There is a point in the last movement of Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique when funeral bells loudly toll and announce the beginning of a dance of witches. The ominous three note sequence repeats — forte, then piano — and continues on as the tubas begin playing the Dies Irae from the old Roman Catholic mass for … Continue reading
#1) LA Phil Principal Concertmaster or British actor who used to be in Monty Python? #2) Muppet or Foo Fighter? Continue reading
The Los Angeles Philharmonic is getting ready to kick-off their 2011/2012 winter season with an all-Gershwin gala this evening. Gustavo Dudamel will be conducting Cuban Overture, An American in Paris, and Rhapsody in Blue with the 71-year-young Herbie Hancock serving as the distinguished soloist. (If you can’t make it to Walt Disney Concert Hall tonight, … Continue reading
School only started a few weeks ago, but the members of the Colburn School Conservatory’s flagship ensemble, The Colburn Orchestra, held their first concert of the year this past Saturday night. Yehuda Gilad, music director and wold-renowned clarinet pedagogue, led the first in a five concert series at the famed Ambassador Auditorium in Pasadena. Thanks … Continue reading
Got a pleasant surprise in my inbox this morning: an email from the Los Angeles Philharmonic saying that Bob Mould and some special guests, including Dave Grohl and Ben Gibbard, would be appearing at Walt Disney Concert Hall in November. Wait. Bob Mould, Dave Grohl, Ben Gibbard, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Walt Disney Concert Hall, … Continue reading
Kurt Sanderling, prominent conductor in Eastern Europe before and after World War II, principal conductor of the Berlin Symphony from 1960-1977, and later a frequent guest with major European and American orchestras, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, has died at the age of 98. He was two days away from his 99th birthday. During the interregnum … Continue reading
There are a few concerts left in the Hollywood Bowl season, but the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s contributions in Cahuenga Pass are done for the year and they get a week off before the new 2011/2012 season at Walt Disney Concert Hall kicks off. In case you are feeling nostalgic for a concert you caught earlier … Continue reading
In what has become a nearly annual event, the Pacific Symphony Orchestra (PSO) has named a new Principal Flute: this time around, the winner is Benjamin Smolen, the current Principal Flute of the Battle Creek Symphony. Mr. Smolen has played as a guest with the Pacific Symphony before. Now that he’s got the full-time gig, let’s hope … Continue reading
You know, some things just don’t get old, especially when it involves the combination of two of my favorite things: orchestras and beer. Here’s a real 2007 Australian commercial for Victoria Bitter beer starring the Melbourne Symphony and Orchestra Victoria (playing as the “Victoria Bitter Orchestra”) in a performance of “The VB Stubby Symphony.” Also … Continue reading
Welcome to September (special thanks to Pomplamoose for helping to ring it in with style). We officially still have a few weeks of summer left, but this month is when all sorts of seasons (musical and otherwise) start anew: My beloved USC Trojans kick-off their 2011 football season tomorrow at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum … Continue reading
I was settling in for the evening when, on a whim, I decided to watch the latest episode of Iron Chef America. Mind you, this is something I do very rarely these days because I don’t think the latest crop of contest-chosen alleged “iron chefs” are actually worthy of the title (Marc Forgione on the same plateau as … Continue reading
Just got back from a week’s vacation up in Northern California: fun in Yosemite, Napa, and Sonoma. I spent some quality time outdoors hiking and relaxing, not to mention tasting some very yummy wines (more on that in the near future). Much of the week was spent unplugged and away from the internet (partially by … Continue reading
“The art of conducting lies, in my opinion, in the power of suggestion that a conductor exerts – on the audience as well as on the orchestra,” the conductor Otto Klemperer once observed. “A conductor must know how to hold attention. He must be able to lead the players with his eyes and the movements … Continue reading
First and foremost, many thanks to Timothy Mangan, esteemed music critic and muppet fan extraordinaire, for adding “All is Yar” to the blogroll of ClassicalLife.net. As much as I appreciate his wry sense of humor when covering popular culture, I continue to hold out hope that the editors and publishers of the Orange County Register … Continue reading
A near-capacity crowd filled the Hollywood Bowl to the brim this past Saturday night. Gustavo Dudamel was in the house, along with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and some other folks. But for once, the crowd was not really there to see The Dude. Sure, there were a few screams of “We love you, Gustavo!” but … Continue reading
All is Yar 