Tag: Video

Questioning the conductors: Thomas Dausgaard

Conductor Thomas Dausgaard

This week’s Seattle Symphony concerts could be a sleeper hit of the 2009/2010 season. Thomas Dausgaard is in town to lead the orchestra in performances of Sibelius’ Fifth and Lutoslawski’s Fourth Symphony. These two 20th century view of the symphony bookend a 20th Century concerto – Rachmaninov’s Fourth Piano Concerto. Sibelius’s Fifth isn’t as well known by orchestras and audiences as his First and Second Symphonies. Rachmaninov’s middle piano concertos – the Second and Third – hold sway over most with their long, aching melodies. And Lutoslawski, for all of his inventiveness, has failed to win the hearts and minds of most classical audiences.  But, take all three pieces together and you have a program that is intellectually and aurally exciting.

What a concert like this needs is a conductor like Thomas Dausgaard. In my thirty minute chat with Dausgaard, he impressed me with his belief in the three pieces on his program, and especially Sibelius and Lutoslawski. Dausgaard gives the impression of someone who likes to get inside the music he is conducting; he’s not just counting time. If anyone can win converts to Sibelius’ Fifth and Lutoslawski’s Fourth it is Dausgaard.

Our conversation covered a lot of ground.  We talked about Sibelius’ symphonic narrative, Danish composers other than Carl Nielsen, and what Lutoslawski would have said in response to Mahler’s assertion that the symphony must be like the world.

Thomas Dausgaard talks with TGN from Zach Carstensen on Vimeo.

Questioning the conductors: Vassily Sinaisky

My series of interviews with the guest conductors taking the SSO podium continues with Vassily Sinaisky. Sinaisky wrapped up a series of four concerts with the SSO this weekend that paired Brahms’ Double Concerto for cello and violin and Ravel’s “Daphnis et Chloe.” This program is a departure, of sorts, for Sinaisky. In his previous engagements with the orchestra, Russian music has figured prominently on his programs. Of course, when I asked Sinaisky about this he didn’t see the program as a departure.

I caught up with Sinaisky immediately after the Friday night performance. I arrived a bit early at Benaroya Hall, and the SSO’s public relations manager kindly took me backstage and we watched in rapt attention the final ten minutes or so of “Daphnis et Chloe.” Even with Benaroya’s thick stage doors, you could feel the music vibrating through the floor and walls (how cool!)

Once Sinaisky composed himself, we chatted about the SSO, Russian conductors and non-Russian repertory, rehearsal methods, and record stores. We also talked about his ongoing Franz Schmidt symphony cycle with the Malmo Symphony for the Naxos label. When the final two disks are released this year, it will be only the second complete cycle every recorded of these Mahler and Bruckner inspired symphonies.

from gatheringnote on Vimeo.

Ferko discusses how he composed his Stabat Mater

Frank Ferko is in town for a performance of his Stabat Mater by Choral Arts. He participated in a Meet the Composer last night at Fare Start. I live blogged the Q&A (you can find the transcript by clicking on the Live Blog page) and at the beginning of the question period I took this short video of Ferko talking about what went into each stanza, why he skipped the second, and why the stanzas toward the end are shorter.  If your Saturday evening is empty, consider coming to St. James Cathedral at 8 pm to hear Choral Arts’ performance.

Frank Ferko explains how he composed his “Stabat Mater” from gatheringnote on Vimeo.

Shmidt discusses Kurtag’s Kafka Fragments

Here is my second interview with Mikhail Shmidt.  In this video Shmidt talks about Hungarian composer Gyorgy Kurtag’s “Kafka Fragments,” a piece he will perform this Saturday as part of Icebreaker V.  “Kafka Fragments” is no ordinary piece; it is one of Kurtag’s most important works and one of his most difficult.  People describe it as part song cycle and part autobiography.  Based on my own survey of the piece and Shmidt’s assessment, “Fragments” is daunting for musicians and listeners.  Saturday’s performance may end up as one of the best concerts so far this year.

Mikhail Shmidt discusses Kafka Fragments from gatheringnote on Vimeo.

Following on TGN’s successful live blog of “Drums Along the Pacific,” I will be live blogging “Kafka Fragments.”  “Fragments” is well suited for live blogging.  Songs tend to be short, many lasting less than a minute.  Perfect for snap judgments and short bursts of commentary.

If you can’t attend the performance of “Kafka Fragments,” do the next best thing and check out the live blog on the Live Blogs page.  Closer to the event, I will set up a dedicated post where you can follow the live blog.

Information for the concert can be found at http://www.ontheboards.org

Mikhail Shmidt discusses Icebreaker V: Love and War

Starting Friday, the Seattle Chamber Players embark on their fifth Icebreaker festival – “Love and War.” While other Icebreakers have focused on American, Russian, and Baltic contemporary music, the latest festival centers on Western Europe. Mikhail Shmidt, one of SCP’s founding members spoke with me about the festival. You can watch and hear Shmidt’s thoughts below.

Mikhail Shmidt discusses SCP’s Icebreaker V from gatheringnote on Vimeo.

Continue reading Mikhail Shmidt discusses Icebreaker V: Love and War

Questioning the conductors: Gary Thor Wedow

Gary Thor Wedow sat down with TGN to talk about his run of Messiah performances with the Seattle Symphony this weekend. Wedow is an active early music and opera conductor whose reputation continues to grow.  He has conducted both the Seattle Symphony and the Seattle Opera in recent years. This past fall, Wedow led the New York City Opera in a new production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, which by all accounts, was a bloody, sexualized, and well received production. For those who may not know, the New York City Opera went dark for a year and a half after financial difficulties, leadership turmoil, and eventually a complete renovation of Koch Theater.  I confessed to Wedow that if I lived in New York, I would probably prefer the edgier performances and pluckier attitude of City Opera to the neighboring Metropolitan Opera. 

Wedow impressed me with his breadth of knowledge and enthusiasm for the Messiah but also for new and contemporary music – an area most might not immediately associate with Wedow. We talked for more than twenty minutes on camera, and at least twenty minutes off camera, slowly shuffling toward Benaroya Hall’s artist’s entrance. It was one of those walking conversations where there is more conversation than actual walking. Just before leaving the hall, I told Wedow how much I appreciate and how much I learn about music when I interview conductors, composers, musicians, and that I have met so many interesting people that I would want to invite them all to dinner. Hyperbole? Perhaps. In Wedow’s case, I might just try to wrangle a dinner out of him next time I am in New York or he is in Seattle.

James Garlick plays Corigliano

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.

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.

Astor Piazzolla’s Four Season’s of Buenos Aires; Q&A with violinist James Garlick

The Northwest Sinfonietta returns to action this week with a program that features eight seasons — Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” and Piazzolla’s “Four Seasons of Buenos Aires.”  James Garlick — friend of the Gathering Note, frequent concertmaster with the Sinfonietta, and occasional contributor — took a few moments to talk about Piazzolla’s “Seasons.”  Garlick is soloing with his orchestra for the Piazzolla while Adam LaMotte, the Sinfonietta’s concertmaster, is taking up solo duties for Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons.”

Continue reading Astor Piazzolla’s Four Season’s of Buenos Aires; Q&A with violinist James Garlick