The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra often plays larger symphonic works — and does so quite well — but one of the joys and privileges of having a standing chamber group like them is the chance to hear pieces written for small to medium-sized ensembles that a full-sized orchestra would not take on. Their most recent concerts … Continue reading
Category Archives: Reviews 2012/2013
Carl St.Clair leads Pacific Symphony in persuasive Mahler 5th, quiet Bach
Last Friday, Carl St.Clair and the Pacific Symphony took on two seemingly disparate giants of the orchestral repertoire, Johann Sebastian Bach and Gustav Mahler. The program notes mentioned Mahler’s interest in Bach’s counterpoint during the time he wrote his Fifth Symphony, spurring the creation of some contrapuntal elements of the score. It made sense in … Continue reading
A delicious romp: there is everything to like about LA Opera’s “Cinderella”
Los Angeles Opera’s latest production of Rossini’s Cinderella (La Cenerentola) which debuted this past Saturday has everything you’d want in a comic opera: an excellent cast that can sing and act well, a clever production, and a great sense of humor. The story might not be told exactly the way you know it — the evil step-mother … Continue reading
LA Phil tuning up the programs they are taking on tour (part 3 of 3): pondering how much better “The Other Mary” v2.0 actually is
The Los Angeles Philharmonic is in the midst of the continental European leg of its tour to London, Lucerne, Paris, and New York. Reviews of concerts in London have been consistent in their high praise of the orchestra’s performance and sound in the fairly adventurous repertoire they have taken on the road. On balance, they … Continue reading
All Reviews / Music News & Info: Classical / Philharmonic Society of Orange County / Reviews 2012/2013
Like a boss: David Robertson and SLSO at Segerstrom Concert Hall show how it’s supposed to be done
Good chemistry between a conductor and orchestra is a difficult thing to predict or explain, but as former Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart might say, I know it when I see it. And I know I saw — and heard — it this past Monday night when David Robertson brought the St. Louis Symphony into … Continue reading
Anne LeBaron’s latest gem out-sparkles the rest at final LA International New Music Festival concert
In an ideal world, I would have been able to see all four concerts that formed the “LA International New Music Festival 2013” presented by Southwest Chamber Music; alas, life often gets in the way. Thankfully, after multiple thwarted attempts to make my way out to The Colburn School for the festival, I was able … Continue reading
LA Phil tuning up the programs they are taking on tour (part 2 of 3): Dudamel swings for the fences with “La mer” & “Firebird”
“I think that Debussy is, perhaps, the most important composer of this century. I also happen to think that today, the future of classical music has a lot to do with Debussy, Ravel, Stravinsky, and less to do with Schoenberg, Berg, and Webern. The relationship between Debussy and Stravinsky is particularly interesting. First of all, … Continue reading
LA Phil tuning up the programs they are taking on tour (part 1 of 3): Packing up the Green Umbrella for a road trip
The Los Angeles Philharmonic has begun presenting to local audiences the programs they will be taking on tour, all of which include music exclusively from the 20th and 21st Century. London, Lucerne, Paris, and New York get the two big programs: one featuring works by Vivier, Debussy, and Stravinsky; the other with John Adams’s massive oratorio, The … Continue reading
All Reviews / Music News & Info: Classical / Other classical music concerts and recitals (in So Cal and beyond) / Reviews 2012/2013
Jacaranda’s latest concert highlighted by 4handLA’s piano rendition of “The Rite of Spring”
The folks at “Jacaranda, Music on the Edge” are on a bit of a roll. The seats at Santa Monica’s First Presbyterian Church (AKA “First Preb”) were almost all full and the crowd was enthusiastic. The program, billed as “Thresholds: The Scandals of 1912-13” was chock-a-block with works from the Second Viennese School; however, in … Continue reading
All Reviews / Appointments / Auditions & Appointments / Los Angeles Philharmonic / Music News & Info: Classical / Reviews 2012/2013
Dudamel, Shaham, and LA Phil make old standards sound fresh; Julien Beaudiment sits in as first-chair flute
Gustavo Dudamel returned to the Los Angeles Philharmonic podium for the first time since October 14, 2012. Most of the next few weeks will be devoted to preparing programs for the orchestra’s upcoming tour to Europe and New York, but this past weekend’s concerts were not going to be played out of town. On paper, … Continue reading
Dutoit finally gets to show his Austro-Germanic side in latest program with the LA Phil; Gautier Capuçon & Carrie Dennis stellar in “Don Quixote”
Charles Dutoit’s annual visits to conduct the Los Angeles Philharmonic have become a highlight of every season, and his residency this year was more of the glorious same. Adding to the joy was the chance to see and hear him conduct something other than the FrancoRussian rut he has been in during the past seven … Continue reading
The long and short of last Thursday’s LA Phil concert with Ludovic Morlot and Emanuel Ax
Just to prove to myself that I could summarize into three bullet points my thoughts on last Thursday’s Los Angeles Philharmonic concert: Emanuel Ax played Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25: Spectacular. Flawless. Brilliant. Dare I say, “Perfect.” Conductor Ludovic Morlot: Solid in Dutilleux’s The Shadows of Time and Beethoven’s 5th Symphony. The orchestra: Very good the whole night. There, I … Continue reading
Despite Midori’s heroics, Heras-Casado disappointing in LA Phil concert of music by Kodaly, Eötvös, and Bartok
Recently, whenever there has been an opening for a music directorship at an orchestra, Pablo Heras-Casado usually gets included in the list of candidates to be considered. The 30-something Spanish maestro has many admirers and proponents, and he gets his fair share of positive press. The New York Philharmonic just announced that he’ll be making … Continue reading
LACO’s “Baroque Conversations” series begins season-long look at Bach
“As the human race evolves, we appreciate Bach more.” — Allan Vogel For this year’s rendition of its “Baroque Conversations” series, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra has decided to devote all five concerts this season to the music of Bach. Last Thursday’s series opener focused on his Trio Sonatas, with Allan Vogel, LACO’s renowned Principal … Continue reading
All Reviews / Music News & Info: Classical / Other classical music concerts and recitals (in So Cal and beyond) / Reviews 2012/2013
Jacaranda offers a stimulating evening of music by Eötvös and Ligeti
A few years ago, I was at Walt Disney Concert Hall to see James Conlon conduct the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a concert of works by Prokofiev. Sitting right in front of me were two gentleman, one older and the other younger, speaking a European language I did not recognize. Whatever they were saying, they … Continue reading
All is Yar 