Georg Anton Benda (1722-1795)
Laszlo Lajtha (1892-1963)
John Duke (1899-1984)
Lena Horne (1917-2010)
James Loughran (1931)
Giles Swayne (1946)
Stephen Barlow (1954)
Esa-Pekka Salonen (1958)
and
John Gay (1685-1732)
Czeslaw Milosz (1911-2004)
Friday, June 30, 2023
Thursday, June 29, 2023
Today's Birthdays
Aarre Merikanto (1893-1958)
Nelson Eddy (1901-1967)
Leroy Anderson (1908-1975)
Frank Loesser (1910-1969)
Bernard Hermann (1911-1975)
Rafael Kubelik (1914-1996)
Sylvia Olden Lee (1917-2004)
Ezra Laderman (1924-2015)
Joelle Wallach (1946)
"Little Eva" Boyd 1945-2003)
Anne-Sophie Mutter (1963)
and
Antoine de Saint Exupéry (1900-1944)
James K. Baxter (1926-1972)
Oriana Fallaci (1929-2006)
Nelson Eddy (1901-1967)
Leroy Anderson (1908-1975)
Frank Loesser (1910-1969)
Bernard Hermann (1911-1975)
Rafael Kubelik (1914-1996)
Sylvia Olden Lee (1917-2004)
Ezra Laderman (1924-2015)
Joelle Wallach (1946)
"Little Eva" Boyd 1945-2003)
Anne-Sophie Mutter (1963)
and
Antoine de Saint Exupéry (1900-1944)
James K. Baxter (1926-1972)
Oriana Fallaci (1929-2006)
Wednesday, June 28, 2023
Review: Oregon Symphony closes its season with sublime Mozart Flute Concerto and Mahler's Fifth
The Oregon Symphony wrapped up its 2022-2023 season with a well-balanced concert of music by Mozart and Mahler (June 10) at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. The orchestra’s principal flutist Martha Long delighted the audience an outstanding performance of Mozart’s Flute Concerto No. 1, which was followed by a thoroughly heart-stopping and inspiring Mahler Fifth Symphony under the baton of Music Director David Danzmayr.
The mellifluous and smooth sound that Long fashioned for the Mozart concerto was absolutely perfect, and she excelled in shaping each phrase. Even as the first movement (Allegro maestoso) perked along, she gracefully etched its passages with lovely dynamics. She even delivered the downhill and uphill runs of the cadenza with an enchanting poetic arc. The lyrical nature of the slower second movement (Adagio non troppo) suggested light breezes and the third (Rondo: Tempo di menuetto) made me imagine a bird fluttering from branch to branch. Such was the evocative playing of Long. It was able to take this listener out of the concert hall.
In response to the sustained, enthusiastic applause that followed her performance, Long was joined by her colleagues, assistant principal flutist Alicia DiDonato Paulsen and piccoloist Zachariah Galatis, in an encore, the bright and bubbly last movement of “Flutes en Vacances” (“Flutes on Vacation”) by Jacques Casterede. That got everyone into the mood for a picnic, and it brought down the house a second time.
The stage at The Schnitz was stuffed wall-to-wall with musicians. The super-sized ensemble included 7 horns, 12 violas, 10 cellos, and 8 double basses. With Danzmayr ardently urging the assemblage onward, the result was a thrilling rollercoaster of a ride that took listeners very high, very low, very near, very far, and everything in between. In short, the performance was spectacular.
From the get-go with Jeffrey Work’s trumpet calls, orchestral outbursts, and sounds of trudging and pleading – the orchestra put listeners through an emotional wringer in the Trauermarsch. The sudden attack into the Stürmisch bewegt, mit grösster Vehemeng section announced by huge cry from the violins and delved into a seesaw of mood swings – sometimes introverted, sometime extroverted – before delving into a big melodic line from the cellos as if to assuage things – but couldn’t. The following Scherzo lightened up the situation a tad, but that section continued to express a mixture of bombastic surges and intimate withdrawals. The impeccable playing of Jeff Garza, principal horn highlighted the movement, and it ended with a wild explosion of colorful sound that would have signaled the end of most symphonies – but not Mahler. With his solemn and heavenly Adagietto, the orchestra dished up delicious helpings of longing that were layered with dynamic contrast, and it all finally wound down and subsided quietly into the double bass section. That left the Rondo – Finale with its fugue and sprawling lines and ecstatic, barn-burner of an ending. The last measures of the piece transported patrons with a joyful, glorious soundscape that just lifted them out of their seats with spontaneous ovations.
The comprehensive and emotive leadership of Danzmayr made the journey through the wilderness of Mahler’s Fifth Symphony a complete and resounding success. Given his terrific handling of Mahler’s Fourth Symphony a month earlier, Danzmayr is turning into a master of Mahler’s expansive and very demanding visions, and that helped to make the concert a life-enhancing experience. Maybe Mahler’s Sixth will be coming up for Danzmayr and the orchestra in the near future.
The concert was also marked at the very beginning by an acknowledgement of members of the orchestra for their years of service. Joseph Berger, associate principal horn, has clocked his 35th year with the ensemble.
The mellifluous and smooth sound that Long fashioned for the Mozart concerto was absolutely perfect, and she excelled in shaping each phrase. Even as the first movement (Allegro maestoso) perked along, she gracefully etched its passages with lovely dynamics. She even delivered the downhill and uphill runs of the cadenza with an enchanting poetic arc. The lyrical nature of the slower second movement (Adagio non troppo) suggested light breezes and the third (Rondo: Tempo di menuetto) made me imagine a bird fluttering from branch to branch. Such was the evocative playing of Long. It was able to take this listener out of the concert hall.
In response to the sustained, enthusiastic applause that followed her performance, Long was joined by her colleagues, assistant principal flutist Alicia DiDonato Paulsen and piccoloist Zachariah Galatis, in an encore, the bright and bubbly last movement of “Flutes en Vacances” (“Flutes on Vacation”) by Jacques Casterede. That got everyone into the mood for a picnic, and it brought down the house a second time.
The stage at The Schnitz was stuffed wall-to-wall with musicians. The super-sized ensemble included 7 horns, 12 violas, 10 cellos, and 8 double basses. With Danzmayr ardently urging the assemblage onward, the result was a thrilling rollercoaster of a ride that took listeners very high, very low, very near, very far, and everything in between. In short, the performance was spectacular.
From the get-go with Jeffrey Work’s trumpet calls, orchestral outbursts, and sounds of trudging and pleading – the orchestra put listeners through an emotional wringer in the Trauermarsch. The sudden attack into the Stürmisch bewegt, mit grösster Vehemeng section announced by huge cry from the violins and delved into a seesaw of mood swings – sometimes introverted, sometime extroverted – before delving into a big melodic line from the cellos as if to assuage things – but couldn’t. The following Scherzo lightened up the situation a tad, but that section continued to express a mixture of bombastic surges and intimate withdrawals. The impeccable playing of Jeff Garza, principal horn highlighted the movement, and it ended with a wild explosion of colorful sound that would have signaled the end of most symphonies – but not Mahler. With his solemn and heavenly Adagietto, the orchestra dished up delicious helpings of longing that were layered with dynamic contrast, and it all finally wound down and subsided quietly into the double bass section. That left the Rondo – Finale with its fugue and sprawling lines and ecstatic, barn-burner of an ending. The last measures of the piece transported patrons with a joyful, glorious soundscape that just lifted them out of their seats with spontaneous ovations.
The comprehensive and emotive leadership of Danzmayr made the journey through the wilderness of Mahler’s Fifth Symphony a complete and resounding success. Given his terrific handling of Mahler’s Fourth Symphony a month earlier, Danzmayr is turning into a master of Mahler’s expansive and very demanding visions, and that helped to make the concert a life-enhancing experience. Maybe Mahler’s Sixth will be coming up for Danzmayr and the orchestra in the near future.
The concert was also marked at the very beginning by an acknowledgement of members of the orchestra for their years of service. Joseph Berger, associate principal horn, has clocked his 35th year with the ensemble.
Today's Birthdays
Napoléon Coste (1805-1883)
Joseph Joachim (1831-1907)
Richard Rodgers (1902-1979)
Arnold Shaw (1909-1989)
Sergiu Celibidache (1912-1996)
George Lloyd (1913-1998)
Giselher Klebe (1925-2009)
Robert Xavier Rodriguez (1946)
Philip Fowke (1950)
Thomas Hampson (1955)
and
Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640)
Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)
Luigi Pirandello (1867-1936)
Eric Ambler (1909-1989)
Mark Helprin (1947)
Joseph Joachim (1831-1907)
Richard Rodgers (1902-1979)
Arnold Shaw (1909-1989)
Sergiu Celibidache (1912-1996)
George Lloyd (1913-1998)
Giselher Klebe (1925-2009)
Robert Xavier Rodriguez (1946)
Philip Fowke (1950)
Thomas Hampson (1955)
and
Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640)
Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)
Luigi Pirandello (1867-1936)
Eric Ambler (1909-1989)
Mark Helprin (1947)
Tuesday, June 27, 2023
Today's Birthdays
Friedrich Silcher (1789-1860)
Toti Dal Monte (1893-1975)
Karel Reiner (1910-1979)
George Walker (1922-2018)
Ruth Schönthal (1924-2006)
Anno Moffo (1932-2006)
Hugh Wood (1932-2021)
Daniel Asia (1953)
Nancy Gustafson (1956
Magnus Lindberg (1958)
Robert King (1960)
and
James Smithson (1765-1829)
Paul Lawrence Dunbar (1872-1906)
Helen Keller (1880-1968)
Frank O'Hara (1926-1966)
Lucille Clifton (1936-2010)
Alice McDermott (1953)
Toti Dal Monte (1893-1975)
Karel Reiner (1910-1979)
George Walker (1922-2018)
Ruth Schönthal (1924-2006)
Anno Moffo (1932-2006)
Hugh Wood (1932-2021)
Daniel Asia (1953)
Nancy Gustafson (1956
Magnus Lindberg (1958)
Robert King (1960)
and
James Smithson (1765-1829)
Paul Lawrence Dunbar (1872-1906)
Helen Keller (1880-1968)
Frank O'Hara (1926-1966)
Lucille Clifton (1936-2010)
Alice McDermott (1953)
Monday, June 26, 2023
Today's Birthdays
Big Bill Broonzy (1893-1958)
Hugues Cuénod (1902-2010)
Wolfgang Windgassen (1914-1974)
Giuseppe Taddei (1916-2010)
Syd Lawrence (1923-1998)
Jacob Druckman (1928-1996)
Claudio Abbado (1933-2014)
and
Pearl S. Buck (1892-1973)
Walter Farley (1916-1989)
Hugues Cuénod (1902-2010)
Wolfgang Windgassen (1914-1974)
Giuseppe Taddei (1916-2010)
Syd Lawrence (1923-1998)
Jacob Druckman (1928-1996)
Claudio Abbado (1933-2014)
and
Pearl S. Buck (1892-1973)
Walter Farley (1916-1989)
Sunday, June 25, 2023
Today's Birthdays
Gustave Charpentier (1860-1956)
Arthur Tracy (1899-1997)
Bill Russo (1928-2003)
Kurt Schwertsik (1935)
Carly Simon (1945)
and
Antoni Gaudí (1852-1926)
George Abbott (1887-1995)
George Orwell (1903-1950)
Sonia Sotomayor (1954)
Arthur Tracy (1899-1997)
Bill Russo (1928-2003)
Kurt Schwertsik (1935)
Carly Simon (1945)
and
Antoni Gaudí (1852-1926)
George Abbott (1887-1995)
George Orwell (1903-1950)
Sonia Sotomayor (1954)
Saturday, June 24, 2023
Preview of Makrokosmos extravaganza published in The O
My preview of this five-hour concert of new music is available in Oregonlive. I think that it will appear in print in the Sunday edition. Beethoven (who did a four-hour concert of his music on December 22, 1808) would have been proud of Stephanie and Saar for assembling this extravaganza.
Today's Birthdays
Harry Partch (1901-1974)
Pierre Fournier (1906-1986)
Milton Katims (1909-2006)
Denis Dowling (1910-1984)
Terry Riley (1935)
and
Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914)
John Ciardi (1916-1986)
Anita Desai (1937)
Stephen Dunn (1939)
Pierre Fournier (1906-1986)
Milton Katims (1909-2006)
Denis Dowling (1910-1984)
Terry Riley (1935)
and
Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914)
John Ciardi (1916-1986)
Anita Desai (1937)
Stephen Dunn (1939)
Friday, June 23, 2023
Today's Birthdays
Carl Reinecke (1824-1910)
Mieczyslaw Horszowski (1892-1993)
George Russell (1923-2009)
Adam Faith (1940-2003)
James Levine (1943-2021)
Nigel Osborne (1948)
Nicholas Cleobury (1950)
Sylvia McNair (1956)
and
Anna Akhmatova (1889-1966)
Michael Shaara (1928-1988)
David Leavitt (1961)
Mieczyslaw Horszowski (1892-1993)
George Russell (1923-2009)
Adam Faith (1940-2003)
James Levine (1943-2021)
Nigel Osborne (1948)
Nicholas Cleobury (1950)
Sylvia McNair (1956)
and
Anna Akhmatova (1889-1966)
Michael Shaara (1928-1988)
David Leavitt (1961)
Thursday, June 22, 2023
Xavier Foley makes the double bass sing in Oregon Symphony concert
Xavier Foley, the newest member of Oregon Symphony’s creative alliance, made a strikingly impressive debut with the orchestra (June 5) at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. The ultra-talented bassist wowed the audience with two of his own pieces plus Giovanni Bottesini’s Second Double Bass Concerto. The second half of the program surveyed the heavens with Gustav Holst’s “The Planets,” appealing extremely well an audience that almost filled the house – due in part to moving the Saturday performance (June 3) to the afternoon because of the Starlight Parade, which was routed through the downtown streets.
For the opening number, “Lost Child,” Foley quickly brought his double-bass to centerstage sans Danzmayr. With the spotlight on him, Foley coaxed a lovely, mellow sound. I could hear tinges of a Latin American rhythm but also slightly jazzy and some Bach-like influences. The brief solo (about three minutes) grew in intensity and boiled over before subsiding to a gentle ending.
Foley returned with the orchestra’s principal second violist, Chien Tan, to play “Justice and Peace,” which featured a string orchestra and four singers (SATB) under the direction of Danzmayr. “Justice and Peace” began with a long introduction by the strings, gradually picking up the tempo and a more rhythmic pulse – all of which was interrupted by a slap of a gavel on a bar stool (executed by violinist Ryan Lee). Foley and Tan responded with a quicksilver duet. Melodic lines from the orchestra were laced over with more speedy fingerwork by Foley and Tan and then broken up by the gavel here and there. The singers overlaid the sound with slave songs, but it was difficult to understand the words, except for “freedom.” A sense of urgency permeated the performance, and its conclusion drew enthusiastic applause from the audience
To switch things up, Foley came back to centerstage to play Giovanni Bottesini’s “Double Bass Concerto No. 2 in B minor.” Foley expressed the piece with committed flair, making each phrase super interesting – from the most delicate lines imaginable to the most demonstrative. He wheeled into the cadenza in the first movement with terrific verve that almost caused a standing ovation. In the lyrical Andante, he touched on a terrific conversation with the orchestra and took time to enjoy the brief, elegant cadenza. For the final Allegro movement, he delivered an array of fireworks that just triggered a cascade of applause from all corners of the house.
Foley’s encore, a wonderful rendition of Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 was crystalline and flawless, and again drew a raves from listeners. So, he finally had to reappear next to the podium without his trusty bass to signal an end to his portion of the program.
After intermission, Danzmayr and the orchestra delivered an incisive and evocative performance of Gustav Holst’s “The Planets.” With Jonathan Greeney and Sergio Carreno pounding on two sets of timpani, the Mars movement unleashed an unrelenting force that sounded like a herd of semis driving over the top of everyone in the hall. The Venus movement calmed everything down with pillowy breezes from the woodwinds, harps, and Jeff Garza’s horn. The strings and sparkly celeste created an enchanting Mercury. The broad British theme expressed in the Jupiter movement was laid into with gusto. Saturn received a thoroughly broody soundscape. Uranus delightfully careered about, accented with boisterous outbursts, and Neptune brought it all to an ethereal close with the voices of women (from the Portland State Chamber Choir and Thorn Choir) singing from offstage – sort of disembodied and, in the last measures, drifting far away.
For the opening number, “Lost Child,” Foley quickly brought his double-bass to centerstage sans Danzmayr. With the spotlight on him, Foley coaxed a lovely, mellow sound. I could hear tinges of a Latin American rhythm but also slightly jazzy and some Bach-like influences. The brief solo (about three minutes) grew in intensity and boiled over before subsiding to a gentle ending.
Foley returned with the orchestra’s principal second violist, Chien Tan, to play “Justice and Peace,” which featured a string orchestra and four singers (SATB) under the direction of Danzmayr. “Justice and Peace” began with a long introduction by the strings, gradually picking up the tempo and a more rhythmic pulse – all of which was interrupted by a slap of a gavel on a bar stool (executed by violinist Ryan Lee). Foley and Tan responded with a quicksilver duet. Melodic lines from the orchestra were laced over with more speedy fingerwork by Foley and Tan and then broken up by the gavel here and there. The singers overlaid the sound with slave songs, but it was difficult to understand the words, except for “freedom.” A sense of urgency permeated the performance, and its conclusion drew enthusiastic applause from the audience
To switch things up, Foley came back to centerstage to play Giovanni Bottesini’s “Double Bass Concerto No. 2 in B minor.” Foley expressed the piece with committed flair, making each phrase super interesting – from the most delicate lines imaginable to the most demonstrative. He wheeled into the cadenza in the first movement with terrific verve that almost caused a standing ovation. In the lyrical Andante, he touched on a terrific conversation with the orchestra and took time to enjoy the brief, elegant cadenza. For the final Allegro movement, he delivered an array of fireworks that just triggered a cascade of applause from all corners of the house.
Foley’s encore, a wonderful rendition of Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 was crystalline and flawless, and again drew a raves from listeners. So, he finally had to reappear next to the podium without his trusty bass to signal an end to his portion of the program.
After intermission, Danzmayr and the orchestra delivered an incisive and evocative performance of Gustav Holst’s “The Planets.” With Jonathan Greeney and Sergio Carreno pounding on two sets of timpani, the Mars movement unleashed an unrelenting force that sounded like a herd of semis driving over the top of everyone in the hall. The Venus movement calmed everything down with pillowy breezes from the woodwinds, harps, and Jeff Garza’s horn. The strings and sparkly celeste created an enchanting Mercury. The broad British theme expressed in the Jupiter movement was laid into with gusto. Saturn received a thoroughly broody soundscape. Uranus delightfully careered about, accented with boisterous outbursts, and Neptune brought it all to an ethereal close with the voices of women (from the Portland State Chamber Choir and Thorn Choir) singing from offstage – sort of disembodied and, in the last measures, drifting far away.
Today's Birthdays
Francesco Manfredini (1684-1762)
Étienne Nicolas Méhul (1763-1817)
Frank Heino Damrosch (1859-1937)
Jennie Tourel (1900-1973)
Walter Leigh (1905-1942)
Sir Peter Pears (1910-1986)
Hans-Hubert Schönzeler (1925-1997)
Pierre Thibaud (1929-2004)
Libor Pešek (1933-2022)
Pierre Amoyal (1949)
Christopher Norton (1953)
and
Harriett Mulford Stone Lothrop (1844-1924)
Erich Maria Remarque (1898-1970)
Billy Wilder (1906-2002)
Joseph Papp (1921-1991)
Meryl Streep (1949)
Elizabeth Warren (1949)
Étienne Nicolas Méhul (1763-1817)
Frank Heino Damrosch (1859-1937)
Jennie Tourel (1900-1973)
Walter Leigh (1905-1942)
Sir Peter Pears (1910-1986)
Hans-Hubert Schönzeler (1925-1997)
Pierre Thibaud (1929-2004)
Libor Pešek (1933-2022)
Pierre Amoyal (1949)
Christopher Norton (1953)
and
Harriett Mulford Stone Lothrop (1844-1924)
Erich Maria Remarque (1898-1970)
Billy Wilder (1906-2002)
Joseph Papp (1921-1991)
Meryl Streep (1949)
Elizabeth Warren (1949)
Wednesday, June 21, 2023
Sweeping preview of the Chamber Music Northwest festival - in OAW
Today's Birthdays
Henry Holden Huss (1862-1953)
Hilding Rosenberg (1892-1985)
Harry Newstone (1921-2006)
Lou Ottens (1926-2021)
Lalo Schifrin (1932)
Diego Masson (1935)
Philippe Hersant (1948)
Judith Bingham (1952)
Jennifer Larmore (1958)
and
Alexander Pope (1688-1744)
Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1972)
Donald Peattie (1898-1964)
Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980)
Mary McCarthy (1912-1989)
Ian McEwan (1948)
and from the Composers Datebook:
On this day in 1890. Richard Strauss's tone-poem "Death and Transfiguration" and "Burleske" for Piano and Orchestra were given their premieres in Eisenach, at a convention of the General German Music Association, with the composer conducting and Eugen d'Albert as the piano soloist in the "Burleske".
Hilding Rosenberg (1892-1985)
Harry Newstone (1921-2006)
Lou Ottens (1926-2021)
Lalo Schifrin (1932)
Diego Masson (1935)
Philippe Hersant (1948)
Judith Bingham (1952)
Jennifer Larmore (1958)
and
Alexander Pope (1688-1744)
Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1972)
Donald Peattie (1898-1964)
Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980)
Mary McCarthy (1912-1989)
Ian McEwan (1948)
and from the Composers Datebook:
On this day in 1890. Richard Strauss's tone-poem "Death and Transfiguration" and "Burleske" for Piano and Orchestra were given their premieres in Eisenach, at a convention of the General German Music Association, with the composer conducting and Eugen d'Albert as the piano soloist in the "Burleske".
Tuesday, June 20, 2023
Today's Birthdays
Joseph Martin Kraus (1756-1792)
Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880)
Wilfred Pelletier (1896-1982)
Chet Atkins (1924-2001)
Ingrid Haebler (1926)
Eric Dolphy (1928-1964)
Arne Nordheim (1931-2010)
Mickie Most (1938-2003)
Brian Wilson (1942)
Anne Murray (1945)
André Watts (1946)
Lionel Richie (1949)
and
Kurt Schwitters (1887-1948)
Lillian Hellman (1905-1984)
Josephine Winslow Johnson (1910-1990)
Vikram Seth (1952)
Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880)
Wilfred Pelletier (1896-1982)
Chet Atkins (1924-2001)
Ingrid Haebler (1926)
Eric Dolphy (1928-1964)
Arne Nordheim (1931-2010)
Mickie Most (1938-2003)
Brian Wilson (1942)
Anne Murray (1945)
André Watts (1946)
Lionel Richie (1949)
and
Kurt Schwitters (1887-1948)
Lillian Hellman (1905-1984)
Josephine Winslow Johnson (1910-1990)
Vikram Seth (1952)
Monday, June 19, 2023
Chamber Music Northwest preview in The Oregonian
My preview of the CMNW festival is now published in Oregonlive here. It will be in the print edition this Friday.
Today's Birthdays
François Rebel (1701-1775)
Johann Wenzel Stamitz (1717-1757)
Carl Zeller (1842-1898)
Alfredo Catalani (1854-1893)
Sergei Taneyev (1856-1915)
Guy Lombardo (1902-1977)
Edwin Gerschefski (1909-1988)
Anneliese Rothenberger (1926-2010)
Elmar Oliveira (1950)
Philippe Manoury 1952)
and
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)
Pauline Kael (1919-2001)
Tobias Wolff (1945)
Salman Rushdie (1947)
Johann Wenzel Stamitz (1717-1757)
Carl Zeller (1842-1898)
Alfredo Catalani (1854-1893)
Sergei Taneyev (1856-1915)
Guy Lombardo (1902-1977)
Edwin Gerschefski (1909-1988)
Anneliese Rothenberger (1926-2010)
Elmar Oliveira (1950)
Philippe Manoury 1952)
and
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)
Pauline Kael (1919-2001)
Tobias Wolff (1945)
Salman Rushdie (1947)
Sunday, June 18, 2023
Today's Birthdays
Antonio Maria Bononcini (1677-1726)
Ignaz Pleyel (1757-1831)
David Popper (1843-1913)
Sir George Thalben-Ball (1896-1987)
Edward Steuermann (1892-1964)
Manuel Rosenthal (1904-2003)
Eduard Tubin (1905-1982)
Paul McCartney (1942)
Hans Vonk (1942-2004)
Anthony Halstead (1945)
Diana Ambache (1948)
Eva Marton (1948)
Peter Donohoe (1953)
and
Geoffrey Hill (1932-2016)
Gail Godwin (1937)
Jean McGarry (1948)
Chris Van Allsburg (1949)
Amy Bloom (1953)
Richard Powers (1957)
Ignaz Pleyel (1757-1831)
David Popper (1843-1913)
Sir George Thalben-Ball (1896-1987)
Edward Steuermann (1892-1964)
Manuel Rosenthal (1904-2003)
Eduard Tubin (1905-1982)
Paul McCartney (1942)
Hans Vonk (1942-2004)
Anthony Halstead (1945)
Diana Ambache (1948)
Eva Marton (1948)
Peter Donohoe (1953)
and
Geoffrey Hill (1932-2016)
Gail Godwin (1937)
Jean McGarry (1948)
Chris Van Allsburg (1949)
Amy Bloom (1953)
Richard Powers (1957)
Saturday, June 17, 2023
Today's Birthdays
John Wesley (1703-1791)
Charles Gounod (1818-1893)
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
Hermann Reutter (1900-1985)
Einar Englund (1916-1999)
Galina Ustvolskaya (1919-2006)
Sir Edward Downes (1924-2009)
Christian Ferras (1933-1982)
Gérard Grisey (1946-1998)
Derek Lee Ragin (1958)
and
M. C. Escher (1898-1972)
John Hersey (1914-1993)
Ron Padgett (1942)
Charles Gounod (1818-1893)
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
Hermann Reutter (1900-1985)
Einar Englund (1916-1999)
Galina Ustvolskaya (1919-2006)
Sir Edward Downes (1924-2009)
Christian Ferras (1933-1982)
Gérard Grisey (1946-1998)
Derek Lee Ragin (1958)
and
M. C. Escher (1898-1972)
John Hersey (1914-1993)
Ron Padgett (1942)
Friday, June 16, 2023
Today's Birthdays
Niccolò Vito Piccinni (1728-1800)
Helen Traubel (1899-1972)
Willi Boskovsky (1909-1990)
Sergiu Comissiona (1928-2005)
Lucia Dlugoszewski (1931-2000)
Jerry Hadley (1952-2007)
David Owen Norris (1953)
and
Geronimo (1829-1909)
Joyce Carol Oates (1938)
Helen Traubel (1899-1972)
Willi Boskovsky (1909-1990)
Sergiu Comissiona (1928-2005)
Lucia Dlugoszewski (1931-2000)
Jerry Hadley (1952-2007)
David Owen Norris (1953)
and
Geronimo (1829-1909)
Joyce Carol Oates (1938)
Thursday, June 15, 2023
SoundsTruck NW article - interview with the Greeneys up on OAW
The newest venue in the Pacific Northwest is now officially open. My article on Oregon ArtsWatch gives you a taste of what SoundsTruck NW is all about.
Today's Birthdays
Franz Danzi (1763-1826)
Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)
Ernestine Schumann‑Heink (1861-1936)
Guy Ropartz (1864-1955)
Robert Russell Bennett (1894-1981)
Sir Thomas Armstrong (1898-1994)
Otto Luening (1900-1996)
Geoffrey Parsons (1929-1995)
Waylon Jennings (1937-2002)
Harry Nilsson (1941-1994)
Paul Patterson (1947)
Rafael Wallfisch (1953)
Robert Cohen (1959)
and
Kobayashi Issa (1763-1827)
Saul Steinberg (1914-1999)
Dava Sobel (1947)
Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)
Ernestine Schumann‑Heink (1861-1936)
Guy Ropartz (1864-1955)
Robert Russell Bennett (1894-1981)
Sir Thomas Armstrong (1898-1994)
Otto Luening (1900-1996)
Geoffrey Parsons (1929-1995)
Waylon Jennings (1937-2002)
Harry Nilsson (1941-1994)
Paul Patterson (1947)
Rafael Wallfisch (1953)
Robert Cohen (1959)
and
Kobayashi Issa (1763-1827)
Saul Steinberg (1914-1999)
Dava Sobel (1947)
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Today's Birthdays
Antonio Sacchini (1730-1786)
Simon Mayr (1763-1845)
Nicolai Rubinstein (1835-1881)
John McCormack (1884-1945)
Heddle Nash (1894-1961)
Rudolf Kempe (1910-1976)
Stanley Black (1913-2002)
Theodore Bloomfield (1923-1998)
Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson (1932-2004)
Natalia Gutman (1942)
Lang Lang (1982)
and
Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896)
Ralph Barnes (1899-1940)
John Bartlett (1820-1905)
Margaret Bourke-White (1904-1971)
Ernesto (Che) Guevara de la Serna (1928-1967)
Jonathan Raban (1942)
Mona Simpson (1971)
Simon Mayr (1763-1845)
Nicolai Rubinstein (1835-1881)
John McCormack (1884-1945)
Heddle Nash (1894-1961)
Rudolf Kempe (1910-1976)
Stanley Black (1913-2002)
Theodore Bloomfield (1923-1998)
Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson (1932-2004)
Natalia Gutman (1942)
Lang Lang (1982)
and
Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896)
Ralph Barnes (1899-1940)
John Bartlett (1820-1905)
Margaret Bourke-White (1904-1971)
Ernesto (Che) Guevara de la Serna (1928-1967)
Jonathan Raban (1942)
Mona Simpson (1971)
Tuesday, June 13, 2023
Today's Birthdays
Anton (Antonín) Wranitzky (1761-1820)
Anton Eberl (1766-1807)
Elisabeth Schumann (1888-1952)
Carlos Chavez (1899-1978)
Alan Civil (1929-1989)
Gwynne Howell (1938)
Sarah Connolly (1963)
Alain Trudel (1966)
and
Frances Burney (1752-1840)
William Butler Yeats (1865-1939)
Mary Antin (1881-1949)
Dorothy L. Sayers (1893-1957)
William S. Burroughs (1914-1997)
Artem Chekh (1985)
Anton Eberl (1766-1807)
Elisabeth Schumann (1888-1952)
Carlos Chavez (1899-1978)
Alan Civil (1929-1989)
Gwynne Howell (1938)
Sarah Connolly (1963)
Alain Trudel (1966)
and
Frances Burney (1752-1840)
William Butler Yeats (1865-1939)
Mary Antin (1881-1949)
Dorothy L. Sayers (1893-1957)
William S. Burroughs (1914-1997)
Artem Chekh (1985)
Monday, June 12, 2023
Today's Birthdays
Vanni Marcoux (1877-1962)
Werner Josten (1895-1963)
Alexandre Tansman (1897-1986)
Leon Goossens (1897-1988)
Maurice Ohana (1913-1992)
Ian Partridge (1938)
Chick Corea (1941)
Oliver Knussen (1952)
and
Harriet Martineau (1802-1876)
Charles Kingsley (1819-1875)
Egon Schiele (1890-1918)
Djuna Barnes (1892-1982)
Anne Frank (1929-1945)
Werner Josten (1895-1963)
Alexandre Tansman (1897-1986)
Leon Goossens (1897-1988)
Maurice Ohana (1913-1992)
Ian Partridge (1938)
Chick Corea (1941)
Oliver Knussen (1952)
and
Harriet Martineau (1802-1876)
Charles Kingsley (1819-1875)
Egon Schiele (1890-1918)
Djuna Barnes (1892-1982)
Anne Frank (1929-1945)
Sunday, June 11, 2023
Today's Birthdays
Francesco Antonio Bonporti (1672-1749)
Richard Strauss (1864-1949)
George Frederick McKay (1899-1970)
Hazel Scott (1920-1981)
Shelly Manne (1920-1984)
Carlisle Floyd (1926-2021)
Antony Rooley (1944)
Douglas Bostock (1955)
Conrad Tao (1994)
and
Ben Jonson (1572-1637)
William Styron (1925-2006)
Athol Fugard (1932)
Richard Strauss (1864-1949)
George Frederick McKay (1899-1970)
Hazel Scott (1920-1981)
Shelly Manne (1920-1984)
Carlisle Floyd (1926-2021)
Antony Rooley (1944)
Douglas Bostock (1955)
Conrad Tao (1994)
and
Ben Jonson (1572-1637)
William Styron (1925-2006)
Athol Fugard (1932)
Saturday, June 10, 2023
Today's Birthdays
Heinrich von Herzogenberg (1843-1900)
Hariclea Darclée (1860-1939)
Frederick Loewe (1904-1988)
Ralph Kirkpatrick (1911-1984)
Tikhon Khrennikov (1913-2007)
Bruno Bartoletti (1925-2013)
Mark-Anthony Turnage (1960)
and
Gustave Courbet (1819-1877)
Terence Rattigan (1911-1977)
James Salter (1925-2015)
Maurice Sendak (1928-2012)
Hariclea Darclée (1860-1939)
Frederick Loewe (1904-1988)
Ralph Kirkpatrick (1911-1984)
Tikhon Khrennikov (1913-2007)
Bruno Bartoletti (1925-2013)
Mark-Anthony Turnage (1960)
and
Gustave Courbet (1819-1877)
Terence Rattigan (1911-1977)
James Salter (1925-2015)
Maurice Sendak (1928-2012)
Friday, June 9, 2023
Today's Birthdays
Anton Weidinger (1766-1852)
Otto Nicolai (1810-1849)
Alberic Magnard (1865-1914)
Carl Nielsen (1865-1931)
Cole Porter (1891-1964)
Dame Gracie Fields (1898-1979)
Ingolf Dahl (1912-1970)
Les Paul (1915-2009)
Franco Donatoni (1927-2000)
Charles Wuorinen (1938-2020)
Ileana Cotrubas (1939)
and
Baroness Bertha von Suttner (1843-1914)
George Axelrod (1922-2003)
Patricia Cornwell (1956)
and from the Composers Datebook:
On this day in 1840, Franz Liszt gives a solo performance at the Hanover Square Rooms in London billed as "Recitals." This was the first time the term "recital" was used to describe a public musical performance, and it caused much discussion and debate at the time. Liszt is credited with both inventing and naming the now-common solo piano "recital."
Otto Nicolai (1810-1849)
Alberic Magnard (1865-1914)
Carl Nielsen (1865-1931)
Cole Porter (1891-1964)
Dame Gracie Fields (1898-1979)
Ingolf Dahl (1912-1970)
Les Paul (1915-2009)
Franco Donatoni (1927-2000)
Charles Wuorinen (1938-2020)
Ileana Cotrubas (1939)
and
Baroness Bertha von Suttner (1843-1914)
George Axelrod (1922-2003)
Patricia Cornwell (1956)
and from the Composers Datebook:
On this day in 1840, Franz Liszt gives a solo performance at the Hanover Square Rooms in London billed as "Recitals." This was the first time the term "recital" was used to describe a public musical performance, and it caused much discussion and debate at the time. Liszt is credited with both inventing and naming the now-common solo piano "recital."
Thursday, June 8, 2023
Today's Birthdays
Tomaso Albinoni (1671-1750)
Nicolas Dalayrac (1753-1809)
Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Erwin Schulhoff (1894-1942)
Reginald Kell (1906-1981)
Emanuel Ax (1949)
and
Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959)
John W Campbell (1910-1970)
and from the Composers Datebook:
On this day in 1912, Ravel's ballet, "Daphnis et Chloé" was premiered at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, by Diaghilev and the Ballet Russe, Pierre Monteux conducting.
Nicolas Dalayrac (1753-1809)
Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Erwin Schulhoff (1894-1942)
Reginald Kell (1906-1981)
Emanuel Ax (1949)
and
Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959)
John W Campbell (1910-1970)
and from the Composers Datebook:
On this day in 1912, Ravel's ballet, "Daphnis et Chloé" was premiered at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, by Diaghilev and the Ballet Russe, Pierre Monteux conducting.
Wednesday, June 7, 2023
Today's Birthdays
Leopold Auer (1845-1930)
George Szell (1897-1970)
Ilse Wolf (1921-1999)
Philippe Entremont (1934)
Neeme Järvi (1937)
Sir Tom Jones (1940)
Jaime Laredo (1941)
Prince (Prince Rogers Nelson) (1958-2015)
Roberto Alagna (1963)
Olli Mustonen (1967)
and
Paul Gaugin (1848-1903)
Elizabeth Bowen (1899-1973)
Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000)
Nikki Giovanni (1943)
Orham Pamuk (1952)
Louise Erdrich (1954)
George Szell (1897-1970)
Ilse Wolf (1921-1999)
Philippe Entremont (1934)
Neeme Järvi (1937)
Sir Tom Jones (1940)
Jaime Laredo (1941)
Prince (Prince Rogers Nelson) (1958-2015)
Roberto Alagna (1963)
Olli Mustonen (1967)
and
Paul Gaugin (1848-1903)
Elizabeth Bowen (1899-1973)
Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000)
Nikki Giovanni (1943)
Orham Pamuk (1952)
Louise Erdrich (1954)
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
Today's Birthdays
Sir John Stainer (1840-1901)
Siegfried Wagner (1869-1930)
Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978)
Vincent Persichetti (1915-1987)
Iain Hamilton (1922-2000)
Serge Nigg (1924-2008)
Klaus Tennstedt (1926-1998)
Louis Andriessen (1939)
Paul Esswood (1942)
and
Pierre Corneille (1606-1684)
Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837)
Thomas Mann (1875-1955)
Maxine Kumin (1925-2014)
Julian Mayfield (1928-1984)
Robert Pirsig (1928-2017)
and from the Composers Datebook:
On this day in 1931, Henry Cowell's "Synchrony" received its premiere in Paris, at the first of two concerts of modern American music with the Orchestre Straram conducted by Nicholas Slonimsky and funded anonymously by Charles Ives. On the same program, Slonimsky also conducted the Orchestre Straram in the European premieres of works by Adolph Weiss ("American Life"), Ives ("Three Places in England"), Carl Ruggles ("Men and Mountains"), and the Cuban composer Amadeo Roldan ("La Rehambatamba").
Siegfried Wagner (1869-1930)
Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978)
Vincent Persichetti (1915-1987)
Iain Hamilton (1922-2000)
Serge Nigg (1924-2008)
Klaus Tennstedt (1926-1998)
Louis Andriessen (1939)
Paul Esswood (1942)
and
Pierre Corneille (1606-1684)
Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837)
Thomas Mann (1875-1955)
Maxine Kumin (1925-2014)
Julian Mayfield (1928-1984)
Robert Pirsig (1928-2017)
and from the Composers Datebook:
On this day in 1931, Henry Cowell's "Synchrony" received its premiere in Paris, at the first of two concerts of modern American music with the Orchestre Straram conducted by Nicholas Slonimsky and funded anonymously by Charles Ives. On the same program, Slonimsky also conducted the Orchestre Straram in the European premieres of works by Adolph Weiss ("American Life"), Ives ("Three Places in England"), Carl Ruggles ("Men and Mountains"), and the Cuban composer Amadeo Roldan ("La Rehambatamba").
Monday, June 5, 2023
John Malkovich in The Music Critic - classical music, theater, and comedy mash-up - by Aleksey Igudesman
From the Press Release:
John Malkovich in The Music Critic
Written and conceived by Aleksey Igudesman
Announcing US Tour
October 17-28, 2023; June 2024
Watch the Trailer: https://youtu.be/tXEfvkVJ-38
For more information: www.themusiccritic.com
New York, NY -- John Malkovich stars in The Music Critic – a show in which classical music, theater, and comedy collide – written and conceived by Aleksey Igudesman, in a US tour which runs from October 17 to October 28, and continues in June 2024. Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, May 12.
Tour schedule:
Benaroya Hall, Seattle WA – October 17, 2023
Presented by the Seattle Symphony
Orpheum Theatre, Los Angeles CA – October 20, 2023
Presented by Live Nation
Majestic Theater, Dallas, Texas – October 21, 2023
Presented by AT&T Performing Arts Center
Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, San Antonio, Texas – October 22, 2023
Presented by Tobin Center for the Performing Arts
Long Center for the Performing Arts, Austin, Texas – October, 23, 2023
Presented by Long Center for the Performing Arts
Filmore Theatre, Detroit, MI – October, 25, 2023
Presented by Live Nation
Chicago Theatre, Chicago IL – October 26, 2023
Presented by Live Nation
The Beacon Theatre, New York, NY – October 28, 2023
Presented by Live Nation
US Premiere of The Music Critic at the Symphony – with the Oregon Symphony
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland, OR – June 12, 2024
Presented by the Oregon Symphony
In The Music Critic, writer and composer Aleksey Igudesman fuses the sardonic and straight-faced humor for which actor John Malkovich is renowned, with the slapstick and out-of-the-box zaniness of renowned comic duo Igudesman & Joo. Igudesman, who is joined on the tour by longtime collaborator pianist Hyung-ki Joo, is determined to avenge some of the most brilliant pieces of music which were railed and reviled by critics at their premieres.
Legendary actor John Malkovich performs in this evening length show where he batters, insults, and laughs at the music of composers like Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms, Schumann and more whose works premiered to jeers and negative press for performers and composer alike. In addition to Aleksey Igudesman and Hyung-ki Joo, they are joined by cellist Antonio Lysy, violist Hsin-Yun Huang, and violinist Claire Wells.
John Malkovich says, “I have always loved the opportunity to collaborate on The Music Critic with Aleksey Igudesman, Hyung-ki Joo, and many other gifted and thoughtful musicians. We are all happy to be back on the road, and for the first time also in the USA, participating in an evening which consists of some of the greatest compositions in the history of classical music, paired with the perhaps rather unexpected initial reactions those compositions elicited from some of the world’s renowned music critics, along with some other surprises.”
Aleksey Igudesman says, “The Music Critic is a project very close to my heart and bringing it to the USA is something I dreamed of from its inception. My dear friend John Malkovich in the role of the evil critic is despicable and lovable at the same time and evokes the critic in every one of us.”
Tanja Dorn, Principal of Dorn Music, which is exclusively managing and booking the tour, says, “We are thrilled to finally be bringing this insightful and hilarious show to audiences in the United States. Aleksey and John have created a brilliantly witty and creative evening of comedy and music making.”
Today's Birthdays
Arthur Somervell (1863-1937)
Robert Mayer (1879-1985)
Eduard Tubin (1905-1982)
Daniel Pinkham (1923-2006)
Peter Schat (1935-2003)
James Dick (1940)
Martha Argerich (1941)
Bill Hopkins (1943-1981)
and
John Maynard Keynes (1883-1946)
Federico Garcia Lorca (1898-1936)
Alfred Kazin (1915-1998)
David Wagoner (1926-2021)
Margaret Drabble (1939)
David Hare (1947)
Robert Mayer (1879-1985)
Eduard Tubin (1905-1982)
Daniel Pinkham (1923-2006)
Peter Schat (1935-2003)
James Dick (1940)
Martha Argerich (1941)
Bill Hopkins (1943-1981)
and
John Maynard Keynes (1883-1946)
Federico Garcia Lorca (1898-1936)
Alfred Kazin (1915-1998)
David Wagoner (1926-2021)
Margaret Drabble (1939)
David Hare (1947)
Sunday, June 4, 2023
Today's Birthdays
James Hewitt (1770-1827)
Evgeny Mravinsky (1903-1988)
Alan Shulman (1915-2002)
Robert Merrill (1917-2004)
Irwin Bazelon (1922-1995)
Oliver Nelson (1932-1975)
Anthony Braxton (1945)
Cecilia Bartoli (1966)
and
Josef Sittard (1846-1903)
Karl Valentin (1882-1948)
Robert Anderson (1917-2009)
Evgeny Mravinsky (1903-1988)
Alan Shulman (1915-2002)
Robert Merrill (1917-2004)
Irwin Bazelon (1922-1995)
Oliver Nelson (1932-1975)
Anthony Braxton (1945)
Cecilia Bartoli (1966)
and
Josef Sittard (1846-1903)
Karl Valentin (1882-1948)
Robert Anderson (1917-2009)
Saturday, June 3, 2023
Giancarlo Guerrero to step down from MD position at the Nashville Symphony
After the 2024-2025 season, Giancarlo Guerrero will leave the Nashville Symphony, according to The Tennessian via MSN here. The former MD of the Eugene Symphony (2001-2008) will stay busy, I'm sure.
Today's Birthdays
František Jan Škroup (1801-1862)
Charles Lecocq (1832-1918)
Jan Peerce (1904-1984)
Valerie Masterson (1937)
Curtis Mayfield (1942-1999)
Greg Sandow (1943)
Lynne Dawson (1956)
and
Josephine Baker (1906-1975)
Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997)
Larry Jeff McMurtry (1936-2021)
Charles Lecocq (1832-1918)
Jan Peerce (1904-1984)
Valerie Masterson (1937)
Curtis Mayfield (1942-1999)
Greg Sandow (1943)
Lynne Dawson (1956)
and
Josephine Baker (1906-1975)
Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997)
Larry Jeff McMurtry (1936-2021)
Friday, June 2, 2023
RIP: Kaija Saariaho
Sad news for the music world: the BBC has just reported that the great Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho has passed away at the age of 70 as a result of brain cancer. Here is the link:
Review: Portland Opera concert showcases jazz and operatic gems from Terence Blanchard
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| Terence Blanchard performs onstage at the Keller Auditorium in "Absence: Terence Blanchard featuring The E-Collective and Turtle Island Quartet with the Portland Opera Orchestra." Photo by Christine Dong/Portland Opera. |
First off, let’s set the scene. Two huge towers of speakers were positioned like monoliths on the extreme right and left sides of the stage. A forest of microphones took up the center stage area, which was arranged so that Blanchard and his E-Collective ensemble were positioned up front and the orchestra (plus conductor Damien Geter) towards the back. A substantial drum kit shielded in part by plexiglass, a Steinway, and a small synthesizer keyboard occupied a fair amount of real-estate towards the front. Behind the orchestra was mega-sized-screen for projected images that accompanied the music.
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| Photo by Christine Dong/Portland Opera. |
Blanchard, age 61, is a major creative force. He has written over 40 film scores – of which two have garnered Oscar nominations. His discography of jazz recordings is well over 20 – not counting his appeances with other groups like Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. And if that weren’t enough, he has written two operas: “Fire Shut Up in My Bones” and “Champion.” Both have been produced by the Metropolitan Opera, making Blanchard the first African-American composer to have his works performed there. His work has been acknowledged with six Grammys and numerous accolades, including a 2022 Emmy.
The concert was divided into three parts with selections from Blanchard’s film music, his album “Absence,” and his opera “Fire Shut Up in My Bones.” All of the performers were amplified, and all were projected at varying times on the big screen, blending in with images from films and other works related to the music being played. Now and then a kaleidoscopic collage of real-time photos direct from the stage was projected, adding to the fun, informal style of the concert.
The music kicked off with a bold statement from Blanchard’s trumpet for the “Malcolm X Suite.” His blurry, buzzy tone melded with the orchestra to convey a sense of seriousness as images from the movie were displayed.
The “BlacKkKlansman Suite,” involved members of the E-Collective – Blanchard’s jazz ensemble that added saxophone, guitar, piano, electric bass, and drums. This suite started with “Dixie” and the “Swanee River Song,” which added a sense of irony to the accompanying images of the Black Power movement. The music became more rhythmically heavy and acquired a depth that embraced the earnestness of projections from the movie.
Heavier still were three selections from Blanchard’s album “A Tale of God’s Will (A Requiem for Katrina),” which contains music that he wrote for Spike Lee’s film “When the Levees Broke.” It expressed the sadness, anger, and loss of the people who endured Hurricane Katrina and the devastation it wreaked on New Orleans.
The Turtle Island Quartet joined Blanchard and the E-Collective for three selections from Blanchard’s “Absence” recording. It began with David Ginyard’s “Absence,” which had an inviting, hazy quality. Blanchard’s “I Dare You” staggered forward then picked things up a notch with a propulsive beat and several solos that was topped off by appealingly light, free-range riffs on the piano by Taylor Eigsti. The Turtle Islanders elicited a fiddling and countrified twang with David Balakrishnan’s “The Second Wave.”
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| Will Liverman and Karen Slack perform selections from "Fire Shut Up in My Bones". Photo by Christine Dong/Portland Opera. |
The concert saved the best for last with eight selections from “Fire Shut Up in My Bones” that were sung by soprano Karen Slack, who is also Portland Opera’s Artistic Advisor, and baritone Will Liverman. Slack sang the role of Billie in the opera’s world premiere at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, and Liverman sang the role of Charles in the Metropolitan Opera production.
Liverman electrified the audience with “Tears of Anger and Shame” in which he sang of having a gun in his hand and anger in his heart for something that had happened in the past. It was one of the most gripping opening arias I have ever heard. From that point on Blanchard had everyone in the palm of his hand. Slack offered comforting reassurance with “Leave It In The Road,” and they created stunning duets with “Golden Button” and “Peculiar Grace.”
The fusion of jazz into the orchestral palate was so superbly done that it was seamless. The Portland Opera Orchestra under the direction of Geter sounded terrific. Now I want to experience the entire opera. When are we bringing it to Portland?
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| Damien Geter conducts "Absence." Photo by Christine Dong/Portland Opera. |
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| Photo by Christine Dong/Portland Opera. |
Today's Birthdays
James Cutler Dunn Parker (1828-1916)
Felix Weingartner (1863-1942)
Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934)
Jozef Cleber (1916-1999)
Samuel Jones (1935)
Marvin Hamlisch (1944-2012)
Mark Elder (1947)
Neil Shicoff (1949)
Michel Dalberto (1955)
and
Thomas Hardy (1840-1928)
and from The New Music Box:
On June 2, 1938, Amy Beach began work on her Piano Trio while in residence at the MacDowell Colony. She finished the composition fifteen days later (June 18th) and published it as her Op. 150. It was to be her last major work.
Felix Weingartner (1863-1942)
Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934)
Jozef Cleber (1916-1999)
Samuel Jones (1935)
Marvin Hamlisch (1944-2012)
Mark Elder (1947)
Neil Shicoff (1949)
Michel Dalberto (1955)
and
Thomas Hardy (1840-1928)
and from The New Music Box:
On June 2, 1938, Amy Beach began work on her Piano Trio while in residence at the MacDowell Colony. She finished the composition fifteen days later (June 18th) and published it as her Op. 150. It was to be her last major work.
Thursday, June 1, 2023
Today's Birthdays
Georg Muffat (1653-1704)
Ferdinando Paër (1771-1839)
Mikhail Glinka (1804-1857)
Werner Janssen (1899-1990)
Percy Whitlock (1903-1946)
Nelson Riddle (1921-1985)
Yehudi Wyner (1929)
Edo de Waart (1941)
Richard Goode (1943)
Frederica von Stade (1945)
Arlene Sierra (1970)
and
John Masefield (1878-1967)
Charles Kay Ogden (1889–1957)
Naguib Surur (1932-1978)
Colleen McCullough (1937-2015)
Sheri Holman (1966)
Amy Schumer (1981)
Ferdinando Paër (1771-1839)
Mikhail Glinka (1804-1857)
Werner Janssen (1899-1990)
Percy Whitlock (1903-1946)
Nelson Riddle (1921-1985)
Yehudi Wyner (1929)
Edo de Waart (1941)
Richard Goode (1943)
Frederica von Stade (1945)
Arlene Sierra (1970)
and
John Masefield (1878-1967)
Charles Kay Ogden (1889–1957)
Naguib Surur (1932-1978)
Colleen McCullough (1937-2015)
Sheri Holman (1966)
Amy Schumer (1981)