Sad news comes that pianist Van Cliburn has passed away this morning in Fort Worth, TX. He was 78 years old. I was a Van Cliburn fan from an early age. He was the first world-class pianist I ever knew by name, thanks to my parents owning his LP (yes, vinyl 33-1/3) of Rachmaninoff’s “Rhapsody … Continue reading
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
As promised, I did my best to tweet details of the upcoming Los Angeles Philharmonic 2013/2014 season. That said, I’m sure there are those among you who didn’t follow along for whatever reason — perhaps you were otherwise occupied, or maybe you just don’t do that newfangled Twitter thing, or the dog ate your homework. … Continue reading
The Los Angeles Philharmonic will be announcing the details of their 2013/2014 season today’s at 12noon Pacific Time. I will be there, and for those wanting up-to-the-minute info, I am planning to live tweet from today’s press conference using the hashtag “#LAPhil1314” starting around 11:45am. To follow along, click HERE to get to http://www.twitter.com/MrCKDH or … Continue reading
At the end of my review of last year’s production of Albert Herring, I wrote this about James Conlon: “Long may he reign at Los Angeles Opera.” It looks like I’ll get my wish — at least for another five years. The company just announced that Mr. Conlon has extended his contract as LA Opera’s … Continue reading
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra announced this morning that Dale Clevenger, their renowned Principal Horn since 1966, will be retiring from the orchestra on June 30 of this year (read the official CSO press release HERE). This comes right on the heels of Indiana University announcing that he will join the Jacobs School of Music as … Continue reading
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
The Los Angeles Philharmonic released details today of this year’s Hollywood Bowl season (press release HERE and complete chronological list of performances HERE). Nothing particularly Earth-shattering in the 2013 rendition of the popular Southern California summer venue’s line-up or format. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, I guess. The biggest surprises for me: The … Continue reading
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
“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
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
If you missed Esa-Pekka Salonen’s visit to So Cal a month ago to play some Lutosławski with the Los Angeles Philharmonic — or if you were there and are currently missing the thought of those concerts — you now have reason to rejoice a little: on January 25th, the recording of the First Symphony made at … Continue reading
Vassily Sinaisky is not exactly a household name, and until last night, I’d never seen him conduct. The Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Bolshoi Theatre certainly looks the way you’d imagine a maestro to look: tall(ish), sporting white tie and tails (no pajama jacket here), with wavy grey hair brushed up to maximum height. … Continue reading
A new composition for a new year. Seems rather poetic, doesn’t it? Often such gestures work better in concept than in practice, but thanks to Martin Grubinger‘s virtuoso performance of The Tears of Nature, Tan Dun’s new percussion concerto receiving its U.S. Premiere last Friday night care of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, this one worked … Continue reading
Los Angeles Opera announced their 2013/2014 season today. As far as I’m concerned, the most noteworthy things: Not a big increase in number of productions and performances versus the 2012/2013 season, but the mix is a bit more diverse — including three performances of Glass’s Einstein on the Beach. Tenor Brandon Jovanovich returns to L.A. … Continue reading
All is Yar 