Orchestral Underground: conversations
by Anne Eisenberg
Roger Zare, Time Lapse; Sebastian Currier, Next Atlantis; Paquito D’Rivera, Conversations with Cachao; Anne Manson, conductor; Zankel Hall, January 29, 2010
The young American composer Roger Zare was inspired by photography when he wrote Time Lapse, an inventive and lovely orchestral piece that had its world premiere on January 29 at Zankel Hall in a concert of the American Composers Orchestra.
Zare seeks to create a musical counterpart to time-lapse photography, where weeks-long processes like plants growing and budding are speeded up and shown in seconds. He is also interested in the opposite technique: high-speed photography, when the path of, for instance, a speeding bullet is slowed down and made visible in a series of exposures.
Zare’s piece (an ACO/Underwood commission) is a musical version of these visual expansions and contractions, but it’s heard instead of seen in vibrant, unusual music ingeniously orchestrated for strings, winds, brass and percussion to play with our sense of time.
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Robert and Hal, Opera by Richard Brooks
by Eugene W. McBride © 2009
Richard Brooks: Robert And Hal, Opera in Three Acts, Golden Fleece Ltd., Lou Rodgers, producing artistic director, Thomas Carlo Bo, music director. Sanford Meisner Theatre, New York, NY, June 2008 Continue reading ‘Robert and Hal, Opera by Richard Brooks’
Dotted Notes…
[This is only one excerpt from the complete Dotted Notes found in our magazine.]
From Leonard Lehrman:
The New York premiere Feb. 23, 2008 of Dark Heaven Angel by Garth Edwin Sunderland, Music Editor of the Leonard Bernstein Office and Artistic Director of the Lost Dog New Music Ensemble, was performed by solo cellist Eric Jacobsen, occasionally using two bows, and inadvertently assisted by car horns from outside Judson Memorial Church. The major work presented by said Ensemble also featured Mr. Jacobsen, and five players, conducted by Silas Huff, with solo dancer Dora Arreola, in Peter Maxwell Davies’s “Vesalii Icones,” a sensitive 14-part instrumental passion narrative from Gethsemane to the Resurrection, as inspired by 16th century drawings, De Humani Corporis Fabrica by Andreas Vesalius. Continue reading ‘Dotted Notes…’
The 8th “Europe-Asia” Contemporary Music Festival in Kazan. Part 2
Reviewed by Anton Rovner
The Eighth International Contemporary Music Festival “Europe-Asia” took place October 19-21, 2007 in Kazan, in the Republic of Tatarstan, in the western Russian Federation. Continue reading ‘The 8th “Europe-Asia” Contemporary Music Festival in Kazan. Part 2′
The 8th “Europe-Asia” Contemporary Music Festival in Kazan
Reviewed by Anton Rovner
The Eighth International Contemporary Music Festival “Europe-Asia” took place October 19-21, 2007 in Kazan, in the Republic of Tatarstan, in the western Russian Federation. This festival has been held in Kazan approximately every other year since 1993, attracting numerous outstanding musicians, composers and performers from Kazan and other cities in Russia and other countries–in Europe, Asia and America.
Part 1 of 2. Continue reading ‘The 8th “Europe-Asia” Contemporary Music Festival in Kazan’
Critic-at-Large: New Life for Old Subjects
by Leonard Lehrman ©2008
It’s an old truism that if you want to bring something new to an audience, you’ve a leg up if you start with something at least partially familiar, whether it’s a classic poem, a play, or historical figure. Most of the items seen in New York this season fall into that category.
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The 2008 ACA Festival
by B.L.C.
The 2008 ACA Festival, once again held in New York, ran from Wednesday, June 4th through Saturday, June 7th. Continue reading ‘The 2008 ACA Festival’
Meet Noizepunk and Das Krooner
by BLC ©2008
When you tune into this online music station, you first hear the lovely strains of Vivaldi’s “Summer” from his Four Seasons. Ah, they don’t write music like that anymore, is your first reaction, until seconds later the sudden burst of Dolby bass jolts you back to reality. It is 2008, so fear not. This is followed by the greetings of two characters who serve as the show’s hoax—er, uh, I mean hosts.
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Yes, More!
by BLC ©2008
Richard Danielpour: Margaret Garner. Libretto by Toni Morrison. With Tracie Luck (Margaret), Timothy Mix (Edward), Lisa Daltrius (Cilla), Gregg Baker (Robert), Maureen McKay (Caroline). New York City Opera, George Manahan, conductor. Directed by Tazewell Thompson. State Theater, Lincoln Center, September 18 & 22. (NY premiere) Continue reading ‘Yes, More!’
Pumpin’ Somethin’
by John de Clef Piñeiro ©2008
John Eaton: Pumped Fiction: A Pocket Opera (2006). Presented by the American Composers Alliance on Wednesday, at the Leonard Nimoy Thalia at Symphony Space, NY, NY. June 20
Continue reading ‘Pumpin’ Somethin’’IN THE NEXT ISSUE
Dan Burwasser: One Night Together
Libretto by Ilsa Gilbert. With Giles Denizot, Steven Goldstein, Vanessa Salaz. Mimi Stern-Wolfe/ Downtown Music Productions. Duo Theatre, NY, NY. February 9, 2008.
Continue reading ‘IN THE NEXT ISSUE
Dan Burwasser: One Night Together’
New Operas and the Importance of Librettists
I have posted a new page containing Leonard Lehrman’s Musings on Opera article entitled New Operas and the Importance of Librettists. This article orginally appeared in our Summer/Fall 2006 issue.
It’s Grieg to Them
By BLC ©2007
“A Gala Concert in Celebration of Edvard Grieg’s Centennial.” Marcus Paus: Two Lyrical Pieces — Rolf Wallin: Ground for Cello and String Orchestra (1996); music by Grieg and Johan Svendsen. Darrett Adkins, cello soloist; Per Brevig/Grieg Festival Orch. Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, NY, NY. December 9, 2007.
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A Breath of Eire
by Mark Greenfest ©2007
Mark N. Grant: The Rose of Tralee. Amor Artis Chorus and Orchestra, Johannes Somary, conductor. Church of the Blessed Sacrament, NY, NY. March 30, 2007.
Continue reading ‘A Breath of Eire’
The True Last Words of Dutch Schultz
by Martin Hennessy
The Center for Contemporary Opera presented the first complete U.S. Performance of The True Last Words of Dutch Schultz as part of the popular Wall to Wall series at Symphony Space on Saturday, May 19. This year’s series was entitled Wall to Wall Opera 1607-2007 and represented pieces from a variety of companies including New York City Opera, American Opera Projects and Encompass Opera Theatre.
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The Maine Event
by BLC
Elliott Schwartz: Shaker Variations (2007) — Zoltán Kodály: Serenade for Two Violins and Viola (1921) — Beethoven: String Quartet, Op. 59, #1. Portland String Quartet. Boothbay Opera House, Boothbay Harbor, ME. September 9, 2007.
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A Beautiful Peak*, Indeed
by Mark Greenfest © 2007
‘Second Viennnese Roots and Shoots.’ Alban Berg: Vier Stücke, Op. 5 – Anton Webern: Drei Stücke, Op. 11 – Hanns Eisler: Duo, Op. 7 – Kati Agocs; Immutable Dreams – George Perle: Night Song – Milton Babbitt: None but the Lonely Flute – Arnold Schoenberg, (arr. Webern): Kammersymphonie, Op. 9. Da Capo Chamber Players: David Bowlin, violin; Andre Emilianoff, cello; Blair McMillen, piano; Patricia Spencer, flute; Meighan Stoops, clarinet. Merkin Concert Hall, NY, NY. January 28, 2007.
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Song Of The Larks
by Barry O’Neal © 2007
Peter Schickele: String Quartet #2 “In Memorium” - Scherzo – Paul Moravec: Atmosfera a Villa Aurelia – Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR): String Quartet No. 5 “Parks” – Paul Moravec: Vince and Jan – George Gershwin (arr. Stanley Silverman): Five Songs for String Quartet – Giovanni Sollima: “Federico II” from Viaggio in Italia. The Lark Qrt. (Maria Bachman and Deborah Buck, violin; Kathryn Lockwood, viola; and Astrid Schween, cello) with guest artist Yousif Sheronick, percussion – Merkin Concert Hall, NY, NY. Nov. 19, 2006. Continue reading ‘Song Of The Larks’
A Woman to Remember
by Linda Pehrson © 2007
Leonard Lehrman: E.G. - A Musical Portrait of Emma Goldman (1869-1940). Helene Williams as the Russian Jewish American Radical Feminist Anarchist. Book & Lyrics by Mr. Lehrman & Karen Ruoff Kramer. Composer at the piano; Susan Blake at the slide projector. The Libertarian Book Club at the Living Theatre, Manhattan. May 1st.
Continue reading ‘A Woman to Remember’American Festival of Microtonal Music
By Carol K. and Pamela Baron
For its 27th season, the American Festival of Microtonal Music moved downtown to the Bowery Poetry Club, where Johnny Reinhard, its director, presented three concerts of eye-opening variety.
The remarkable roster of performers, discussed below, headlined the renowned bass trombonist Dave Taylor, who performed in all three concerts.
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