Local violinist James Garlick held a recital Friday at the Good Shepherd Center in Wallingford. I will be writing about the experience and performance in more detail. Until then, here is a short clip from the concert of Garlick performing two variations from John Corigliano’s Red Violin Caprices.
Month: December 2009
Music of Remembrance: “Unconquered!”
By: Peter A. Klein
In addition to their two mainstage concerts each year at Benaroya Hall, Music of Remembrance also does a series of four free outreach concerts each year. The programs are typically drawn from past performances at Benaroya, performed for the community in a less formal setting.
I took in one of these concerts this afternoon, in the sun-drenched Italianate performance space at Good Shepherd Center in Wallingford. If you missed it, the same program can be heard tomorrow evening, Sunday, December 6, 2009, at The Congregational Church on Mercer Island, 4545 Island Crest Way, at 7:00 PM. Donations will be accepted at the door, and the performance space will be transformed into a cabaret, with refreshments served.
Renee Fleming returns to Seattle
Amelia Trio highlights early works by Beethoven, Shostakovich, and Chopin
The 2009/2010 UW World Series is well underway, bringing the best of dance, solo piano, and chamber music to Seattle audiences and the University of Washington community. Some have observed, this season’s line-up is less star-studded than in previous seasons. While this season might feature fewer marquis names, that doesn’t mean fewer marquis talents. Wednesday night’s visit by the Amelia Trio proved this all to well.
The Amelia Trio visited Meany Hall with a program of early compositions by three of classical music’s most popular composers: Shostakovich, Beethoven, and Chopin. None of the three composers are known primarily for their early piano trios. Shostakovich’s reputation rests primarily on the genius of his symphonies and string quartets. Chopin’s fame comes from his elegant to fiery music for solo piano. Beethoven’s legacy spans the entirety of his output because of his ever developing style. After all was said and done, the Amelia Trio’s warm, generous sound and their like-minded purpose proved the value of these three composers’ early piano trios.
Continue reading Amelia Trio highlights early works by Beethoven, Shostakovich, and Chopin
Is that your final answer?
In the video interview I conducted with Christopher Seaman a few days ago, his final answer to a question I posed, was obscured somewhat by a “fade” between clips. I uploaded the full answer, without any obstructing special effects. This should sate the interested.
Seaman conducts an energetic program Thursday
By: R.M. Campbell
The Seattle Symphony Orchestra entered into its holiday season Thursday night at Benaroya Hall with a varied, easy–to-like concert, only some of which had any bearing to Christmas. No one seemed to complain.
That is not surprising because the guest conductor for this program, to be repeated through Sunday afternoon, was Christoper Seaman, who conducted with flair and ebullience for everything on the podium. If this music were supposed to bring simple pleasure to the audience, Seaman was determined to carry out his assignment. The seasonal offerings were mostly of Tchaikovsky, one which has become a part of the Christmas weeks nearly everywhere in America and the other which has nothing to do with Christmas.
Continue reading Seaman conducts an energetic program Thursday
Questioning the conductors: Christopher Seaman
I talked with conductor Christopher Seaman yesterday. Seaman is in town guest conducting the Seattle Symphony in a series of concerts titled “Festive Holiday Encores.” Just as the name implies, the program is essentially one classical music hit after another. Popular pieces by Glinka, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky Korsakov, Dukas, etc. will fill Benaroya Hall this weekend. In the 20 minutes I had with Maestro Seaman, we talked about a wide range of subjects. He shared with me some memorable moments as timpanist with the London Philharmonic, including his admiration for Georg Solti. We also talked about his tenure with the Rochester Philharmonic. Seaman is regarded as an audience builder, and he discussed how he expanded the audience in Rochester and why people go to concerts. His answer is moving and obvious. His time with the Rochester Philharmonic comes to an end in 2011. In closing, I asked Seaman the obvious question: are you interested in the Seattle Symphony post? You’ll have to watch the video to find out what his answer was.
Zach Carstensen chats with conductor Christopher Seaman from gatheringnote on Vimeo.
Quarter notes: upcoming
December is here and the holiday concert season has begun. Tomorrow Christopher Seaman leads the Seattle Symphony in a concert which resembles a prolonged encore. Glinka, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky Korsakov, Dukas, and Humperdink are all represented on the program. On Friday, Renee Fleming performs a recital at Benaroya Hall. Fleming is one of opera’s reigning divas. Her performances routinely sell out in these parts. In Wallingford, on the same night, local violinist James Garlick and pianist Judith Cohen, perform a hefty recital of Ives, Debussy, Bartok, Corigliano, and Bach. Garlick told me over coffee at Fuel a few weeks ago, he was inspired to play the Ives second sonata after reading through the piece this past summer with pianist and Ives aficionado Jeremy Denk. This weekend, Seattle Pro Musica performs their holiday concert – Eastern Lights – on the 5th. There is another performance on the 12th. George Shangrow and Orchestra Seattle trot out their Messiah on Sunday the 6th. Currently OSSCS is leading in the “best Messiah” poll. Shangrow doesn’t cut, trim, or abridge any of Handel’s music. Every note is played. This makes Orchestra Seattle’s Messiah the longest in the region. Also on Sunday Opus 7 will perform Heaven on High, a concert featuring two early choral pieces by Mendelssohn and Rautavaara’s Canticum Mariae Virginis.
Gathering Note 