Tag Archives: strauss

Arts & Entertainment, Music

Auburn Symphony’s Springtime “Rite,” With Strauss on the Side

Stewart Kershaw, conductor
Stewart Kershaw, conductor

Thank goodness we don’t need to dance a virgin to death these days  to have spring bestow a kindly eye on us. But back in the dawn of tribal history, somewhere, this barbarous idea may have taken hold. It’s this pagan ritual which inspired Stravinsky to compose one of the most famous and arguably most influential works of the 20th century, The Rite of Spring, for Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of its first performance, which caused a riot in Paris, thanks to the uncivilized and uncomfortable feelings it aroused in its sophisticated Parisian listeners. It still sounds raw, wild and unsettling, and it’s still difficult to play in the early 21st century. The performers have to count like crazy as the beat changes every measure. Nowadays it is heard more in concert programs than for a ballet.

The Rite is receiving many performances this season, one of them this past weekend by the Auburn Symphony Orchestra at that city’s Performing Arts Center. (Their next event, “A Little Wine, A Little Music,” is coming up May 11.) For this concert, conductor Stewart Kershaw coupled it with Richard Strauss’s Death and Transfiguration, a tone poem on essentially the same theme, composed some 22 years earlier, but utterly different in the way the composer chose to consider the struggle between good and evil, life and death, and finally reconciliation with the inevitable.

Strauss’s music is tonal and lavish with rich climaxes, and unhurried, lush interludes, where Stravinsky’s is dissonant, unexpected, harsh, exciting. Both composers make spelendid use of instrumental colors, particularly the winds, and in Strauss, two harps.

This would be a tough program for any orchestra. For the ASO, a group of professional musicians who come together only a few times a year to play orchestral concerts (as opposed to chamber-sized works or pit work), it  was a large undertaking, the more so in that the orchestra can only afford two or three rehearsals per program. Several more musicians were added to make up the large forces needed.

Given that many in the Auburn audience would not have been familiar with the Rite, Kershaw prefaced the performance of the work Saturday night by explaining various parts of the scenario and asking the orchestra to illustrate them. His enthusiasm and love for the work came over clearly, but for those who know the work, he went on a little too long. Nevertheless, describing the roles played by the alto flute, the bass trumpet and the high starting register of the bassoon added to the enjoyment.

While the Strauss received the usual excellent performance this orchestra achieves, the Stravinsky sounded a little cautious. Sunday afternoon’s performance likely was played with more of the abandon the work requires. In both Strauss and Stravinsky Saturday some entrances were a trifle ragged also, but all the players and particularly the brass and winds deserve kudos for some remarkable playing.

Arts & Entertainment, Music

What We’re Hearing This Month: Classical Music Picks for April

Spectrum Dance Theater's production of “A Cruel New World/the new normal” (Photo: Nate Watters)
Spectrum Dance Theater’s production of A Cruel New World/the new normal (Photo: Nate Watters)

This month, head to the classical concert hall for some serious time-traveling. Experience a cantata that was lost to the world for hundreds of years, then expand your horizons with new local music that’s hot off the press. No matter if you’re a fan of modern dance, medieval literature, or sports and games, there’s something on the calendar for you this April.

Apr. 5 – 6 — Lost to the world until 2001, Handel’s cantata Gloria was rediscovered at the Royal Academy of Music library. Now’s your chance to hear this recovered masterpiece in Seattle. This weekend, Pacific MusicWorks performs Gloria as part of an all-Handel program, which also includes the celebrated cantata Apollo e Dafne.

Benjamin Bagby performs Beowulf in the medieval bardic tradition (Photo: Gilles Juhel)
Benjamin Bagby performs Beowulf in the medieval bardic tradition (Photo: Gilles Juhel)

Apr. 6 — Calling all Renaissance fair devotees, Lord of the Rings fans, and classical literature aficionados! Experience medieval storytelling with Benjamin Bagby’s retelling of Beowulf. At this presentation hosted by the Early Music Guild, Bagby recounts the epic tale in Old English (modern English subtitles provided) while accompanying himself on the Anglo-Saxon harp.

Apr. 10 — Head to Town Hall for an evening of playful new music inspired by games. Joined by ever-ebullient cellist Joshua Roman, the Talea Ensemble performs light-hearted works from the 20th and 21st centuries, including pieces by Milton Babbitt and John Zorn. With a program featuring titles such as “Pong,” “Deuce,” and “Match,” this concert has a serious emphasis on fun.

Apr. 11 – 13 — Spectrum Dance Theater‘s Donald Byrd celebrates ten years as artistic director by returning to his roots with a re-staging of A Cruel New World/the new normal, Byrd’s first original work with the ensemble. A commentary on life in a post-9/11 world, the production makes use of the expansive Emerald City Trapeze Arts Aerialdrome. What tricks is Byrd hiding up his sleeve for this unusual choice of venue?

Apr. 13 – 14 — Drawing inspiration from the tempting songs of the mythical Sirens, contemporary choral ensemble The Esoterics explores the theme of call-and-response in vocal music. The program touches on an intriguing variety of topics, jumping from Homer’s Odyssey to the Iraqi War and even touching on popular television drama The Wire.

Apr. 19 & 21 — Experience chamber music up close with Simple Measures. The chamber music collective brings together stars of the local classical music scene for intimate performances. This month, new Seattle Symphony concertmaster Alexander Velinzon joins forces with cellist Rajan Krishnaswami, pianist Mark Salman, and clarinetist Sean Osborn for a program of works that explore the musical element of harmony.

Apr. 26 — The musicians of the Seattle Symphony are more than just talented performers — they’re skilled composers as well. Hear world premiere performances of compositions by Symphony musicians Seth Krimsky, Ben Hausmann, and Jordan Anderson at this late-night concert, the third installation in “Untitled,” a popular new series featuring 20th century and contemporary music.

Apr. 27 – 28 —  The Auburn Symphony pulls out all the stops with two dramatic masterpieces: Strauss’ Death and Transfiguration and Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. Both works tell powerful musical stories. Death and Transfiguration follows the meditations of a dying artist as he recounts scenes from his life, while Stravinsky’s infamous ballet depicts a ritual sacrifice in primeval Russia.

Apr. 28 — Celebrate with the talented young musicians of the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra as they commemorate seventy years of music education and outreach. Hear performances by SYSO’s four orchestras, watch archival films of landmark moments in the organization’s history, and support the young classical musicians of the future.

Arts & Entertainment, Music

Pianist Emanuel Ax Lights Up Benaroya Hall with Brahms

This weekend brings a special treat for Seattle’s piano fans. Legendary pianist Emanuel Ax is in town for three performances of Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Seattle Symphony. Ax’s visit began on Thursday, November 15 and continues with concerts tonight and tomorrow afternoon. A fixture in the classical piano world for decades, Ax has toured the world dozens of times, performed with all the major orchestras, and recorded virtually every important work in the standard keyboard repertoire. Despite his status as one of the great pianists of our time, Ax’s playing is remarkably unpretentious. His performances feel comforting and familiar, like a chat with a kindly old professor over a cup of tea.

Emanuel Ax (Photo: Sony Classical)

Ax’s interpretation of Brahms emphasizes tone and color, bringing a sprightly energy to a piece that can feel stern and heavy. Complex and existential, Brahms’ second Piano Concerto presents many technical and musical challenges for the pianist. Experiencing a performance of this piece sometimes feels like tucking into a large meal of steak and potatoes. At Thursday’s concert, Ax avoided overwhelming listeners with the work’s density by maintaining a light and sparkling tone, especially in the cheerful fourth movement. The devilishly tricky trill passages in the first and third movements seemed to float out of the piano. However, serious moments were treated with an appropriate amount of gravity and sternness. Ax is a master at generating the perfect tone for each expressive gesture, conjuring up a brilliant palette of pianistic colors.

The slow third movement featured an extensive solo section performed by Seattle Symphony principal cellist Efe Baltacıgil, whose rich tone complemented Ax’s lyrical piano sound. Since his debut with the Seattle Symphony last season, Baltacıgil has become a increasingly familiar face in the Seattle music scene. His June appearance at Town Hall with Seattle cello icon Joshua Roman delighted local audiences. Last month, he gave his first solo performance with the Symphony, playing Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme. This isn’t the first time that Baltacıgil has collaborated with Emanuel Ax. In 2005, Baltacıgil — then a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra — teamed up with Ax for a last-minute performance of Beethoven’s Cello Sonata No. 1 for a snowed-out Philadelphia Orchestra concert. The duo paid tribute to that performance during Ax’s encore on Thursday night, playing the first movement of Schumann’s Fantasiestücke to a rapt Seattle audience.

The second half of the evening’s program was devoted to two colorful and evocative pieces, Henri Dutilleux’s The Shadows of Time and Richard Strauss’ Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks. Seattle Symphony Music Director Ludovic Morlot has been a strong supporter of Dutilleux’s work, incorporating the French composer’s Impressionistic pieces into many recent Symphony programs. Completed in 1997, The Shadows of Time uses the full sonic range of the orchestra to create a landscape of constantly-shifting moods and colors, ranging from light to dark. Harp and percussion gently evoke the passage of time with a metronomic ticking motive that imitates the sound of a clock. The atmospheric work was enhanced by the ethereal voices of boy sopranos Benjamin Richardson, Kepler Swanson, and Andrew Torgelson, all members of the Northwest Boychoir. Although each movement of the five-part work was enthralling, Dutilleux’s lush, cinematic imagery lacked a over-arching sense of direction and musical dénouement.

Strauss’ fast-paced, programmatic romp Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks pays tribute to the jovial trickster of German folklore with dramatic moments for all sections of the orchestra. Principal clarinetist Christopher Sereque evoked Till Eulenspiegel’s mischievous chuckle with a thematic riff that appears throughout the piece. Although Strauss never specified an exact storyline for the work, it’s easy to conjure up a plot for Till Eulenspigel’s Merry Pranks that follows Till’s misadventures. The low brass section brought a thrilling sound to their solo sections at the end of the piece, which depicts Till’s arrest and hanging.

Now in his second season as Music Director of the Seattle Symphony, Morlot’s brought a variety of interesting and unusual repertoire to Seattle audiences. His concert programs blend works of vastly different styles and time periods, drawing parallels between pieces that aren’t typically performed together. Although Ax’s performance remains the highlight of this weekend’s program, the Symphony’s performances of the Strauss and Dutilleux works are noteworthy explorations of musical mood and imagery.

Arts & Entertainment, Music

Exploring Outer Space with the Seattle Symphony

The Seattle Symphony presents “The Planets — An HD Odyssey”, featuring music inspired by outer space, including works by Ligeti, R. Strauss, and Holst and images from NASA. The performance is on Saturday, July 14 at 8 p.m. at Benaroya Hall.

Despite the lure of a bright, balmy summer evening, Benaroya Hall was packed to the brim on Thursday night. A diverse crowd turned out for the Seattle Symphony‘s program of music inspired by outer space. The concert featured a performance of Holst’s beloved suite The Planets accompanied by HD images of the solar system projected on a large screen above the orchestra. Also on the program were two works from the soundtrack to the cinematic classic 2001: A Space Odyssey, Ligeti’s Atmosphères and Strauss’ dramatic Also sprach Zarathustra. After two nearly sold-out shows on Thursday and Friday, tickets are scarce for the remaining performance tonight.

The otherworldly sounds of Ligeti’s Atmosphères provided a fitting start to the evening’s program. This short, groundbreaking work, composed in 1961, focuses on sound and musical color — rather than melody and rhythm — to create a mood of quiet mystery. Soft, high notes from the strings blend with bubbles of sound from brass and woodwinds, generating a musical landscape evocative of today’s ambient and electronic music. At times, the score calls for two percussionists to move brushes across the strings of a grand piano, creating an eerie effect that was fascinating to see and hear.

Clouds of gas swirl over surface of Jupiter (Photo: NASA / Jet Propulsion Laboratory)

After Atmosphères, conductor Ludovic Morlot launched straight into Zarathustra without a pause between the two works. What a dramatic effect! Ligeti’s piece faded away into nothing, and Strauss’ work launches from that silence into a bold, earthshaking fanfare, one of the grandest in the history of classical music. Though the rest of the work is not as well known as the introduction, it’s still full of exciting moments. The low brass section shone in the “Von der Wissenschaft” (“Of Science and Learning”) movement, introducing a dramatic motive that was passed around the orchestra.

The drama continued with The Planets, one of the most famous works by British composer Gustav Holst. Completed in 1916, this beloved piece continues to inspire composers today, especially those who write music for film. Although The Planets was composed just as modern cinema was beginning to take off, Holst’s colorful, vibrant melodies beg to be enhanced by equally rich visuals and storylines, whether on-screen or simply in one’s imagination.

NASA’s stunning images, video, and animations of the solar system provided an ideal accompaniment to the performance. It was a treat to see video footage taken from cameras on the Mars Rover as it traversed the arid surface of the Red Planet. The dark, brooding strains of the “Mars, The Bringer of War” movement matched the action perfectly as a computer-generated animation showed the Mars Rover being deployed and landing on the planet’s surface. Mesmerizing footage of the swirling clouds of gas surrounding Jupiter’s surface was made even more captivating by hearty folk-based melodies of “Jupiter, The Bringer of Jollity”.

Like Zarathustra, The Planets is an action-packed work full of orchestral color and memorable melodies. Outstanding playing from Assistant Concertmaster Emma McGrath and principal cellist Efe Baltacigil made for a poignant and touching duet in the “Venus, The Bringer of Peace” movement. “Neptune, The Mystic”, the haunting final movement, ends with the voices of a women’s choir fading away into the distance. The symphony’s treatment of this was particularly effective. The women of the Seattle Symphony Chorale stood out of sight at the back of the auditorium. When they began to sing, it felt like voices were rising up out of nowhere and then fading away again.

Though “light summer fare” like this may seem hokey to stalwart concertgoers, there’s a simple reason that performances like this attract near-capacity crowds away from the sunny skies: they’re downright fun. Why? First and foremost, the music is spectacular. These works are shining stars in the classical repertoire for a good reason. This is the music that makes us gasp, that gives us chills, that tugs at our heartstrings. Though music like this readily stirs the imagination, beautiful visuals like the NASA images enhance the experience of live performance and help audiences appreciate this great music from a new perspective. As the Seattle Symphony continues to grow in stature and reach out to new audiences, it’ll be interesting to see what sort of innovative programming arises from this winning concert formula.

Arts & Entertainment, Music

Joshua Roman’s All-Star Cello Extravaganza Rolls Into Town Hall

Joshua Roman and an all-cello ensemble perform music by Mason Bates, Richard Strauss, Astor Piazzolla, Hector Villa-Lobos, Arvo Pärt, and Led Zeppelin at Town Hall Seattle on Tuesday, June 19, 2012, at 7:30 p.m.

Cellist Joshua Roman has been making waves in Seattle since 2006, when he was named principal cellist of the Seattle Symphony. After a two-year tenure with the Symphony, Roman left to pursue a solo career, but has remained a strong force in the local classical music scene. As artistic director of Town Hall’s popular TownMusic concert series, he’s brought innovative classical music programming to Seattle audiences, with a special focus on new music and emerging artists.

The 2011-12 TownMusic season concludes this Tuesday with an all-star cello concert featuring Roman and seven prominent local cellists. The diverse program spans centuries and genres, including Strauss art songs, Piazzolla tangos, and a Led Zeppelin cover arranged by Roman himself. Performances feature a variety of cello ensembles, ranging from solo cellist to cello octet.

Joshua Roman (Photo: Tina Su)

The highlight of the evening will be the world premiere of a work for solo cello by composer Mason Bates, continuing the TownMusic tradition of premiering a commissioned work at the final concert of each season. An acclaimed performer, composer, and DJ, Bates is taking the classical music world by storm with his unique blend of orchestral and electronic sounds.

Roman plans to carry TownMusic’s winning blend of ambitious programming, exciting new works, and emerging talent into the upcoming 2012-13 season. “Next season will retain the diversity of style and era that has been showcased in previous seasons, but with a few twists,” he said, writing from Nova Scotia, where he recently completed a two-week residence at the Scotia Festival of Music. “There will be familiar faces as well as some new ones that we’re excited to introduce to Seattle.”

Although next season’s lineup won’t be revealed until Tuesday’s concert, Roman hinted at the surprises in store. “We’re adding the element of humor. It’s something which we can all relate to, and is often overlooked during our pursuit of the ‘seriousness’ in music.”

TownMusic’s owes much of its success to Roman’s fresh perspective on classical music. To him, it’s a continually evolving art form that honors the past while adapting to the current cultural climate. “If you really look at the history of classical music over the last few centuries, rather than just the last 50-60 years, you see that one of its biggest strengths has been the ability to adapt to cultural changes and needs. Sometimes ahead of the curve, and sometimes with a bit of a lag, but always changing.”

This viewpoint has inspired him in the choices he’s made with TownMusic. The series offers something for everyone, from world-class performances of chamber music favorites to genre-blending new works inspired by rock, pop, electronica, and jazz. Often, music representing these two extremes appears in the same concert program.

Roman emphasizes the importance of experimentation in his role as TownMusic artistic director. “There is a way of thinking that is ‘this is how it’s been done, and so it should always be done this way’, but I think that is an unproductive mode to be in. These days, as orchestras are trying new things every season, its easy to see the need for flexibility as a presenter.”

The concept of flexibility extends to Roman’s view of himself as a performer. “I think we need to be adapting more as musicians. The era of recording changed the game and brought new levels of technical proficiency and competition to all corners of the music world, but in the pursuit of ‘perfection’ some important musical elements can become undervalued. Great musicians of the past wrote, played, and presented music, even if they were better at one than the others.”

Roman stresses the importance of these skills to today’s classical musicians. “In my own experience, writing music has helped me understand more of how a composer might think, and therefore enhanced my interpretations and ability to focus on the ‘what’ and ‘how’ in music, not just try to hit each note perfectly.”

Tuesday’s concert perfectly embodies Roman’s philosophy of musical flexibility, incorporating his talents as a performer, arranger, and concert presenter. Though he will be performing as a soloist, Roman is also enthusiastic about his role as a collaborative musician. “I’ve chosen some points during the concert to highlight the other cellists in the core quartet, so I’ll get to play ‘second fiddle’ on several of the pieces, something I’m really looking forward to.”

The concert isn’t just an opportunity to grow musically. For Roman, it’s a labor of love. “(It’s) something I have wanted to put on at Town Hall Seattle for a few years now,” he said. The concert pays tribute to the cello, showcasing what Roman describes as “its inherent range of expressivity, color, and sexiness”. “The cello is not only a unique voice, but a versatile one, so the repertoire was chosen to reflect this ability to be vocal, to be rhythmic, to be ethereal, and to rock out.”

Roman relishes this opportunity to collaborate with others who share his passion for the cello. Among the cellists joining him on stage are several Seattle Symphony members, including current principal cellist Efe Baltacigil. It’ll be a veritable Seattle cello family reunion. “It is a great joy to work with colleagues you haven’t seen in awhile. Cellists tend to be a cool bunch of musicians to hang with!”