Classical Music

Classical Music, Composers, Contemporary Classical

Do Conductors and Performers Make Good Composers?

Joshua Bell tells the Korea Times that he’s working toward writing his own stuff in a few years.  Could work, I suppose.  His pal Edgar Myers is a decent composer and fine musician.  But, you pretty much have to go back to Rachmaninoff to find someone who was “great” as both a performer and composer.  (Or, I’m sure someone will remind me that you don’t have to go back that far.)

Same thing for conductors.  Okay, Lenny was great at both but most are not.  The most excruciating half hour I ever spent in a concert hall (and this includes Chinese opera) was listening to some endless percussion drivel by Michael Tilson Thomas that he had forced upon the poor kids in the New World Symphony.  I really admire Esa Pekka but I just can’t warm to his music.

So, gang, what’s the verdict? 

by Jerry Bowles
Classical Music, Contemporary Classical, S21 Concert

How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?

Judd Greenstein and Kimball Gallagher are looking for a few good proposals for the 2007-2008 season of VIM: TRIBECA.  Proposals may be submitted by performers (instrumental and vocal), composers, ensembles, or mixed-art groups that include music. VIM: TRIBECA is centered around music in the Western classical tradition, Greenstein says, but proposals may be made by any musicians whose work pushes the boundaries of genre, or whose work is affiliated with other traditions.  Download a pdf file with details here.

And get out there and push a genre today.  Just don’t be too noisy.

Our buddy Marvin Rosen will be joined by American composer Eric Ewazen this Wednesday morning, June 20 from 8:30 until 11:00 (eastern time) on the program Classical Discoveries which is celebrating 10 years on the air this summer.  The show can be heard every Wednesday morning from 6:00 until 11:00 on WPRB from Princeton, NJ.  The program is broadcast on line and can be listened  at WPRB.  

Classical Discoveries now has a brand new web address but Marvin hasn’t quite gotten all the furniture and lamps moved so older stuff is still at the old address.  

So, the S21 brain trust (yuk, yuk) has been kicking around some thoughts about doing another live concert this year and one of the ideas we had was maybe striking an alliance with a good new music ensemble.  Simple deal.  You play our concert–your schedule or as a one-off–and we put the considerable promotional and publicity resources of S21 behind your group year-round.  Kind of a play nice with us kids and we’ll make you the Emersons.  Any thoughts?  

by Jerry Bowles
Classical Music, Concerts, Contemporary Classical

The Times They Are a Changin’

Okay, so nobody wants to discuss A3.  How about C4, the terrific choral collective championed by S21 regular Ian Moss?  The talented boys and girls are doing a concert about the always-popular subject of love tonight at 8 pm at the Norwegian Seamen’s Church, 317 East 52nd Street (between 1st and 2nd Avenues).  On the bill are new works by C4 members Jonathan David, David Rentz, Moss, Malina Rauschenfels and Karen Siegel, plus stuff by a bunch of other people.  Lykke til! 

Further evidence of the deaggregation of classical music distribution; our friends at Naxos have launched an online boutique called NaxosDirect.

Best film score ever.  Discuss.

by Jerry Bowles
Classical Music, Composers, Concerts, Contemporary Classical

Don’t Stop Believin’

It’s Daniel Gilliam’s turn to be S21er in the spotlight this weekend.  If you happen to be near Louisville, Kentucky at 4 pm this Sunday, drop by Central Presbyterian Church for the world premiere of Daniel’s Song of the Universal, a cantata for soprano solo, choir and piano, based on the text by Walt Whitman.  Lacey Hunter Gilliam, Daniel’s wife, will be the soloist. 

Also on the program will be the premiere of O for Such a Dream for choir, soloist and piano, by Daron Aric Hagen, as well as new music by Louisville composer Fred Speck, and anthems by John Leavitt and Paul Halley.  The church is located at 318 West Kentucky Street (corner of Fourth and Kentucky), in Louisville. No admission, but there might be a donation plate.

Daniel has a terrific radio program of contemporary classical music called Brave New World on WUOL in Louisville.  Which provides an obvious segueway to David Toub whose  intentionally left blank will be programmed on Richard Friedman’s Music from Other Minds on KALW-FM, 91.7 in San Francisco. tomorrow evening, and again on Monday.  This is a recording of a  live performance of the piece, as arranged by Paul Bailey and performed on 5/9/07 by the Diverse Instrument Ensemble conducted by Lloyd Rogers.  Catch it either tomorrow (Friday, June 15th) at 11 PM PST and again on Monday at 11 PM PST on KALW-FM or, more sensibly for most of us,  you can also listen to it for one week after the Friday broadcast on the MFOM website.
Today’s topic:  Diegetic versus non-diegetic music in the Sopranos.  Discuss.
by Jerry Bowles
Chamber Music, Classical Music, Composers, Contemporary Classical

A Report From Prague

Greetings S21ers:

The OgreOgress gang has been having a swell time in Old Bohemia for the past month.  Last night I had the honor of recording John Cage’s Three with the multi-talented and very humorous German-born (and Amsterdam-based) recordist Susanna Borsch at the facilities of the Prague State Opera.

If you’re interested in the recorder I would encourage you to check out Borsch’s activities and be in contact. Of particular note to those in the US of A (apologies to Borat), Susanna’s eclectic new music “girl band” Electra will be in the Massachusetts area to perform Louis Andriessen in July and I am certain further bookings in the USA would be much appreciated.

But, wait, there’s more.  A few days prior I had the distinct honor of protesting George W. Bush and even got on the CBS Evening News (that is me next to Axelrod at the end of the report)…

… and a few weeks before that, I recorded Cage’s Twenty-
Eight with the Prague Winds.

In short, having a wonderful time.  Wish you all were here.

by Glenn Freeman
Chamber Music, Classical Music, Composers, Concerts, Contemporary Classical, Festivals

You Don’t Need a Weatherman to Know Which Way the Wind Blows

First Jeff Harrington, then David Salvage, and now our very own Lawrence Dillon is feeling some end-of-the-season love on the concert circuit.  This very evening (Thursday), at the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina,  violinist Piotr Szewczyk will perform Lawrence’s Mister Blister and a movement from Fifteen Minutes as part of his Music in Time – Violin Futura program.  Szewczyk will also perform works by Mason Bates, Moritz Eggert, Daniel Kellogg, Jennifer Wang, and others as part of this program of new, short, innovative solo violin pieces.

And, on June 15 at the International Double Reed Society Conference in Ithaca, New York, bassoonist Jeffrey Keesecker will perform Dillon’s Furies and Muses, joined by violinist Susan Waterbury and Jennifer Reuning Meyers, violist Melissa Stucky and cellist Heidi Hoffman. This is part of a special series of bassoon performances featuring Contraband, Lorelei Dowling, Terry Ewell and Arlen Fast. The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the IDRS or call (607) 274-3717.  

Anybody doing anything interesting this summer.  Festivals? 

Want to try your hand at being the front page blogger of S21 for a week? 

by Jerry Bowles