February 2006 Archives

A couple of images still lingering from Friday’s concert: I think it was in the quiet of the Hindemith concerto, after a rest, conductor Roberto Minczuk quarter-turned toward soloist Jennifer Montone and very subtly cupped his left hand, a sign of her re-entry into the piece. Then, after intermission, Minczuk took an extra moment to make sure all the post-second-donut (it was a Krispy Kreme Coffee Concert) rustling was concluded before he began the Dvořák. At both of those moments, it was as if he was making a space with silence, so that silence, that space, could then be filled with music of all shapes, weights and densities.

A correction. Guest conductor Roberto Minczuk was indeed very busy during the Hindemith Horn Concerto. It was violinist Peter Otto who rose from his chair and read the poem, written as if the horn were speaking, in German.

In the midst of the score to his Horn Concerto, Paul Hindemith inserted a poem. During tomorrow and Saturday’s concerts, guest conductor Roberto Minczuk will read the poem in German. You will find a translation of the poem in the program notes provided by Paul Schiavo. And I offer it here in case you want to commit it to memory over night:

A number of years ago one of the SLSO musicians told me a couple things about guest conductors. There were those who were, as he referred to them, “the smilers.” They came in, got to lead a wonderful orchestra, and happily did the gig without breaking sweat.

As the rest of us straggled in this morning with shocked faces that exclaimed, “What happened?” after that 50-degree drop in temperature, Baiba Skride strode into the Green Room and set into rehearsing Bartók and Janáček concertos at an “oh wow” tempo. It must be that Latvian resilience in the face of winter.

Following each Education Concert the SLSO mailbag usually fills with letters from grateful students throughout the region, expressing what a great time they had.

Look who was on NPR's Performance Today for Valentine’s Day.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5205527

If you have been reading along you know that I refer to Greg Sandow on occasion. Greg, among other things, writes those brief descriptions of the SLSO programs in the season brochure, which I steal from often. He is also one who cares a great deal about that branch of the music business known as classical, and he is something of a provocateur in terms of what needs to be done. You can keep up with his musings on www.artsjournal.com, where he is also presenting a work-in-progress, a book about the future of classical music right there online for all to see.

Not only does the SLSO conclude its Mozart Festival this weekend, with guest conductor Roberto Abbado and Symphony Nos. 39 & 40, Charles Wuorinen’s Flying to Kahani is on the program as well. The work, written to be performed before a piece by Mozart, had its world premiere last week with Maestro Abbado and pianist Peter Serkin, who are together at Powell this weekend. The composer is on hand to discuss his new work, with Peter Henderson, during the PreConcert Perspectives on both evenings.

The deep propulsive beat of a bass line welcomed a number of us as we came to Powell Hall this morning. A Majic 105 van was outside providing the morning wake-up call outside the Portfolio Gallery next door. Whatever the occasion -- there was a Channel 2 van outside too with satellite dish in the air – the hip-hop alarm clock reminded me of this recent photo of David Robertson, in Alive magazine, posed with Alonzo “Zo” Lee and Shamar “Sham” Daugherty of TrakStarz Records. Sham and Zo are two of the local producers who have made St. Louis hip hop central. David’s showin’ some street cred.

Yesterday, in between Kinder Konzerts, the musicians invited the staff down for coffee and chocolate and muffins and fruit in the musicians’ lounge. It was a nice break in the day, a nice gesture of appreciation from the musicians. Brad Buckley (bassoon) handed me a cup of coffee and Barbara Liberman (keyboards) offered some whipped cream to go with it. Everybody chatted about such pressing topics as vacation spots and movies and where to find cashmere socks.

I was unable to attend this weekend’s performances, but my colleague Dale Fisher, who keeps track of such things, sent me the links to a couple local bloggers who did. I will share their responses with you. I find it especially encouraging that a musical weekend in St. Louis can combine Bobby Rush and the SLSO. The varieties of musical experience in this town can be really exciting, and it happens nearly every weekend. There’s a lot going on musically in the River City for any who care to check it out.

http://blog.stephenschenkenberg.com/home/2006/02/mourning_happil.html

http://morgan.saint-louis.mo.us/blog/?p=371

If you are reading this I suspect you keep an eye on the SLSO website, and you have probably noticed that we’ve initiated a Pick of the Week selection. It’s not unlike the Staff Picks you find in bookstores and online. Musicians and staff weigh in on what’s upcoming that gives them a thrill. This week’s Mozart Requiem (plus Josquin des Prez’s Nymphes des bois and György Kurtág’s Stele) has already received a bullet from Jonathan Brader, the SLSO Box Office Manager. I want to add another from our program notes author Paul Schiavo. Paul lives in Seattle, and even in the midst of Seahawks frenzy, he mentioned when he sent the notes for this week’s program, “This is going to be a great concert.”