News

Quarter notes: farewell

August 25, 2010

I had been wondering when the Seattle Symphony would announce some big, audacious, splashy farewell for Gerard Schwarz’s final season. There was a two concert Hovhaness festival and the season finale is Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony, but neither seemed a big enough way to say good bye to a conductor who oversaw the growth of the [...]

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Quarter notes: end of summer edition

August 20, 2010

Summer is winding down, classical performance — with the exception of Seattle Opera’s head scratching new production of Tristan und Isolde – are more or less on hiatus until September. All of this leaves a blogger with little to blog about. Yet a few noteworthy bits have popped up here and there. This Sunday George [...]

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Quarter notes: Shangrow remembered

August 10, 2010

It’s been more than a week since we learned of George Shangrow’s untimely death. In that time the tributes for this Seattle original have been growing with each day. Orchestra Seattle’s website has been turned into a rolling memorial. My favorite is from Kerry Fowler who wrote: “I was a bit nervous the night before [...]

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Grimsley sings Kurwenal again in Seattle Opera’s new production of Tristan

July 31, 2010

By Philippa Kiraly It was Speight Jenkins, general director of Seattle Opera who persuaded bass-baritone Greer Grimsley that he should sing Wagner. That was for the 1994 production of “Lohengrin,” and Grimsley has sung in nearly every Wagner production here since. Talking with him as he prepares to sing Kurwenal in “Tristan and Isolde” which [...]

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Schwarz’s Trio for Violin, Horn, and Piano to be premiered next week

July 23, 2010

By Peter Klein We all know about Gerard Schwarz, conductor. Lately, we’ve been hearing more and more about Gerard Schwarz, composer. Schwarz’ latest work, a “Trio for Violin, Horn, and Piano” (Horn Trio for short), will receive its world premiere at the Seattle Chamber Music Festival on Monday, July 26 at 8:00 PM in Benaroya [...]

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Quarter notes: happy birthday Mahler

July 11, 2010

I’m a few days late (Mahler was born on July 7th), but 2010 is the 150th birthday for Gustav Mahler. Complete Mahler cycles have been popping up in abundance over the last few months. Both Universal Classics and EMI have released “complete” box sets. But, from Universal Classics, comes one of the most creative ways [...]

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“H. M. S. Pinafore:” Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society’s July offering

July 1, 2010

By Philippa Kiraly For all of us Gilbert & Sullivan fans, it’s time to get ready to enjoy the annual offering of comic opera by Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society. Like the happy arrival of June strawberries each year, this regular dose of absurd plots, witty words, and irresistible music is worth celebrating. This year, [...]

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Quarter notes: YNS edition

June 15, 2010

By now most people have heard the Philadelphia Orchestra has found a new music director. Yannick Nezet-Seguin – YNS for short. He is a predictable choice given the youth movement afoot these days. Chicago bucked the trend by appointing Ricardo Muti. They are the only orchestra which ignored the orchestra group think these days (does [...]

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PNB says multiple goodbyes Sunday

June 15, 2010

By R.M. Campbell For some June represents weddings while others it is graduations. At Pacific Northwest Ballet, the month signifies a time to bid farewell to not only dancers but artistic directors and conductors as well. No other arts organization says goodbye quite so well. They are grand affairs with plenty of tears and flowers [...]

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Quarter notes: mission vs. vision

June 3, 2010

Two interesting articles courtesy of Arts Journal. Robert Spano (who was here in April) talks about cultivating contemporary music with the Atlanta Symphony. The four composers Spano has championed – Jennifer Higdon, Osvaldo Golijov, Michael Gandolfi, and Christopher Theofanidis — have been dubbed the “Atlanta School,” and all have seen their profiles rise as a [...]

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Quarter notes: Decoration Day edition

May 31, 2010

Stephen Rogers Radcliffe is adding the Thalia Symphony to his orchestra responsibilities. Radcliffe is currently music director for the Seattle Youth Symphony. Perhaps you remember his fine Mahler 2 from last weekend? Radcliffe takes over for Eric Hanson who will conduct a final concert with the Thalia June 3, 2010 at the First Free Methodist [...]

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Quarter notes

May 24, 2010

The local Odeonquartet departs for Russia today for two concerts, one of which will include the Russian premiere of Phillip Glass’ Fifth String Quartet. Heather Bentley, the group’s violist, will be blogging from the tour. Check back for Heather’s road report. Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Philharmonic have found critics outside of LA less generous [...]

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Quarter notes

May 20, 2010

My write up of last week’s Music of Remembrance concert and the premiere of Vedem is up at the City Arts Blog.  I’ve generally liked the Music of Remembrance concerts I’ve attended.  This one didn’t do it for me. A couple of events this weekend to check out: the American String Project and the Seattle [...]

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Youth Symphony tackles death and resurrection in Mahler’s Second Symphony this Sunday

May 19, 2010

Stephen Rogers Radcliffe, the Seattle Youth Symphony’s music director, sat perched on a stool looking out over his orchestra. He flipped through the pages of his score to Mahler’s Second Symphony, searching for a good place in the music to start rehearsal. This was only the symphony’s second rehearsal of the symphony. Press were invited [...]

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Quarter notes

May 14, 2010

The LA Ring sounds like a health hazard. Meanwhile, The Met’s new Ring gets the trailer treatment. Robert LePage’s ideas look promising. Will Levine be healthy enough to conduct? Can this production cement Gelb’s reputation as an innovator with the right vision for the Met? The NY Phil has unveiled a new (and even funny) video campaign [...]

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Quarter notes: Le Grand

May 8, 2010

Gyorgy Ligeti supposedly spent the last years of his life worried that when he died no one would remember him or his music. His worries weren’t entirely unjustified. The work of many, many composers has slipped into obscurity. For Ligeti, an artist on the fringes of the musical mainstream, the possibility of anonymity is even [...]

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Quarter notes

May 6, 2010

Anne Midgette likes Jake Heggie’s Moby Dick.  What will the press say about our own local world premiere? We’ll start to find out this weekend. Stephane Deneve will replace Roger Norrington at the Stuttgart Radio Symphony (SWR). He also received with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra — his original post. There were a handful of [...]

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Quarter notes: May Day! May Day!

April 30, 2010

I’ll be up at Town Hall tomorrow from 1 pm until 1 am co-hosting May Day! May Day’s! new music festivities along with Dave Beck (KUOW) and Gavin Borchert (Seattle Weekly). I assure you, it will be a lot of fun. In addition to being fun, it only costs $5. When was the last time [...]

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Quarter Notes: May Day, Higdon, and Hadelich

April 28, 2010

One of the Seattle Chamber Music Society’s newer festival musicians – Augustin Hadelich – was profiled in the NY Times earlier this week. A new classical music review mega site is being launched by Chicago based critics Lawrence Johnson. The Classical Review endeavors to be a one stop review site for people seeking out concert [...]

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Quarter Notes: Alan Rich

April 24, 2010

Alan Rich passed away Friday. I didn’t know Mr. Rich personally; we never shared conversation over a drink, or wondered about musical subjects together. But, I did know Rich’s writing. His contribution to arts journalism will be missed. Rich’s words can be found throughout the classical music world. His handiwork is on display in Szell [...]

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