Dynamic Schumann at the SSO
February 7th, 2010 | Author: Zach Carstensen
Busoni, Schumann and Strauss was the line-up of composers on this week’s SSO subscription concert. Ferruccio Busoni’s Turandot Suite opened the program followed by Richard Strauss’ youthful Violin Concerto. James Ehnes was the guest soloist. The night closed with Robert Schumann’s 3rd Symphony “Rhenish.” For most of the audience, the pieces chosen — with the exception of Schumann’s symphony — were probably unfamiliar. While unfamiliarity can yield surprises and new discoveries, this wasn’t the case with the recent batch of SSO concerts.
Scottish harp is the focus of Baroque Northwest
February 7th, 2010 | Author: Special to TGN
By R.M. Campbell
Baroque Northwest is one of those small ensembles in Seattle that lives a little below the public radar but sustains itself with evocative programs, good music-making and a faithful audience.
Review: Ancestors of the Guitar
February 6th, 2010 | Author: Special to TGN
By Lorin Wilkerson
In a concert entitled ‘The Ancestors of the Guitar,” Portland lutenist/guitarist Hideki Yamaya presented an insightful look into three early instruments on Friday night, January 29th at the Little Church in NE Portland. Despite a delayed start as the artist waited for latecomers (there was a mistake in The Oregonian directing listeners to the Old Church downtown), the small hall was nearly full as Yamaya played several sets, first on the vihuela, then on a Renaissance lute, and finally a Baroque guitar. Throughout the performance Yamaya put the intimate setting to good use, taking time to set the works in their historical and social contexts, frequently interpolating vignettes on the evolution of the guitar and other plucked string instruments.
PNB’s “Sleeping Beauty” Ensconced at McCaw
February 6th, 2010 | Author: Special to TGN
PaKaori Nakamura (center) as Princess Aurora falls into a deep slumber after pricking her finger on a cursed spindle in Ronald Hynd’s The Sleeping Beauty. Photo Angela Sterling.
By R.M. Campbell
Pacific Northwest Ballet waited nearly three decades before mounting “Sleeping Beauty.” “Nutcracker,” “Swan Lake,” “Coppelia,” A Midsummer Night’s Dream” all preceded it. There was wisdom in waiting. If “Swan Lake,” in 1981, was a stretch for the company, “Sleeping Beauty” would have been a disaster. There is no challenge like this monumental ballet with its many roles scattered over three hours. Depth and breadth are mandatory.
Transitions
February 5th, 2010 | Author: Zach Carstensen
From a Seattle Symphony press release…
Seattle Symphony Board Chair Leslie Jackson Chihuly announced the appointment of current Seattle Symphony Vice President of Development Mark McCampbell to the position of Interim Executive Director. McCampbell has 30 years of non-profit leadership and fundraising experience and was brought into the organization by current Executive Director Thomas Philion. Philion, who has served as Executive Director since 2007, will continue to work with the organization as Senior Advisor in the coming months. Philion decided in December not to seek renewal of his contract. A search for a new President & Executive Director is underway, led by search committee chair and longtime board member Marco Abbruzzese.
Gershwin on Broadway
February 2nd, 2010 | Author: Special to TGN
By Philippa Kiraly
S’Wonderful how a Fascinatin’ Rhythm can get your feet tapping at Meany Hall to something By Strauss, but I’d Rather Charleston on Broadway in Summertime with The Man I Love even if he considers A Woman is a Sometime Thing.. No matter if you Soon say Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off, They Can’t Take that Away From Me. I have my Rhapsody in Blue forever and Someone to Watch Over Me.
Well!
Winter Festival closes its 2010 season Sunday
February 1st, 2010 | Author: Special to TGN
By R.M. Campbell
Just as the summer festival of the Seattle Chamber Music Society has taken a quantum leap in excellence over the past few years, so has the winter festival. The four-day event, which concluded Sunday afternoon with a splendid concert, gave evidence to that claim. This is the first year in nearly 30 in which both festivals will be held in the same place — Nordstrom Recital Hall. Home to summer event for most of its life, Lakeside School, and its pastoral calm, is no longer available to the festival. After a long search, Nordstrom was selected for its size, excellent acoustical properties and central location. There is room to grow in this hall, where there was none in St. Nicholas Hall, a smaller, less commodious and acoustically deficient venue. Officials have already been working on improving the extra-concert hall accommodations. I have no doubt that will be accomplished by summer — the festival opens July 5 — I believe people will readily embrace the new facility. If they want a bucolic ambience, they can attend concerts at Overlake School in Redmond, a summer Eastside branch of the main festival. Not only is there a handsome campus, the acoustics of its hall are superb.
Thalia Symphony’s From Russia With Love
February 1st, 2010 | Author: Special to TGN
By Harlan Glotzer
On Saturday afternoon the Thalia Symphony presented a brief, but by no means unsubstantial, concert of two Russian masters. Thalia, a truly remarkable group of musicians, under the baton of Eric Hanson, has been the Seattle Pacific University Orchestra in Residence since 1994. Spanning a wide range of ages, comprised of professionals, SPU students, and SPU alumni, this ensemble embodies the essence of a community orchestra. Thalia is indeed a place for young musicians to hone their skills among the ranks of peers and mentors.
Turina surprises and the Trout inspires at SCMS’s Friday concert
January 31st, 2010 | Author: Zach Carstensen
Pianist Anna Polonsky. Photo, Shirley Singer.
The Seattle Chamber Music Society, and its stable of talented instrumentalists, continued its winter festival this past Friday. This year, the winter festival is celebrating the 200th anniversary of Robert Schumann’s birthday. The classical proportioned Second Piano Trio was the Schumann selection on Friday night. On either side of the trio were two pieces — one familiar, the other less so — Franz Schubert’s famous Trout Quintet and Joaquin Turina’s Piano Quartet.
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Seattle Chamber Music Society begins its Winter Festival
January 30th, 2010 | Author: Zach Carstensen
By Philippa Kiraly
I’ve never heard a Seattle Chamber Music Society concert more satisfying than this one, perhaps because we don’t have much chamber music on this level in the winter here (with the exception of the UW World Series) nor much in an intimate venue. Thursday’s concert at Nordstrom Recital Hall, the opening of SCMS’ Winter Festival, hit the ear with particular effect.
As pianist Anna Polonsky mentioned to the capacity audience, Nordstrom is where the summer festival relocates to this coming July, and while the charm of the Lakeside School ambience will be gone (anyone going to picnic out among the traffic noises or on the floor of the Nordstrom lobby?), those listening last night were reminded that this is what it will sound like in July as well, and by any standards it was great.
One from Mozart and one from Mendelssohn
January 30th, 2010 | Author: Zach Carstensen
By Gigi Yellen
The CD “Live in the Fiddler’s House,” played in the car as I headed for Benaroya Hall to hear “Reb Itzik” play.
That would be Itzhak Perlman, the wildly famous virtuoso violinist, whose Jan. 28 concert as soloist and conductor was the second in a two-night stand that launched this year’s Seattle Symphony Mainly Mozart Series.
Happy birthday Mozart! SSO members present a delightful tribute
January 30th, 2010 | Author: Zach Carstensen
By Dana Wen
This week marks the 254th anniversary of Mozart’s birth, kicking off commemorative concerts across the globe. Here in Seattle, members of the Seattle Symphony presented a delightful program of the great composer’s chamber music to celebrate the event. The well-attended Tuesday night recital, a day before Mozart’s birthday on January 27, was held in Benaroya Hall’s intimate Nordstrom Recital Hall. It was a pleasant surprise to see the room so full on a cold weeknight. The enthusiasm of the crowd served as a testament to the success of the Seattle Symphony’s small chamber music series. This Mozart tribute proved to be no exception to this rule. The four works on the program did an excellent job of showcasing the symphony’s talent while representing various sides of Mozart’s personality.
A Toast to Mozart
January 30th, 2010 | Author: Zach Carstensen
By Philippa Kiraly
Celebrating Mozart on his birthday Wednesday in a Town Hall concert, pianist Byron Schenkman and several colleagues enlivened their performances with raffle drawings for an audience already enjoying wine and chocolates. Downstairs at Town Hall was jammed with people skipping the last part of the State of the Union speech to be there and the atmosphere was cheerfully festive.
The performances, of Mozart works mostly from the composer’s late teens and very early twenties, were of generally high level as one would expect from anything Schenkman does, but within that the results were uneven.
Let’s make a deal!
January 27th, 2010 | Author: Zach Carstensen
The Seattle Symphony musicians and management have reached a tentative agreement on a multi-year contract, paving the way for the next phase of the orchestra’s future.
Leasons learned
January 27th, 2010 | Author: Zach Carstensen
If you went to the Seattle Philharmonic concert this past weekend you learned two lessons. First, parents should keep their young children at home. Second, among community orchestras, the Seattle Phil is the best I have heard so far this year. They are a group of musicians capable of unexpected, even stunning results.
