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Recent orchestra concerts attended (film/classical)
General Discussions » Recent orchestra concerts attended (film/classical) (Posts 1 to 30 of 59)
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- CommentTimeMay 3rd 2009
I thought that for the concertgoers of MainTitles, a topic like this would do rather nicely.
ROCA: 'LSO Classical Concert V' (London Symphony Orchestra/Daniel Harding)
*Carmina Burana - Carl Orff
*The Firebird Suite (1919) - Igor Stravinsky
Great concert! -
- CommentTimeMay 3rd 2009
I'm going on the 15th of this month to hear Beethoven's 3rd Symphony.
Thomaslisten to more classical music! -
- CommentTimeMay 3rd 2009
And of course as some of you know I heard the Lark Ascending and Elgar Symphony No. 1listen to more classical music! -
- CommentTimeMay 3rd 2009
sdtom wrote
I'm going on the 15th of this month to hear Beethoven's 3rd Symphony.
Thomas
Cool! If I may, what orchestra? -
- CommentTimeMay 3rd 2009
The San Diego Chamber Orchestralisten to more classical music! -
- CommentTimeMay 3rd 2009
sdtom wrote
The San Diego Chamber Orchestra
Awesome! -
- CommentTimeMay 4th 2009
They will be using original period instruments for the performance.
Thomaslisten to more classical music! -
- CommentTimeMay 4th 2009
sdtom wrote
They will be using original period instruments for the performance.
Thomas
Cool. -
- CommentTimeMay 4th 2009
No Moogs then? Bummer.'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn -
- CommentTimeMay 4th 2009
There are no electronics. That includes any use of microphones, amps, equalizer etc. The acoustics in the church are breathtaking to experience. As Stravinsky said music is meant to be experienced as it is performed in a live setting.listen to more classical music! -
- CommentTimeMay 19th 2009
ROCA: 'Resurrection'
*Symphony No. 2 'Resurrection' - Gustav Mahler
An incredible work, best enjoyed of course when heard live! -
- CommentTimeMay 20th 2009
William wrote
ROCA: 'Resurrection'
*Symphony No. 2 'Resurrection' - Gustav Mahler
An incredible work, best enjoyed of course when heard live!
I've never heard it live before.listen to more classical music! -
- CommentTimeMay 20th 2009
Our SD Chamber Orchestra is through for the year. I may go to a Pops concert this summer depending on price and what they are playing.listen to more classical music! -
- CommentTimeMay 20th 2009
sdtom wrote
William wrote
ROCA: 'Resurrection'
*Symphony No. 2 'Resurrection' - Gustav Mahler
An incredible work, best enjoyed of course when heard live!
I've never heard it live before.
Have you at least heard it on recording? -
- CommentTimeMay 20th 2009
Tom, are you a regular concertgoer? Or just every once in a while? -
- CommentTimeMay 21st 2009
William wrote
Tom, are you a regular concertgoer? Or just every once in a while?
I am not a subscription holder but do attend on a regular basis. My recording of #2 is Bernstein and the N.Y. Philharmonic and I appreciate the work greatly.
Thomaslisten to more classical music! -
- CommentTimeMay 21st 2009
sdtom wrote
My recording of #2 is Bernstein and the N.Y. Philharmonic and I appreciate the work greatly.
Cool. I really hope to get that particular recording sometime; I have just about every other recording in that cycle. -
- CommentTimeMay 21st 2009
Mine was purchased on LP and I did the transfer myself sometime ago.listen to more classical music! -
- CommentTimeMay 21st 2009
sdtom wrote
Mine was purchased on LP and I did the transfer myself sometime ago.
Ah, OK. Gosh, that must have been awhile ago! -
- CommentTimeMay 21st 2009
As my memory recalls it was in the late 70's
Thomaslisten to more classical music! -
- CommentAuthormarkrayen
- CommentTimeMay 28th 2009
So I just came home from a five day trip to Boston, Massachusetts where I attended the world premiere performance of John Williams' Concerto for Viola! It was the greatest concert experience of my life seeing him from the first row, slightly to the left where I knew I would have perfect view of the maestro. I took a picture seconds after the concerto's performance:
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/5028/71320023.jpg
Here is a quick first impression review I posted on jwfan.com:
The concert last night was excellent! The program was as follows:
Huray for Hollywood!
March from Adventures of Robin Hood
Suite from Jane Eyre
'Flight to Neverland' from Hook
INTERMISSION
Concerto for Viola and Orchestra
The Adventures of Mutt
INTERMISSION
March from Superman
Selections from Far and Away
Raider's march
Excerpts from Lawrence of Arabia
The highlights of the program were in my experience the suite from Jane Eyre and the new Concerto for Viola. The performances were stunning and Williams conducted with such inspiration, and a sensitivity on the podium I didn't even know he had. He was clearly enjoying himself and his conducting was about as precise and crystal clear as many of his film scores. I think many here will be pleased to hear that the concerto is composed in a romantic idiom very similar to much of his film work. It is perhaps one of his least experimental concert works to date. The outer movements are slow, emphasizing the lyrical abilities of the soloist, while the second movement is a classic Williams scherzo with a fun timpani/viola duet in the middle that also features a couple of fun timpani glissandi towards the end.
The opening movement evolves around an enchanting melody, which is in character similar to the theme from Memoirs of a Geisha but with a much broader structure as well as a sensitive developement section. Cathy Basrak, the soloist, performed this theme wonderfully and with great nobility in my opinion. The exposition of the theme also had some delightful solistic comments from the flute (most notably), horn, and oboe. My only critisism for the entire work would be the early and in my opinion intrusive tutti climax only a few minutes into the movement. The exaggerated Hollywood-like orchestration spoiled that particular section for me, and I also failed to appreciate why it was even there in the first place. This lack of patience in Williams' approach to form is in my opinion perhaps his greatest weakness. Thankfully though, it didn't last too long. The preparation of the cadenza was somewhat unusual in that the orchestra discretely faded out instead of building tension and dramatic expectation like we usually get to hear. Although the cadenza was difficult with intricate double stops, it seemed more a quiet meditation than virtuosic statement, something I greatly appreciated. The ending of the movement was again wonderful and truly had Symphony Hall in tears.
The final movement was also meditative, in a way similar to the final movement of Five Sacred Trees. It opened with the viola on its own and was soon joined by the harp, which for the occasion was moved right in front of the podium for better communication with the soloist and Williams. The movement later re-explored the theme from the first as well as revisiting the flute/viola combination. The audience reception resulted in a well deserved standing ovation and I believe the work to be one of Williams' greatest accomplishments. I would rank it even higher than the Mikos Rozsa concerto for viola, for those who are familiar with that. It is one of the most lyrical and most heart-felt and sincere works he has done. Perhaps in time it will prove to be one of the greatest contributions to the modern viola repertoire. At least it left me deeply touched.
Adventures of Mutt was a joy. Williams was smiling ear to ear and it seemed obvious that he loves conducting it. The humour in that piece is just incredible, and in my opinion one of the best arrangements he has ever concieved. The last section of the program consisted mainly of the obligatory must-do film themes. Williams seemed very tired and the performances weren't top class. The tribute to Maurice Jarre was however lovely and a worthy ending to a lovely evening!
- Mark -
- CommentTimeMay 28th 2009
That must have been a stunning experience indeed!
Glad he decided to depart from the experimental side of music, up to a point which is long dead in the industry and only creeps within universities as "academic / "serious"" music and such; John Williams has nothing to prove, nor to himself, nor to anyone else; his romantic, film-music based music is already above the majority of contemporary composers. Hope the departure wasn't momentarily!
Thanks for the report!Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders. -
- CommentAuthormarkrayen
- CommentTimeMay 29th 2009
Thanks D. It was certainly a brave creative choice to dare be so simple and straightforward with this concerto. It takes a lot of self confidence to do that, and he seemed very confident that evening. I think what distinguishes him from the majority of composers is his love for the art of performance. The music seemed to grow naturally out of the tremendous respect and admiration he obviously has for the art. Many contemporary composers seem very selfish in their considerations, and write music that is conceptually unique yet offer little to a great performer. I think the importance of performance is underestimated in composition education, a theory supported by my experience working at a composition workshop last summer. I asked some of the participants if they also had interest in performance and they all said no, and did not seem to understand what the point of performance was at all. "Why should I be", one of them even commented. -
- CommentTimeMay 29th 2009
Well, exactly. A tremendously long debate here, on the complexes and insecurities some of those people carry and i'd be happy to discuss it based on my own experiences and yours as well; NOT INTERESTED ABOUT YOUR WORK BEING PERFORMED AND HEARD by the public? BULLSHIt.
Deep inside you know nobody can play it 'cause it hasn't got a logical order nor musicianship and meaning inside it, and naturally nobody can hear it; and if they do, the critique would be very harsh and you're scared shitless of that, you know it, you don't want to face it. Blaming others for "not getting it" has always been the easiest way out, especially if it is not performed and nobody can express their opinions. A safe shelter. If you actually knew how to write a plain, proper tonal work then you'd be the first to know that you would never bother with experiments that are long-dead and now "rediscovered' in "academic music" fields, in the first place.
Food for thoughtLove Maintitles. It's full of Wanders. -
- CommentAuthormarkrayen
- CommentTimeMay 29th 2009 edited
Thanks for the insight. I think experimentation is a good thing. Its the experimentation for the sake of experimentation that bothers me. It seems to be a common misconception in contemporary music that the means justify the ends. I appreciate a-tonality and serialism, but think it's liberalistic concepts are all too frequently abused and misinterpreted. But perhaps this should be discussed in another topic! -
- CommentTimeMay 29th 2009 edited
markrayen wrote
Thanks for the insight. I think experimentation in itself is a good thing. Its the experimentation for the sake of experimentation that bothers me. It seems to be a common misconception in contemporary music that the means justify the ends. I appreciate a-tonality and serialism, but think it's liberalistic concepts are all too frequently abused and misinterpreted. But perhaps this should be discussed in another topic!
Exactly. When you do it at the extremes and at the same time expressing "moral values" like "every tonal piece written from the end of the romantic era onwards, in all kinds and genres is a recycled piece of trash" or when you call Beethoven a "fossil" and you have moaning chicks rubbing each other besides someone who hits random notes on a piano as your "work", then something is definitely wrong with you and your like-minded colleagues. *
There are a few exceptions of course, but sadly very few i think.
* all examples from - sadly, my experiences.Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders. -
- CommentTimeOct 8th 2009 edited
I just reserved tickets for the next month's Disney On Classic concert, which is held annually in Japan. Until last year they performed mostly Menken's stuff, but this year's main feature is The Lion King music (songs and SCORE)! It's performed by Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra and some Broadway singers (not from TLK stage show, though), and conducted by Brad Kelley.
http://www.harmonyjapan.com/doc2009/program
They'll also perform Pirates Of The Caribbean Suite (arranged by Brad Kelley), something from Tokyo Disneyland, usual Disney songs such as The Whole New World, and Gavin Greenaway's Promise from Millennium Celebration! It's a shame they won't play Reflections Of Earth this year.
If they could have Lebo M & South African Choir it'd be perfect, but anyway it'll be fun! I've heard their performances were very good every year.Labels are for cans, not people. - Anthony Rapp -
- CommentTimeOct 8th 2009
Sounds great! -
- CommentTimeOct 8th 2009 edited
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- CommentTimeOct 8th 2009
Steven is on fire.Anything with an orchestra or with a choir....at some point will reach you