9, 7:30pm

Reception

2009-05-06T19:03:00.000-04:00

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra was gracious in holding a reception in the Overlook room for all of the bloggers associated with this PSO blogs on May 2, 2009 after the concert conducted by Manfred Honeck. It was great to finally meet all of the others and to have some interesting conversations about the PSO and classical music. I held out hope that Honeck himself might drop by, but it was not to be. However, after the event was over, as we were exiting Heinz Hall, I looked back and saw Jennifer Pizzuto introducing herself to Manfred Honeck who had just exited the hall himself. They were both smiling, but I wasn't quick enough with my camera to capture the moment.

I want to thank Nicole Phillip who hosted the event, Kevin DeLuca, our contact and coordinator for the blogs, as well as the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. PSO bloggers and friends - Jennifer Pizzuto(1), Matt Campbell(2), David DeAngelo(3), Cynthia Closkey(4), Elizabeth Perry(5), Justin Kownacki(6), Doug Bauman(7) and Louis Luangkesorn(8)

Legend: