Classical Music - my/maSCENA

Video of the Day – Sid Caesar (1922-2014): In Memoriam

By Paul E. Robinson on 14 February 2014 Classical, Video of the day

Like so many kids growing up in North America in the 1950s, my life was hugely enriched by Sid Caesar’s comedy on television. He was a genius at what he did, and in my book there is greater gift than being able to make people laugh. Sid Caesar had a remarkable gift for sketch comedy, the kind of thing we celebrate today on “Saturday Night Live.” While we are at it, let’s not forget the contribution to this genre made by so many Canadian comic actors on SCTV. Caesar had a Chaplinesque talent for physical comedy. He had a rubber face,…

Bay/ASO and Jonathan Biss: Under the Influence

By Paul E. Robinson on 12 February 2014 Concert Reviews, Orchestral, Piano, Romantic, Violin

by Paul E. RobinsonVaughan Williams: The Lark AscendingSchumann: Piano Concerto in a minor Op. 54Brahms: Symphony No. 2 in D major Op. 73Jessica Mathaes, violinJonathan Biss, pianoAustin Symphony Orchestra/Peter BayLong Center for the Performing ArtsAustin, TXFebruary 8, 2014I have been spending a lot of time lately with Jonathan Biss – not the man himself, but his website. Mr. Biss is a 33-year-old American pianist of great distinction who also writes well about music. Biss has been particularly eloquent on the subjects of Beethoven and Schumann. He is recording all the Beethoven sonatas and has written a book (Beethoven’s Shadow) about…

Uniworld River Cruise: Unexpected “European Jewels”

By Paul E. Robinson on 12 February 2014 Concert Reviews, Opera, Orchestral, Romantic

by Paul E. RobinsonCLASSICAL TRAVELSRiver Cruise along the Main, the Rhine and the DanubeAugust 2013This past August, Marita and I thoroughly enjoyed the “European Jewels” Uniworld River Cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest. We were not expecting a concentration of musical events on this excursion; rather, we thought it would give us a view of Europe from a new perspective (i.e., docking within walking distance of towns and cities) – and it did, but to our delight, there was glorious music on this cruise as well, often in unexpected places. Up until about 20 years ago, this particular river cruise would not…

Yannick Nézet-Séguin et les grands hommes

By Brigitte Objois on 11 February 2014 Orchestral, Romantic

par Brigitte ObjoisCe dimanche 9 février, à la Maison symphonique, l’Orchestre Métropolitain, sous la direction de Yannick Nézet-Séguin, présentait Métamorphoses et le concerto pour cor no. 2 de Strauss ainsi que la 3ème symphonie « Eroica » de Beethoven.Métamorphoses, œuvre pour 23 instruments à cordes, fut écrite dans une Allemagne dévastée par la guerre et la défaite, puisqu’elle sera achevée en avril 1945. La mention « In Memoriam » de la main de Strauss en marge des dernières mesures, serait un hommage à Beethoven et sa 3ème symphonie dont le compositeur a repris le thème de la marche funèbre du…

Too Many "f"s in DSO/van Zweden New World Symphony?

By Paul E. Robinson on 5 February 2014 Contemporary, Orchestral, Romantic

by Paul E. RobinsonScott Cantrell is the distinguished long-time classical music critic of the Dallas Morning News. He recently wrote an article titled “Let’s go easier on those fortissimos” (January 31, 2014) in which he criticized Jaap van Zweden and the Dallas Symphony (DSO) for excessive volume in music by Brahms (Piano Concerto No. 2/Symphony No. 4) and Dvorak (New World Symphony). I wholeheartedly agree with Mr. Cantrell’s general point that volume levels in music performance have become excessive. Much of the blame for this phenomenon must go to technology; electronically amplified instruments can produce literally ear-splitting volume. With respect…

Video of the Day – Bamberg Symphony New Year’s Concerts – On Two Continents!

By Paul E. Robinson on 2 February 2014 Orchestral, Video of the day

It is a sign of the times that symphony orchestras are seeking new audiences as never before – and finding them. Each year the great Cleveland Orchestra plays fewer concerts at home in Cleveland and more in places such as Miami, Vienna and Lucerne. In early March it will take part in the Menuhin Competition in Austin, Texas. The Philadelphia Orchestra is developing a residency in Beijing, and the New York Philharmonic a permanent presence in Shanghai.What these new patterns have in common is a need for the orchestras involved to serve more people and balance their budgets. But it is significant…

CAMMAC: 60 Years of Summer Music Camp for All

By Rebecca Anne Clark on 1 February 2014 Classical Music, Education, Musique populaire

Author : (Rebecca Anne Clark)

Flash version here. Many adults have fond childhood memories of summer camp. And some continue to create memories by coming back year after year. Since its founding, CAMMAC (Canadian Amateur Musicians/ Musiciens amateurs canadiens) has hosted an annual event in Quebec’s beautiful Laurentians that mixes the excitement of a vacation at summer camp with the joy of making music. “Everyone wants to do something special with their summer holiday,” says executive director Margaret Little. “We have many repeat returns. It’s the highlight of [participants’] summer!” The first CAMMAC gathering was the idea of brothers George and Carl Little, along with…

Video of the Day – Claudio Abbado In Memoriam (1933-2014)

By Paul E. Robinson on 24 January 2014 Orchestral, Video of the day

Claudio Abbado’s passing last week was not unexpected – he had been seriously ill for some time – but it came as a heavy blow to those who had known him and admired his work. In that number were thousands of young people who had played in orchestras he had created. And there were many older musicians too who had been devoted to Abbado and his kind of music-making.Abbado was a shy but dedicated and determined man for whom music came first. He was not interested in personal glory, only in serving the music he loved. In that respect and…

Video of the Day – Minnesota Orchestra Musicians Reach Settlement with Management

By Paul E. Robinson on 18 January 2014 Orchestral, Video of the day

Finally, some good news from Minneapolis. The musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra have reached a settlement with their management. Concerts will resume in February.But there is one big unanswered question. When the dispute was at its height music director Osmo Vanska resigned. Will he be asked to return? Will he want to come back?The Minnesota Orchestra is one of the best symphony orchestras in the country. No doubt about it. But how much should its musicians be paid? That was the main issue in the conflict. On its side management pointed to a deficit that was huge and growing larger. It…

Video of the Day – Abbado Conducts Mendelssohn

By Paul E. Robinson on 13 January 2014 Orchestral, Romantic, Video of the day

Claudio Abbado has been in the news lately for his ill health. He has not conducted a concert since last September and his future schedule is very uncertain. In recent years he has drastically cut back his conducting activities due to serious intestinal issues. His main activity has been to lead the Lucerne Festival Orchestra in August every year, give a few concerts and make recordings with Orchestra Mozart, and appear annually with the Berlin Philharmonic.Now comes word that Orchestra Mozart has suspended operations. Both Orchestra Mozart and the Lucerne Festival Orchestra were created expressly for Abbado and would probably…

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