For a variety of reasons, raw spontaneity is less common at symphonic performances nowadays than in the nineteenth century and before. In the days when they were also composers, performers were of course more prone to improvise. In the days before recordings and airplanes, there was no centripetal norm for interpretation. PostClassical Ensemble’s “Schubert Uncorked” in DC … [Read more...] about Schubert Uncorked
Orchestral Summitry
The recent “Orchestral Summit” at the University of Michigan was a labor of love on the part of Mark Clague of the university’s Musicology faculty. Mark is a tireless advocate of conciliation and consensual change in a field wracked by frustration and dissent. The conference had its ups and downs. I was especially impressed by the gravitas and honesty sustained by a panel of … [Read more...] about Orchestral Summitry
How Orchestras Can “Plug a Hole in the Curriculum”
“Music Unwound,” the $300,000 NEH initiative funding a consortium of adventurous orchestras, has two basic components. The first is contextualized thematic programming -- it supports concerts that explore music from a variety of vantage points, including visual art and literature. The second is linkage -- it supports connecting such programming with art museums, schools (grades … [Read more...] about How Orchestras Can “Plug a Hole in the Curriculum”
Horowitz on Horowitz on Horowitz (continued)
Readers of this blog will be aware of an ongoing state of war with my son, Bernie, whose adoration of Vladimir Horowitz I do not share. But Bernie is relentless, and in order to get him off my back I occasionally concede that his icon is a more remarkable pianist than his recordings disclose. Bernie has now contributed a detailed interview on the topic of Horowitz’s concert … [Read more...] about Horowitz on Horowitz on Horowitz (continued)
North Carolina’s State-Wide Symphony
Having just spent a week taking part in a “Dvorak and America” festival presented by the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra, I think I’ve learned a thing or two about how an orchestra can serve an entire state. The NCSO travels the length and breadth of North Carolina – more than 12,000 miles annually, offering more than 150 concerts. And it’s done that for a long time. In all … [Read more...] about North Carolina’s State-Wide Symphony