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Mahler: Symphony No. 6

By Paul E. Robinson on 11 December 2013 Concert Reviews, Orchestral, Romantic

Mahler: Symphony No. 6Dallas Symphony Orchestra/Jaap van ZwedenDSO Live DSOL-5***** This is the latest release from the Dallas Symphony on its own label. It dates from March 2013 during a week of highly acclaimed live performances of the work at the Myerson Symphony Center. Shortly afterwards, van Zweden and the DSO embarked on a European tour; again the Mahler Sixth was prominently featured. This recording documents the best of both orchestra and conductor. After several seasons as music director in Dallas, van Zweden has been able to add some first-class musicians to the band and to shape the ensemble to…

Video of the Day – Alexander Shelley Conducts Sibelius

By Paul E. Robinson on 6 November 2013 Orchestral, Romantic, Video of the day

The National Arts Centre Orchestra has a new conductor. Pinchas Zukerman is stepping down and Alexander Shelley is taking over. Shelley is not a household name but he has built a respectable career, mostly in Germany. He was born in London in 1979 and takes the reins of the NACO starting in September, 2015.In this video Shelley conducts Gustavo Dudamel’s Simon Bolivar Orchestra in Venezuela, in an excerpt from the Symphony No. 2 by Sibelius.Paul E. Robinson

Video of the Day – Gergiev Conducts Tchaikovsky

By Paul E. Robinson on 25 September 2013 Orchestral, Romantic, Video of the day

For years now the busiest conductor in the world has been Valery Gergiev. And he still is. He is currently conducting a run of performances of Eugen Onegin at the Met in New York with Anna Netrebko, and soon he will be leading a North American tour with his Mariinsky Orchestra. The tour includes a stop in Montreal with an all-Rachmaninov program.His critics say that Gergiev can’t possibly be prepared for all the performances he gives and that is probably true. At the same time, few conductors anywhere bring as much mastery and involvement to a performance as Gergiev. Like…

Video of the Day – Berlin Philharmonic Horn Section Plays Bruckner

By Paul E. Robinson on 15 September 2013 Orchestral, Romantic, Video of the day

The symphonies of Bruckner are a challenge for any orchestra, especially for the horn section. In several of the later symphonies four of the horn players have to switch to Wagner tubas. The Berlin Philharmonic has a long and proud tradition of playing Bruckner under Furtwaengler, Karajan, Boehm, Jochum and others but it doesn’t take its authority lightly in this repertoire. In this recent video you will see the members of the BPO horn section preparing for a Bruckner performance with meticulous rehearsal and discussion.The Montreal Symphony plays Bruckner’s Third Symphony this week under music director Kent Nagano.Paul E. Robinson

Video of the Day – Lisiecki Plays Chopin at Verbier Festival 2013

By Paul E. Robinson on 29 August 2013 Piano, Romantic, Video of the day

The summer music festivals are drawing to a close for another year. Among the highlights was this performance by Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki from the 2013 Verbier Festival in Switzerland. Lisiecki plays Chopin’s Nocturne in C sharp minor.Paul E. Robinson

Video of the Day – Joshua Bell & the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields

By Paul E. Robinson on 5 August 2013 Romantic, Video of the day, Violin

The legendary chamber orchestra the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields made a surprising choice recently when it chose Joshua Bell to be its next music director. Bell had little or no experience as a conductor so how could he be the right man for the job that Sir Neville Marriner long held with such distinction?But the ASMF is a very special kind of chamber orchestra and Joshua Bell is a very special sort of musician. Like Bell Marriner was a violinist although he did not have an important career as a soloist. And for a time Marriner led…

Video of the Day – Thielemann and the Dresden Staatskapelle

By Paul E. Robinson on 29 July 2013 Orchestral, Romantic, Video of the day

Last fall Christian Thielemann began his tenure as chief conductor of the legendary Dresden Staatskapelle, one of the world’s oldest and finest orchestras. Great things are expected from this combination of conductor and orchestra. Thielemann has solid credentials as a Bruckner and Wagner conductor and that is the core repertoire of this orchestra.Earlier this year Thielemann and the Dresden Staatskapelle took over from Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic as the resident conductor and orchestra of the Salzburg Easter Festival. This too has a certain inevitability about it. Karajan founded the Salzburg Easter Festival and for many years Thielemann was one…

Cette semaine à Montréal : le 8 au 14 juillet

By La Scena Musicale Team on 8 July 2013 Orchestral, Piano, Romantic, This Week in Montreal

Le festival de musique de Lachine : Verdi, Wagner et PoulencAxé sur les anniversaires des compositeurs, le festival donne une place de choix au chant. Au concert d’ouverture du 29 juin, Étienne Dupuis et le chef Jordan de Souza interpréteront Verdi et Wagner, tandis que le 6 juillet, c’est Poulenc qui sera à l’honneur avec la soprano Pascale Beaudin, accompagnée par Olivier Godin et François Zeitouni. Le Concert découvertesprésentera deux jeunes lauréats de concours : Gordon Bintner, baryton-basse, et Florie Valiquette, soprano (4 juillet). Le directeur artistique, Richard Turp, est particulièrement fier d’avoir pu intégrer au programme la hautboïste canadienne Louise…

This Week in Montreal: July 8 to 14

By La Scena Musicale Team on 8 July 2013 Contemporary, Orchestral, Romantic, This Week in Montreal

Festival de Musique de Lachine: Verdi, Wagner And PoulencWith programming inspired by composers’ birthdays, this year’s festival will heavily feature the voice. The opening concert on June 29 stars Étienne Dupuis and conductor Jordan de Souza, performing works by Verdi and Wagner. Poulenc takes the spotlight on July 6 in a performance by soprano Pascale Beaudin, accompanied by Olivier Godin and François Zeitouni. Two rising stars and competition winners, bass-baritone Gordon Bintner and soprano Florie Valiquette, will participate in the Discovery Concert on July 4. Artistic Director Richard Turp is thrilled to offer a program with Canadian oboist Louise Pellerin,…

Gripping Il Tabarro and Pagliacci Pairing in St. Louis!

By Paul E. Robinson on 22 June 2013 Concert Reviews, Opera, Romantic

by Paul E. RobinsonIl TabarroEmily Pulley/Tim Mix/Robert Brubaker/Matthew DiBattistaDir: Ron DanielsSt. Louis Symphony/Ward Stare, conductorPagliacciTim Mix/Robert Brubaker/Matthew DiBattista/Kelly KaduceDir: Ron DanielsSt. Louis Symphony/Ward Stare, conductorOpera Theatre of St. LouisLoretto-Hilton CenterThursday, June 13, 2013“A married woman falls in love with a young man, and in a jealous rage, her possessive husband takes his revenge. Il Tabarro (The Cloak) and Pagliacci (Clowns). Two operas. The same story:” Brazilian director Ron Daniels succinctly gives us the gist of these two powerful music dramas. What a brilliant idea to present them together in a single evening – a little grim, yes, but wonderfully illuminating!Pagliacci is most often paired with Cavalleria Rusticana. Il Tabarro, as originally…

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