The Omniscient Idiot

The Evolution of DSCH?

2012-02-08T16:04:00.002-05:00

Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-75) engaged in a musical practice frequented by other composers. He included in some of his works a musical signature built from letters of a name, his own in this case, and corresponding with note names. J. S. Bach did this with his own name, B-flat, A, C, B-natural, Robert Schumann had his ABEGG Variations, and Schumann also composed a piano piece built from the last name of a close friends of his, GADE. For Shostakovich he used the first initial of his name followed by the German spelling of his last name, Schostakowitsch, to form his musical signature, DSCH. This signature appeared in some of his later works, most notably in his Tenth Symphony, Op. 93 (1953) and his Eighth String Quartet, Op. 110 (1960). But I believe there are two earlier appearances that foreshadow the use of this motive. They come from a time before Shostakovich mentioned anything about a motive, or developing one. So, I consider these earlier examples to be a playful stage in the development of DSCH.

To begin, neither of these early examples are the motive since there is a slight variation in the tonal cell. DSCH comes from the German spelling of Shostakovich's name, and he chose the German spelling of his name so it could fit musically. In German Es is E-flat, and he simply took the letter S and applied it to the German spelling of E-flat. In the German notational system, H is B-natural. So the motive translates musically to D, E-flat, C, B-natural. My first example comes from the middle section of the finale to his Sixth Symphony, Op. 54 (1939). In this example, the tonal cell (the pattern of tones and semitones), (0134) if you want to get post-tonal about it, is intact, but at the wrong pitch. Instead of D, E-flat, C, B-natural, the motive is a semitone high at E-flat, F-flat, D-flat, C. While a graduate student at Indiana University, I mentioned my observation to Shostakovich specialist Malcolm Brown, and he agreed with me. This is the earliest appearance of this tonal cell, well before DSCH entered Shostakovich's landscape and mind.

The next example comes from the second movement to his First Violin Concerto, Op. 77/99 (1948). In her book Shostakovich: A Life Remembered, Elizabeth Wilson states that the DSCH motive was used in the First Violin Concerto. But Wilson is not correct about this. Shostakovich is off by one semitone. In the second movement to the First Violin Concerto, the soloist double stops, in octaves, something that sounds similar to the D, E-flat, C, B-natural motive, yet the motive in the Concerto is actually D, E-flat, C, B-flat (not B-natural). Once again Shostakovich was close to using his musical signature, but he was off by one semitone at the very end. Yet, the personal and political implications at the time he composed his Concerto must be taken into account. Had Shostakovich considered the use of a personal motive at this point in his career? So far, there is not enough evidence to support this. This example, and the previous one, may suggest that this was a melodic cell Shostakovich favored and liked to use. Perhaps so much so that he decided to transform it into a melodic motive to represent himself.

Certainly by the time of his Tenth Symphony and Eighth String Quartet, Shostakovich crystallized this motive and its integration into these works. Particularly with the Eighth String Quartet, where he included so many quotations from previous works and dedicated the string quartet to the memory of his life. Shostakovich planned to commit suicide after he completed the quartet, and it stands to reason why he would represent himself through this musical signature.

Below is a collage of the motive as it appears in the Sixth Symphony, the First Violin Concerto, The Tenth Symphony, and the Eighth String Quartet.

From Bach to Queen?

2012-02-06T19:34:00.005-05:00

A question of influence is always, well, questionable. Sometimes there is substantial proof through other primary sources that goes beyond the music that help confirm a question of influence, such as journals, letters, and correspondences. Other times the influence is rather substantial and/or strong enough that one can infer an influence without confirmation through external sources. Then there are times when an influence is detected but a lack of evidence prevents one from knowing for certain. The idea and concept of influence, quotation, modeling, and allusion go back centuries, yet the same questions enter when one questions a work influencing another. "Did A know B, and his/her work, and, if so, how well?" "Would A have heard the work of B, and, if so, how may it have influenced them?" The pinnacle question concerning this post is, "If the quotation is so slight and brief, fleeting, is this really an example of quotation, or merely a coincidence?"

Sometimes when I listen to music I pick up on some similarities I have heard in other works. It may be the melody, the harmony or chord progressions, or even the orchestration. Sometimes the similarities are substantial, and sometimes they are slight and happen in passing. The example for this post concerns the latter. And it is one that spans across centuries and genres.

The band Queen produced hit songs and albums in the 1970s at a time when rock was elevated to such terms as "art rock" and "avant-garde rock." Their 1975 album, A Night at the Opera, the title taken from a Marx Brothers comedy, was very successful and is littered with artistic influences from classical music. This style continued in the band's 1978 album Jazz, and was written by frontman Freddie Mercury. I have picked up on an unlikely source for the antecedent phrase for the opening verse to the song "Bicycle Race" from this album. And the potential influence comes from, of all things, a Bach cantata!

After the four-measure unaccompanied choral introduction to Queen's "Bicycle Race," the first two measures of the opening verse contains the same melodic contour and direction from the opening chorus to J. S. Bach's cantata, Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan, BWV 99 ("What God does is well done"). The example is a mere two measures, which causes me to question whether J. S. Bach is quoted by Freddie Mercury. But the two share such a melodic affinity with each other that I find it interesting. How well did Freddie Mercury know J. S. Bach and his cantatas? I have no idea. Was Freddie Mercury a secret admirer of the music of J. S. Bach? Not sure. I know Freddie Mercury studied art and classical music in his youth. But how much was he exposed to, how much of it did he retain, and did any of it influence the music we know today? Either this is a slight homage (or a wink and a nod) to Bach, or it is a whimsical coincidence. The Bach cantata in question is not even one of his more familiar cantatas to the general public. Here are excerpts from the two to hear for yourself.

How Eroica?

2011-11-14T14:08:00.004-05:00

Much has been said and written about Beethoven's Eroica Symphony. From its formal ambiguities, numerous instances of harmonic instability, and hermeneutic readings, the Eroica Symphony provides much to talk about. The focus of this post relates to the coda section from the first movement. I'm unaware if much has been discussed about this, and if anyone knows of an publications please send them my way.

Get out your Dover score of Beethoven's Symphonies Nos. 1-4 and follow along. I'm discussing the coda beginning on page 134, bottom system, third to last measure to page 137, top system, fourth measure. I'm specifically interested in the trumpet parts on page 136, top system, fifth measure in continuing to the lower system, third measure in.

This section of the coda is particularly interesting because after all the fragmentation and harmonic instability surrounding the main theme we finally hear the main theme in a balanced and harmonically stable presentation. Scott Burnham writes, "In the culminating passage of the coda, from 631 to the end, the first theme is provided with a regular harmonic underpinning of tonic and dominant and regular four-plus-four phrasing. The power of this square treatment of the theme is precisely in its presentation: the theme becomes more like a real theme, for now it is an actual melody. That is to say, in its previous manifestations the first theme acted more as a bass line in motivating harmonic development; now it is freed from its compulsion to act as an unstable, driving force and is able to enjoy a truly melodic character (Burnham, Beethoven Hero, pp. 18-19)." The simplicity of the melody and its regular phrasing provide a sense of arrival and resolution. But I remember some scholars talking about how the trumpet avoids its high G climax (page 136, top system, seventh measure in) and interpreting this as an anti-hero or that the hero of the symphony has delayed his rise to power and stature. I want to say I read this later in Beethoven Hero, but I can't recall with certainty. But it may have been elsewhere too. If anyone can help with this, let me know.

Why would Beethoven deny the listener the satisfaction of such a climax and resolution? Putting the hermeneutic readings aside, I turn my attention to the orchestration. Adam Carse, a long-forgotten and neglected musicologist from the past, provides a simple answer based on the trumpets available to Beethoven at the time. Carse writes, "The first trumpet could have continued the tune perfectly well in open notes. . . Beethoven broke it off because his rule was not to write the high G (twelfth note of the harmonic series) for a trumpet crooked in any key higher than D. The high G on our E flat trumpet (sounding B flat) is rather shrill, and Beethoven avoided it throughout the Eroica, although there are several places in the score where he would have written it had the trumpet been crooked in a lower key. I know of only one instance in which Beethoven broke his usual rule, and that was at the height of the storm in the Pastoral Symphony (bar 85); there an E flat trumpet screams out its high G, as was quite appropriate in such a stormy situation" (Carse, "Beethoven's Trumpet Parts," The Musical Times v. 94 [1953], p. 32). From this account, Beethoven was not providing the listener with an added layer of interpretation, he was merely avoiding a "shrill" note on the E flat trumpet.

Once the keyed, or valved, trumpet was introduced during the late 18th century and perfected throughout the 19th century, this issue of tuning, intonation, and timbre became less of an issue. With this came alterations to this moment in the symphony. Editors chose to write the part by continuing the melody in the dominant for the trumpet, and an earlier generation of conductors performed and recorded the symphony this way. Conductors like Fritz Reiner, Herbert von Karajan, and Leonard Bernstein performed and recorded this altered version, and later conductors, most of whom focus on "authentic" performances, like Georg Solti, Bernard Haitink, John Eliot Gardiner, and Nikolaus Harnoncourt held to the original version. And then there is Paavo Järvi who performed a hybrid of the two. This is another subject that interests me; the interpretive decisions made by conductors and how they inform and/or alter our perception and interpretation of a work (I would like to design a class on this). The following video provides three different recordings of this excerpt: first the original version, then the altered version, and finally the hybrid version. Again, this begins on page 134, bottom system, third measure from the end in the Dover score of Beethoven's Symphonies Nos. 1-4.

Mahlerites Rejoice!

2011-07-09T18:39:00.003-04:00

In may of this year, the David Zinman cycle of Mahler symphonies was released. The 15-CD set includes recordings of all ten symphonies, including the discarded Blumine movement of the First Symphony, and Clinton A. Carpenter's performance version of the Tenth Symphony. Also included in the set is an 80-minute documentary on the rehearsal and recording of the Sixth Symphony.

Zinamn has held successful stewardships with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the Tonhalle-Orchester Zurich, his current position. With the latter orchestra, Zinman recorded all of the Beethoven symphonies using Jonathan Del Mar's critical edition, and this cycle garnered critical acclaim and raised the visibility of Zinman and the Tonhalle-Orchester Zurich. The use of Del Mar's critical edition and Zinman's direction present a refreshing take on Beethoven's symphonies, including the use of early-19th century performance practices that are absent even in most period instrument recordings.

Having heard Zinman's Beethoven cycle, I was intrigued to hear his approach to Mahler. Zinman began his Mahler cycle in 2007, and four years later all the symphonies have been released. So far I have listened to the first three symphonies, and I can describe Zinman's interpretation using two words, balance and clarity. Every motive, whether combined with other motives or intertwined with other motives, comes to the fore, demonstrating a remarkable command of the score and the different groups of the orchestra. I intend to present a symphony by symphony review of the set. Stay tuned!

Paavo's Final Bow

2011-05-15T14:49:00.006-04:00

Last night, 14 May 2011, brought Paavo Järvi's ten-year run as music director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra to a close. Everyone who has attended the CSO concerts and followed the orchestra over the past ten years have their own memories of what Paavo brought to the stage and the community. Under his leadership the orchestra toured abroad to Europe and Japan, collaborated on 17 CDs, with the Mussorgsky CD from 2008 winning a Grammy, and Paavo brought new music and rarely performed works to Music Hall. As far as rarely performed works go, Paavo led the second performance ever of Olivier Messiaen's colossal Turangalila symphonie, a work that highlights the ondes martenot, an instrument hard to come by, and only a handful of people remain skilled enough to perform it.

For his final concert, Paavo introduced the audience to two new works by his friend Erkki-Sven Tüür. The first work was a world premiere of the anniversary fanfare, Fireflower, followed by the American premiere of his Piano Concerto with Awadagin Pratt as soloist. Pratt is on the piano faculty at UC's College-Conservatory of Music. Tüü r is hardly a tunesmith. His approach to music deals with soundscapes, sound masses, and achieving unique colors from the orchestra. The second half of the concert featured Gustav Mahler's Fifth Symphony. Perhaps this was a fitting choice to close his tenure as music director since Mahler's Fifth Symphony received it's American premiere by the CSO in 1905 under the direction of Frank Van der Stucken. There is no greater substitution to experiencing Mahler live, especially in skillful hands such as Paavo's. Little motif nuances that often get buried in some of the thickest orchestration points come to the surface under his direction.

Until last night I had never heard Mahler's Fifth Symphony live. In fact all the concerts Paavo conducted Mahler was my first time hearing these symphonies live. This includes the Second, Ninth, Seventh, and Fifth. Though these are great works to experience live, there is still a single concert that stands out for me. Paavo led an outstanding interpretation and performance of Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique in 2007. The direction was incredible, the orchestra responded skillfully to his direction, and performed the best I believe I have heard them. With Paavo's departure he joins some great company of former music directors of the CSO, including: Leopold Stokowski, Fritz Reiner, Eugene Goosens, and Thomas Shippers.

I took video of Paavo's final bows, and hs encoe of Sibelius's Valse triste. This was a fitting encore for me since Sibelius's Kullervo was on the first program I heard Paavo conduct. So it was nice to have bookends of Sibelius to finish my experience of the Paavo years. The video was too large to post here, but you can find both parts on my facebook page

The Dissertation Chronicles, Op. 11: Beethoven-Wranitzky Modeling?

2011-04-24T15:36:00.004-04:00

I recently received a message through The Wranitzky Project concerning a case of possible modeling between Beethoven and Wranitzky. This concerns the Symphony No. 2 of the former and the Symphony, Op. 52 of the latter. The very beginning of the slow introductions to both symphonies have a similar sound and melodic contour that it begs the question if one was influenced by the other, or perhaps paying respect to the other.

Whenever a case of quotation or modeling appears, it must be approached with delicacy and caution, and this case is certainly no different. Let's begin with the genesis of the compositions. Beethoven composed his Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36 during the years 1801-02, and it was first performed on 5 April 1803. Beethoven composed his symphony during a tumultuous time in his life with his hearing fading and with a greater sense of isolation. When Wranitzky composed his Symphony in D Major, Op. 52 remains undetermined. As far as dating the work the only reliable source we have is the 1805 publication by the Viennese publisher, Andre. If this was his latest symphony, it would not be inappropriate to put the Op. 52 within the window of 1802-04 for its composition and first performance. Beethoven's Op. 36 was published by the Viennese Bureau des Arts et d'Industrie the year after its first performance. So presumably both symphonies could have been composed within the same window of time, but which one came first still presents a problem.

Before exploring this a little bit further, here is the issue at hand. First is the Beethoven, followed by the Wranitzky. There are a couple of slight differences such as the anacrusis in the Beethoven, and the Beethoven is in triple meter while the Wranitzky is in common time.

Hopefully you can hear that both composers firmly establish the tonic then skip to scale degree 3 and descend from there 2-1-1-7 (with the last two coming in the form of a 4-3 suspension over the dominant). From here Beethoven provides a varied repetition of the first four bars before launching into a development section. As for Wranitzky, he repeats the initial statement one scale degree higher and closes the second phrase on V/V. This sequential presentation of themes appear to be common in Wranitzky's symphonies, particularly with P material in his first movements. After the statement of the first four bars the two composers have chosen two different paths to follow. The only strong relationship between the introductions is the opening four bars in the Wranitzky and the opening two bars in the Beethoven. Even the overall character of the two introductions oppose each other. Wranitzky's is rather straightforward and somewhat chorale-like in character, whereas Beethoven's sounds like a French overture with dotted rhythms and imitative tirades across the orchestra.

From a personal perspective, both composers knew each other, and in fact it Wranitzky who led the premier performance of Beethoven's First Symphony. Whether Wranitzky heard Beethoven's Second Symphony and decided to give a nod to his contemporary, or whether Beethoven did the same to Wranitzky for leading the premier of his First Symphony is still a matter of conjecture.

While examining this I found a possible case of multi-movement unity in Wranitzky's Op. 52 based on the opening four bars of the symphony. The opening phrase and the closing theme to A in the rondo Finale share an affinity with regards to melodic contour and cadence. Also the sequential statement of the same melodic material is present in both areas. Here is the example:

Even arguments suggesting multi-movement unity come under the same scrutiny as making a comparison with a work by another composer. Did Wranitzky intentionally compose the closing theme to the A section of the finale to have a melodic affinity with the opening of the symphony? Or could this simply be a coincidence involving a simple and common melodic contour and cadence type?

The Cincy Brass

2011-03-13T19:30:00.002-04:00

This past Friday night I went to Arnold's for their Mardi Gras theme night, featuring a Mardi Gras menu and The Cincy Brass. I had the jambalaya, Christian Moerlein OTR, and finished with, what else, a hurricane. The Cincy Brass was a fun ensemble comprised of college students. Their repertoire ranged from old standards, including "The Saints Go Marching In" to begin, some original numbers, and covers of recent pop artists like Lady GaGa and Katy Perry. Here is a little sample:

The Dissertation Chronicles, Op. 10

2011-01-24T18:28:00.002-05:00

Today I completed the draft to my first dissertation chapter and sent it off to my adviser. Originally, I planned to write a chapter on instrumentation and orchestration, but my adviser suggested that I split the two. So this first chapter is on instrumentation, meaning a discussion purely on just the instruments called on for a particular work. The following chapter will be on orchestration, how the instruments interact, aid in articulation of form, and provide special effects and flashes of virtuosity.

As I reviewed the literature, some scholars mention the instrumentation of a work or works, but rarely comment on it. Then there are hose like John Spitzer and Neal Zaslaw who research changing conditions, size, and balance among orchestras throughout Europe. Yet more often than not, the focus remains on the usual suspects: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert. These are the canonical composers who led to the reduction of our understanding of Viennese symphonic culture. I hope to remedy this on some level with my dissertation.

In the instrumentation chapter I hold up the symphonies of Beethoven's contemporaries to the simplified historical narrative, mainly the idea of the Classical orchestra (strings in four parts, pairs of winds, and timpani). Among Beethoven's contemporaries, only about 40% of their symphonies, at best, used this instrumentation. most of the others used smaller forces, and the remaining symphonies used trombones in addition to the "classical" orchestra, and others used accessory instruments (Turkish instruments and the like). With the entrance of the trombones, three was not the norm as often told by the historical narrative, mainly because of Beethoven's Fifth and Sixth Symphonies.

Basically, accessory instruments amount to unconventional instruments. Turkish instruments (cymbals, triangle, military drums, and bass drums) are the most common addition. The example often referenced is Haydn's Symphony No. 100, "Military" from 1794. But before him came Franz Xaver Sussmayr and his Sinfonia turchesa from 1791. From the group of composers I examined, only two used Turkish instruments. Ferdinand Ries used them in the finale of his Sixth Symphony from 1822, and Paul Wranitzky used them in three of his symphonies (all composed for performance at the court of Marie Therese). The remaining symphonies using accessory instruments were composed by Wranitzky, and include two symphonies with keyboard (presumably composed with Marie Therese in mind), a symphony using four Papageno flutes and glockenspiel (both references to Mozart's Die Zauberflote (a favorite opera of Marie Therese), and a toy symphony. All of these symphonies by Wranitzky were composed during the last decade of his life (1795-1808).

It took longer than I would have liked to complete this chapter, but along the way I researched sources and did score study that helped lay the foundation for the next two chapters I will write. Orchestration is next, and there are several fascinating topics to explore with the symphonies I am looking at.

Black Swan (2010)

2010-12-29T21:56:00.010-05:00

The latest film by Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan, offers another psychological odyssey for his main character in which a return to his/her original state has little probability. In the case of Black Swan, it is the journey of Nina Sayers (played incredibly by Natalie Portman. The director of a ballet company based in New York City, Thomas Leroy (played fiendishly well by Vincent Cassels) is directing a new production of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake where the same ballerina will perform the roles of the Odette (the white swan) and Odile (the black swan) instead of using separate dancers. Thus begins the journey of the frail and timid Nina Sayers. Leroy resorts to various measures to coax out the Black in Nina. The use of black and white costuming and set design and production aids brilliantly as the plot moves along; including a glimpse into a room at Leroy's apartment that is decorated in chromatic colors, with a Rorschach inkblot poster for good measure (a little psychological nod to the character and his motive).

Since the film centers around Tchaikovsky's ballet, naturally music plays a key and prominent role throughout the film. We open with Nina alone on stage with a bright white spotlight shining down on her. The music playing is that of the prelude to the ballet, and hence the prelude to her journey. If you are unfamiliar with the ballet, relax. Nina announces this after she wakes from her dream. Not only is the coordination of the music as it appears in the ballet correspond with the function of the film, but the action presented in this brief prelude offers a taste of imagery to come. The best visual component of the film for me was having the cameraman immersed in the dance scenes. And this was not executed using a Steadicam. The camera work is jostling and jerky, but its close proximity to the actors and dancers providers the viewer with a perspective rarely experienced in ballet.

The score by Clint Mansell, who has collaborated with Aronofsky on all of his major motion pictures, uses quotations and borrowings from the ballet to represent the isolation and psychological state of Nina. The isolation is accomplished through the use of a solo piano with brief borrowings from the ballet that either correspond with the swan depicted by Nina or through aligning the plot of the film with that of the ballet. Kudos go to the entire music production crew for using and editing the orchestral performance of the ballet to heighten the psychological journey. There are certain portions of Swan Lake that sound broodish, plaintive, and ominous on their own, but how and where they are incorporated into the film brought new life and energy to them. One scene i particular that was musically and visually striking came when Nina danced the Odile coda requiring the dancer to perform the celebrated 32 consecutive fouettés, as shown here:

At this point in the film, Nina transforms into the Black Swan in spectacular fashion.

Darren Aronofsky comes through with another great journey into a realm where delusion and reality are blurred, and the amazing process of getting there. A Best Director nod is well deserved. Natalie Portman will certainly receive nominations and wins for her performance. And I would like to see some accolades come Vincent Cassels way as well. I highly recommend Black Swan.

The Dissertation Chronicles, Op. 9

2010-05-02T10:43:00.002-04:00

After a long period of time collecting sources, pilfering through sources, listening to symphonies, reading along with scores, and analyzing scores, actual dissertation writing will begin. I decided to start with instrumentation and orchestration because it should be a fairly easy place to start. That was the thinking anyway. But as it often occurs, more laid beneath the surface, and things began spiraling out. The question one must ask is, "At what point do I stop and say enough is enough?" Well, I have finally drawn a line in the sand. I have a wealth of topics and information to discuss, so much so that a chapter that was going to be dedicated to instrumentation and orchestration will now become two separate chapters, one devoted to instrumentation and the other to orchestration. I am starting on the instrumentation chapter first because it should be the easier of the two. The basic distinction between instrumentation and orchestration is the former simply examines the instruments called upon by the composer for a specific work, and the latter is how this instrumentation interacts among the different instruments.

A Not-So-Tangled Web

2010-05-02T10:07:00.003-04:00

I wandered outside late at night last night (okay, maybe not exactly wandered, but I went out on my patio behind the house) and saw someone working the late shift.

Adolescence Found

2010-04-24T18:59:00.004-04:00

Today I meandered to Half Price Books in Colerain, searching for who knows what. I looked in the classical music books section because I found some great buys there before. No such luck today. I then perused the nonfiction sections, computer games, and finally the CDs. I was surprised, and so excited, by what I found in the clearance section at the bottom of the CD display case. THE recording of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony that had been part of my formative years during high school. It is the recording by Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on the RCA Victor label. I remember having this recording at home in Alabama, and it managed to make the move when my parents moved, but during my recent trips home I noticed it disappeared. I was going to buy it through Archivmusic, which would cost me $10, but through my miraculous find at Half Price Books, it costs me a little over $1. A small cost to pay for a recording taking one back to moments of his adolescence. I remember I was a new driver and was lost in a neighborhood, and the first movement of Beethoven's Ninth was playing. I was lost directionally just as a listener was trying to figure out the form of the first movement. I am so glad I somehow found this recording for immediate consumption, and for such a low price. And it makes me wonder if others out there have specific recordings of their own that take them back in time.

Roman Festival

2010-04-24T18:28:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, I did something I have always wanted to do but couldn't, until the opportunity presented itself to me. I attended a Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra concert on Friday at 11:00 a.m. In the past I have been unable to do this because I was either in class or at work. With a Friday off, I could finally take advantage of this opportunity. Slated for the concert was music director, Paavo Jarvi and viola soloist Isabelle van Keulan were grounded in Europe because of the volcanic ash from Iceland's erupting volcano. In their places, Julian Kuerti (second in command behind James Levine at the Boston Symphony Orchestra) and Nokuthula Ngwenyama (from one of my alma maters Indiana University) stepped in to perform in their absence. The concert opened with Berlioz's Roman Carnival Overture led greatly by the maestro. I have not heard the overture performed live, and this was certainly a treat. Whenever one has a chance to experience Berlioz live, it is an event not to be missed. It is music that just isn't served justice through recording. Though the first work went of well, the second work, Harold en Italie, had some shaky moments. The orchestra was not together in some passages, and the conductor did little to bring them together (at times it felt like this was a Steve Reich phase arrangement). It was somewhat disappointing. But they managed to solve their issues by the finale, which was impressive, certainly given the closing tempo Kuerti insisted, which was the quickest I have heard the work close on. But it was effective and performed with precision.

The second half began with Berlioz's overture to his opera Benvenuto Cellini. This shared the great ensemble tightness the Roman Carnival Overture had, and was performed flawlessly by the orchestra, and kudos for Kuerti on his interpretation. The program concluded with Respighi's Pines of Rome, and what a treat to finally experience this work live! Kuerti's direction was spot on, and the orchestra matched it to great heights.

Since I have not been to one of the daytime concerts, the audience should be noted. Most were elderly, though I did come across those within my age range, and younger. But I had the pleasure of sitting across from a group of what appeared to be people with Downs Syndrome. Before the concert began I was wondering if they would have the attention span to last the entire concert. But I was surprisingly wrong by how entranced and attentive they were at hearing a live performance. Some of them were especially grateful for the experience and vocally cheering to themselves over the performance they just witnessed. Just another indication of what music and the arts can do for all minds alike.

Snowy Delight

2010-02-06T09:54:00.003-05:00

Yesterday and overnight a Winter storm passed through the Cincinnati area, and many other places. This was a huge band of precipitation. I couldn't help myself from grabbing the video camera and going on a walk to the nearby park. Enjoy!

Châteauneuf-du-Jean

2009-12-15T16:57:00.002-05:00

I moved into my new place at the end of October. Here is a tour of the place!

Launch Party

2009-11-14T16:46:00.002-05:00

In this The Office-inspired miniature documentary, The Omniscient Idiot throws a launch party to christen his new apartment. Though hilarity ensues, one guest's absence has a profound affect on the host.

Lemonade

2009-08-18T17:21:00.003-04:00

Here is the latest drink video. Though the final product does not have any spirits, you can add gin, vodka, or even subtitute champagne or prosecco for the water or club soda.

Music News from The Onion

2009-08-13T01:27:00.002-04:00

Although they misplace Salieri in the 16th century rather than the 18th century, this is pretty funny.

Catfight!

2009-08-10T16:35:00.004-04:00

Caught some amazing footage during one of my trips home.

New Additions

2009-08-08T08:23:00.009-04:00

I recently added four new additions to my CD library. ArkivMusic has had some things on sale lately that were too good for me to pass up.

I begin with something that was not on sale, but comes at such a reasonable price, especially given the talent involved, that temptation was too great. David Zinman busted on the scene with his cycle of Beethoven symphonies in the late 1990s, recordings that used a new edition of Beethoven's symphonies, and added some refreshing elements, such as some improvised ornamentation, transforming these masterworks from text to art. The same can be said of his collaboration with Christian Tetzlaff performing Beethoven's Violin Concerto. Not only is the interpretation first-rate, but gone is the standard Fritz Kreisler cadenzas. In their place, Tetzlaff transcribed cadenzas from a piano concerto arrangement Beethoven made of his violin concerto. Certainly a refreshing change from the grossly virtuosic cadenzas of Kreisler.

My next purchase was a special re-issue of the complete symphonies of Haydn conducted by Antal Dorati with the Philharmonica Hungarica. This re-issue is limited, and was issued for the 200th anniversary of Haydn's death. With 33 CDs comprising the set, I have not made it through all the symphonies yet, but the ones I have heard so far have been good. It may be some of the recording levels or Dorati's interpretation of the works, but some musical lines are more present than others, and this is a good thing in some cases. Interesting features that often get buried come to the surface.

For some years now, I have wanted Verdi operas performed at La Scala, the famed, legendary Mecca of Italian opera. As Fate would have it, Deutsche Grammophon recently released a 21-CD box set of eight Verdi operas and the Requiem performed at La Scala. The operas included in the set are: Rigoletto, Il Trovatore, La Traviata, Un ballo in maschera, Don Carlos, Macbeth, Simon Boccanegra, and Aida. These are not live recordings, but they are performed at the opera house, and with amazing talent. Legendary names like Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Mirella Fiorentini, Renata Scotto, Carlo Bergonzi, Mirella Freni, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, and Jose van Dam appear in the set. So far I have made it through the first four operas and the first two acts of Don Carlos and have really enjoyed the recordings. Un ballo in maschera, which I saw performed in Cincinnati a couple of summers ago, does not get performed enough. The music is some of Verdi's best during his early career.

My final purchase took over two months from when I ordered it to arrive. I am a fan of Jascha Horenstein's approach to symphonic music, particularly the large-scale works. He is of course a cult hero for Mahlerites, myself included, but his interpretation of Beethoven's Ninth is one of my favorites, especially the third movement. Satisfied with his Mahler and Beethoven interpretations, I decided to buy this CD to hear his interpretation of Dvorak's Ninth Symphony and Leos Janacek's Sinfonietta. The Dvorak is among the best I have come across and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Some aspects of Mahler comes across in this interpretation, such as a few sudden shifts in tempi and some spots where the brass are more prominent than other recordings (but not detracting from the principle material). His interpretation of the Janacek however eludes me, and leaves me somewhat dissappointed. This lies squarely on the tempo of the work as a whole. As I compared the running times of Horenstein with that of Rafael Kubelik, I realised how out of the box Horenstein's approach is. The least time differential between the two conductors comes in the fourth movement, with Horenstein about 30 seconds behind Kubelik. The greatest occurs in the fifth movement with Horenstein 2 minutes behind Kubelik! In summation, Horenstien's interpretation is vastly slower than Kubelik's. Whereas Kubelik's interpretation of the familiar opening movement retains the usual fanfare tempo we come to expect, Horenstein's interpretaion or tempo selection makes the movement sound more like a slow processional. It is interesting, but I still cannot understand the decision for the slow tempos.

19th-century Music Conference post-mortem

2009-08-08T08:02:00.003-04:00

This past July, I ventured out to Lawrence, Kansas, home of the University of Kansas (even though they say KU out there). I traveled with Kevin, and this was our second conference to attend together. But UC was also represented by Tom and Jewel, making UC the most represented institution at the conference. This trip with Kevin was much more successful than our last one, which was at Texas Tech (Lubbock, TX). For starters, we were not in a college town situated in a dry county. Furthermore, we felt safe walking the streets of Lawrence without the possibility of being assaulted or shuck and jived.

The conference offered a good selection and variety of papers. The attendees were collegial and offered good questions and suggestions at the end of presentations. By the end of the conference, we made contacts and friends, and look forward to seeing each other at future national conferences.

Turning to my presentation, "Defining the Early 19th-century Grand Symphony," I found myself in unchartered waters preparing for this conference. With much of my attention and focus on my dissertation proposal through late May, I was not able to work as dilligently as I would have liked until the proposal was finished. It passed by the way! One week from when I was scheduled to present, my research was complete, but not one word had been written yet. Trying to organize the information into a coherent and clearly understandable string of arguments proved challenging. I wrote my paper up until the night before I had to fly out. During this process, thoughts of not going passed through my mind, but I am glad I did not give in.

I received some good and helpful comments, and the discussion and interest in my paper continued further outside the recital hall as the day went on, showing it at least provoked some ongoing thought.

All in all, the experience was good, the conference great, and Lawrence was surprisingly cool for early July.

Oh, Hello There

2009-08-08T08:00:00.001-04:00

Yes, I do have a blog! It has been a while since I have posted. My apologies.

The Dissertation Chronicle, Op. 8

2009-06-04T15:12:00.002-04:00

After a school year's time of work, research, and writing, I finally turned in my dissertation proposal. This was last week. This afternoon I received notice that my proposal passed through the committee. Numerous trials and tribulations presented themselves to me, and my advisor and I were at odds sometimes, but it is good to know that the experience is over and has a happy ending. The proposal process was a long one, but one rich in discovery, lessons along the way, and obstacles confronted and overcome. There were times of doubt, hopelessness, and apathy; but also times of excitement, revelation, accomplishment. The research performed during the entire process has prepared me to begin writing some chapters in the very near future. The proposal process for some is the most difficult part of the entire dissertation process. It is a challenge to choose a topic, xplore what is out ther (and what isn't) pertaining to your topic, and bringing it all together in a way that is clear and makes sense to those not privy of the topic. But all the research definitely sets a path to follow, one that continues towards chapters, and ultimately completion. I will continue to chronicle my dissertation writing experience.

The Wranitzky Project Follow-Up

2009-05-31T15:14:00.001-04:00

I just received notice that my first contribution to The Wranitzky Project has been added to the website. You can view it here.

Rising to the Ranks of Contributor

2009-05-30T09:20:00.003-04:00

Recently I was graciously accepted to be a contributor to The Wranitzky Project. I am joined with some good company, most notably, Christopher Hogwood. Coming in the near future will be the set of three symphonies published as Opus 33, which I contributed some comments about the set. All the symphonies will be available for listening at the site, and the score to Opus 33, No. 3, my favorite of the three, will be available as a PDF download. I became associated with the site because Paul Wranitzky is one of the symphonic composers I am researching for my dissertation, and the webmaster, Daniel Bernhardsson, has been sharing all the symphonies he has scored to help with my research efforts. As the home page states, "a neglected master."

Fruit Patch in Cincinnati

2009-05-30T09:05:00.004-04:00

Last weekend over the Memorial Day weekend, some friends from NYC stopped in Cincinnati on their way to Iowa. It was good to catch up with them and see them. And it was also good to meet the new addition to the family, Ollie. I have followed Ollie on their blog, but it was good to finally meet the little guy. I noticed that his bark sounded eerily like how the martians in Mars Attacks! talk. Check it out for yourself.

Also, Jessica requested, demanded more or less, that I make my famous margaritas. And whenever she and margaritas are involved, things get crazy.

A fun weekend was had by all, and it will be good to see them again, whether it is here or in NYC, or wherever we cross paths again.

Brahms and Tetzlaff

2009-04-19T10:59:00.003-04:00

Last night I attended the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra concert, which had a varied program of Kagel, Etude No. 3; Brahms, Concerto for Violin and Orchestra; and Berlioz, Orchestral Music from Romeo et Juliette. The Kagel was interesting, though probably too interesting for most of the attendees. The composer was successful with presenting numerous soundscapes with the orchestra, and the percussion was particularly interesting. Overall, I enjoyed the work, though I would not be clammering to hear it again anytime soon.

The Brahms deserves some special attention. Don't get me wrong, I like the work, but it has its faults. The exposition is too long, and the dramatic modulations in the first movement come across as modulations for modulation sake, or drama for drama sake. Paavo Jarvi, who did not apeear to be drunk at this performance, was able to insert some individual interpretation in the work, but not much. The same cannot be said for the soloist, Christian Tetzlaff. As far as technique and execution are concerned, Tetzlaff gave a wonderful performance. But artistically, as far as bringing his own interpretation to the work, he fell flat. But I do not place the blame squarely on Tetzlaff, but rather Brahms. Brahms composed a flashy and highly technical work that it is difficult for the soloist to bring much originality and individuality to the performance. As I sat and listened to the performance, it sounded like any recording of the work I have heard before. It sounded as if Tetzlaff arrived the night before the first performance and he and Jarvi said to the orchestra, "Okay, let's run through it." The only place where Tetzlaff was able to assert his own artistic license was the cadenza in the first movement. Though I have this beef with the Brahms, it does not take away the masterful lyricism of the second movement. Tetzlaff did perform an encore, the Andante movement from J. S. Bach's Sonata for Solo Violin, BWV 1003. This is when Tetzlaff as an independent artist truly shined.

As for the Berlioz, this is not my favorite selection from his oeuvre. It really is not a good representation of him as a composer to a concert audience, and the orchestral selections are better understood in the original context of the Dramatic Symphony. The work was performed well by the orchestra, and Maestro Jarvi's interpretation was spot on. I beleieve this is not a suitable work to conclude a concert, since much of the inner movements and the finale is at a piano level. Despite these criticisms of the works, and of Brahms, the concert as a whole was interesting, the orchestra performed well, Jarvi was sober, and Tetzlaff was masterful.

Robert Craft's Stravinsky Ballets

2009-04-06T16:10:00.002-04:00

Last week, Naxos released The Robert Craft Edition of the complete Stravinsky ballets. Most people probably would not peg me as an admirer of Stravinsky, and they are partially right. I have not been able to get into the whole fascination and awe of Stravinsky as a composer and theorist. But his music does have a certain appeal to me, particularly because of his orchestration. Before purchasing The Robert Craft Edition, I owned five of the ballets, Pulcinella, Danses Concertantes, and the big three, The Firebird, Petrushka, and The Rite of Spring. So far, I have listened to the big threee from The Robert Craft Edition, and find the interpretation to be very close with that of Boulez. I am anxiously awaiting to get through all of the ballets, especially Les Noces, which I have read is a 20th-century must in the repertory. Of note is the World premiere recording of the complete 1910 version of The Firebird, the same version Pierre Boulez recorded with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on Deutsche Grammaphon. I am also looking forward to revisiting the three Greek ballets: Apollo, Agon, and Orpheus. I had the pleasure of seeing the New York City Ballet perform these ballets two Springs ago. Based on what I have heard so far, the production of the recordings is very good, the interpretation is good, and the liner notes provide good information on the works and the performers.

Pictures? Why not?

2009-04-02T15:32:00.003-04:00

I have been blogging about music, musicology, film, television, and miscellaneous events for nearly four years now. I was disappointed not to make the top 100 music blogs this past year. Someone suggested it was because I recently moved my blog during the tallying process. I say rubbish. I existed before my move. A colleague of mine, I will call him Jason, made the list despite hardly posting, and when he does post it is not a music-related subject. So, in a vain attempt to make the list next year, I am fashioning this post after a post that probably won him his spot on the list. So, here are some pictures of azalea's I took while home in Mobile, AL. The azalea is the official flower of Mobile.

Say It Ain't So, Paavo!

2009-03-28T08:08:00.006-04:00

Back in mid-March, Paavo Jarvi, the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, was charged with OVI, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, or for my purposes operating-a-radio-in-a-parked-car-while-intoxicated. The full story can be found here. Apparently, Maestro Jarvi attended an event at Blackfinn Restaurant, where he consumed two glasses of wine. While his car was stopped at an intersection for some time, police approached his car and questioned him. He claimed to be listening to music and fell asleep. The officers said his speech was slurred, but the guy is Estonian, and anyone who has heard him speak knows he sounds slurred when not intoxicated. He has pled not guilty. This video was from the cruiser cam was recently released and shows him being questioned for suspicious behavior at an intersection, and then being administered a field sobriety test. I have not been able to determine what he was listening to as the officers approached.

Hip Hop Discussions at Cornell

2009-02-13T18:04:00.002-05:00

Recently, Cornell University presented a series of lectures on Hip Hop culture in America. The audio or video lectures can be downloaded on iTunes through the Cornellcast podcast, or they can be viewed on the Cornellcast website. Some how, I don't think James Webster and Neal Zaslaw were at the lectures. Just a wild guess.

Free Weight Fantastique

2009-02-13T17:24:00.002-05:00

I recently found a video on YouTube, go figure, of a performance that took place at one of my alma maters, the Whalen School of Music at Ithaca College. It must be a composition recital judging from the creative use of material and presentation. The work uses themes from Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique in a theatrical way that could only be concieved by someone attending Ithaca College. Featured in the video as the wieghtlifter is Mark Radice, professor of musicology at Ithaca College, and soomeone who nurtutred my interest in musicology. The reason why Radice was chosen, if not composed in mind, for this performance is because he regularly works out and supposedly was the winner of Mr. New York one year. During my time at Ithaca, Radice stood 5' 5.5" and weighed 195 lbs., virtually all muscle. Enjoy.

Weighing in on Bale

2009-02-13T16:54:00.002-05:00

According to several of my friends, I supposedly have a man-crush on Christian Bale. I wouldn't call it a man-crush, I just think he is an amazing actor who choose very demanding roles and commits himself fully to the characters he plays. Though I would say that this statement does not necessarily apply to The Dark Knight where he was minimized, and in a post on my previous blog I stated my trepidation about him working with McG on Terminator Salvation. Other than these recent decisions, I believe he is able to complete connect a character to the viewer as view can. I am assuming eveyone has heard about his on-set rant at Director of Photography, Shane Hurlbut. Judging from Mr. Hurlbut's experience, Mr Bale may be correct in calling him out for his lack of experience on the set. Then again it may have been a long day on the set. I would post a complete version of Bale's rant on my blog, but I assume everyone has heard all of it or enough of it by now to get the idea. So, I know present some precedence to his rant, and one spoof.

First, the spoof. Here is Michael Cera adding some light-hearted humor to the situation.

Next is Billo, Bill O'Reilly, doing what he does best, rant, raving, andd flipping out over nothing.

The last example eerily parallels Bale's rant. This is Chris Berman, masterful commentator and reporter for Espn, ranting about his unprofessional staff while he is trying to do his job, present sports news. Note the comments about the unprofessionalism of people moving in the background and how distracting this is, the same complaint Bale launch against Hurlbut.

Netrebko Goes Mad

2009-02-13T16:36:00.004-05:00

Last weekend I saw the Met simulcast of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor starring the now commonplace pairing of Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon. Netrebko sung the role of Lucia early in her career with the Kirov opera, which is probably why she did as fabulous a job as she did with the role (that and the fact that she is hot and talented). I am not much of a fan of bel canto opera, but Lucia may be one of them I can stand. There are several tings that urk me about bel canto: more diva than character, more recital than drama, and the stalling and stuttering of the text. Nevertheless, Netrebko did a fine job, and obviously held my attention. When it came to the mad scene, she was adorned in a white costume with white hair to make the splattered blood more prominent. To boot, the Met used the glass harmonica, an invention of Benjamin Franklin, there's American ingenuity for you, for the scene. Even though Donizetti was unable to use the glass harmonica in time for the premiere of the opera and had to re-score the scene for flutes, many companies honor his creative intentions. Here is a clip of the mad scene using the glass harmonica, which certainly adds a mystique to the drama.

Digital Archival Research

2009-02-13T16:28:00.001-05:00

This is a follow up to my post concerning the Wranitzky website. In that post I mentioned how the webmaster has graciously agreed to send me his scorings of Wranitzky's symphonies, resulting in fewer libraries I will need to visit and easily obtaining the music of one of my composers. Well, he passed along a note to me reporting that the Royal Library in Denmark has made their archives of Wranitzky's published symphonies available online, and for free download in PDF format! These are the actual printed parts you would see in the library or would receive as microfilm if you purchased them. As I said about the Wranitzky website, perhaps this is the next great thing to come in musicological research.

Kansas Bound

2009-02-04T16:47:00.002-05:00

I received notification yesterday that my abstract was accepted for a 19th-century music conference taking place 16 July-18 July at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. This will mark the furthest West I have traveled. I was surprised and relieved to find out about my selection, but now the stress rolls in over preparing my subject matter. The submission was a bit odd in that the abstract was limited to 250 words, and the deadline for submission, for a July conference, was early January. This means a clear and concise abstract was highly desirable, yet you also had to leave some wiggle room in case things develop unexpectedly during the research phase. My topic is on the definition, or lack thereof, of the grande Symphony in the early nineteenth century. My friend and colleague, Der Frauenverkauefer, to use his alias from the previous blog, was also accepted to the conference. We presented at a conference in Texas a few years ago, and it is good to know I will be traveling and rooming with someone I already know. I will provide more details as they become available (I do not even know who the keynote speaker is yet).

Yuri Bashmet All Strung Out

2009-02-03T19:10:00.003-05:00

At a recent concert, renowned violist Yuri Bashmet experienced an unfortunate event with his 1758 viola. I guess the tension was too much to bear. Enjoy!

JB

2009-01-31T19:10:00.004-05:00

As some of my friends and colleagues have heard this before, I have a working theory, or at least pointing out a big coincidence, regarding the names of fictitious special operatives and spies. Consider the following:

James Bond - the legendary double-0 operative from MI-6 created by Ian Fleming.
Jason Bourne - the American special-ops agent who suffers a brain washing and must piece together his past in order to learn who he is and who from his own organization has wronged him.
Jack Bauer - The American special-ops agent on "24."

Apparently, if you have an idea for a movie or television show about espionage or an elite member risking life and limb for their country, and want the project to be successful, the first rule is to name the character with the initials, J. B.

A Winterreise Kind of Day

2009-01-28T12:12:00.002-05:00

She's Back!

2009-01-24T16:56:00.002-05:00

I had to carry over at least one item from my previous blog!

The Dissertation Chronicle, Opus 7

2009-01-24T11:56:00.004-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I turned in the first draft of my dissertation proposal to my advisor. I received some helpful comments and had a lengthy, hour-long discussion with my advisor. I am still in the revision stage of the proposal, but forging ahead to actual intensive analysis of the symphonies I have gathered thus far. Over the past week, I made a significant and helpful contact regarding one of my composers. There is a Swede who is interested in music from this time and created a website devoted to Paul Wranitzky, one of the composers I am look at. The site is great for the information provided about the composer, and the list of contributors include notable names in the field of music history. Though the site master is nt a musician by trade or profession (I believe he is a computer programmer), he does good work. I contacted him, descibed my dissertation topic to him, and he has been emailing me symphonies by Wranitzky I need to look at. This is great for me because this will be about ten fewer scores I will have to track down and request from libraries and/or travel to acquire them on my own. I am examining the three symphonies I have received so far, and look forward to receiving the remaining symphonies. Who knows, perhaps this could lead to a new wave in music research.

An OK Computer Kind of Day

2009-01-24T11:35:00.007-05:00

A couple of weekends ago, the temprature was milder than it had been, and this brought in a layer of fog that never burned off during the day. It was one of those days where the weather impacted one's productivity. So I put on Radiohead's OK Computer and enjoyed the fog as it provided a silken, yet sullen, screen from the urban view from my balcony. The album is the perfect accompaniment for days like these. The eclectic "Paranoid Android" does not fit at times,
but the beginning of the second half fits well. Then comes the quintology of "Subterranean Homesick Alien," "Exit Music (For a Film)," "Let Down," "Karma Police," and "Fitter Happier" that really set the mood for the day. The combination of this album and the weather, particularly a rainy day makes for great reflection.

Favorite Bernstein Recordings

2008-12-27T14:27:00.003-05:00

Alex Ross has posted on the New Yorker site a list of his five favorite recordings with Leonard Bernstein conducting. Though I enjoy the five he recommends, I would replace two of them with other Bernstein recordings. Ross's five are:

Beethoven's Eroica Symphony, NY Phil on Sony classical
Mahler's Ninth Symphony, Berlin Philharmonic, Deutsche Grammophon
Chichester Psalms and Symphonies 1 & 2, Israel Phil, Deutsche Grammophon
Shostakovich's Symphonies Nos. 1 & 7, Chicago SO, Deutsche Grammophon
Ives's Symphony No. 2 and other works, New York Phil, Deutsche Grammophon

I will begin with those I agree with, numbers 1, 4, and 5. The recording of the Eroica Symphony is perhaps my favorite of all, and perhaps my favorite interpretation of the work. One drawback is that in the coda, the trumpets loudly and triumphantly present the germ of the first theme over a tonic and dominant succession, just as the horns did at the beginning of the coda. This is a practice that began around the time of Toscanini, it appears on his recodring as well, and is incorrect with Beethoven's concept of the struggling hero (meaning Beethoven did not compose this). But that aside, the performance is striking.

The recording of the Shostakovich symphonies, paticularly the Seventh, are imaginative and dramatic. Bernstein manages to get such a full-bodied sound out of the CSO to the likes of Reiner and Solti.

It is no secret that Ives was always intrigued by the works of Charles Ives, and the recordings of the Second Symphony and the other works, including the two contemplations, displays Bernstein's ability to control a full orchestra as if he were seated at the piano. The spirit and whimsical nature of Ives's ceations certainly come to the fore on this recording.

To replace Ross's recommendation of some of Bernstein's own music, Chichester Psalms and the first two symphonies, I recommend his recording of Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony on Sony Classical with the New York Phl, part of the Royal Edition. This is the best recording of the work I have heard, and Bernstein manages to pull all of the passion and energy off of the page.

As for the Mahler recording, I can understand the historical meaning behind this being a favorite, but not a favorite for its execution of the material. Ross's over-the-top poetic first line poses a problem, "Only once did Bernstein stand on the podium of the Berlin Philharmonic---during this 1979 performance of Mahler's Ninth Symphony." True the live recording came from a single night, 4 October 1979, but Bernstein stood before the Berlin Philharmonic and led them in the work again the next night, 5 October 1979. Oh, Alex. The historical nature of the recording is not lost; an American Jew being invited to communist East Germany to conduct the music of a Jewish composer who converted for the betterment and acceptance of his career. Sure, we get that. Bet what about the recording? Well, it isn't as tight as one would expect, there were some instances of miscommunication between conductor, soloists, and orchestra, and this includes a glaring omission of the lower brass in the finale for some reason. Bernstein had his back against the wall coming to Berlin and leading the Philharmonic in Mahler. It is well known that Karajan did not fancy the music of Mahler, and in fact only recorded half of the symphonies, whereas then as now every top conductor must record the cycle at least once. The Philharmonic was not accustomed to performing this music, so Bernstein had his work cut out for him, especially for a two-night engagement.

To replace the Mahler, I recommend the recording of Tchaikovsky's Sixth Symphony with the New York Phil on Deutsche Grammophon. The late recordings on Deutsche Grammophon are great and this one is worthy of praise. No one could draw more out of the score than Bernstein when it comes to this recording. For the finale, Bernstein clocks in at 17'12", nearly twice the time as most recordings. Though he has been accused of taking things on the slower side, he really plays this to the advantage of the work in this particular case.

Welcome!

2008-12-21T17:54:00.003-05:00

Welcome to those of you who were directed here or found me by accident. I intend to continue my previous blog efforts at this new location, and hope you find my exploits humorous and stimulating. The only thing I intend to change between this blog and my old one is the location. I hope you come back to check in frequently. Welcome again.