BACH TO BOULEZ (pronounced 'back' to Boulez)
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Janacek's Kata
Janacek's opera "Kata Kabanova" is a dark story of love and the glorious music conveys this. As much as I love this opera it is Janacek's opera "Vec Makropulos" that remains one of my favourite opera by any composer.
I love Martinu's music
Felt the need for more Martinu on my blog! One of my very favourite 20th Century composers as his music always conveys peace and joy!
Arnold Bax's Symphony no. 1
Although Bax wrote seven Symphonies, critics and historians alike consider his first two Symphonies to be his greatest in this genre. I must agree with them. The other five Symphonies are magnificent with the Fourth probably being one of my very favourite works by the composer!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Tafelmusik performs Israel in Egypt to start the Summer Festival
This video clip shows the Toronto based baroque orchestra "The Aradia Ensemble" recording this glorious masterpiece for the Naxos label. Some of Tafelmusik's musicians also perform in this orchestra. To begin the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Festival, as it is now named, the Orchestra and Choir performed three concertos by Vivaldi, two songs by Purcell, a selection from Bach's Mass in b(which will be performed next February in it's entirety) and selections from Handel's "Israel in Egypt". Glorious.....absolutely Glorious!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Grand Finale of the TBSI at Grace Church on the Hill
These are the performers of the largest Baroque Orchestra on Earth. They are the combined staff and students of the TBSI and what a show it is....practically blows the lid of the church! The students are both singers and instrumentalists and boy, do they strut their stuff!!
(The picture is a rehearsal leading to the big event)
Second concert of the TBSI at the U of T
This is the second concert of the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute that is performed at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Music. The Institute brings graduate musicians from all over the world to learn how to play "period performance practice". The staff are the musicians of Tafelmusik and they are amongst the best in their field. Students go home and spread the importance of period performing. many come back year after year and some even join the Orchestra full time as in the red headed violinist(Aisslinn Nosky) and the blond haired violinist in the centre(Julia Wedman). Both are my personal favourites as they also make up two of the members of "I Furiosi Baroque Ensemble" which has just recently put out an album on the Dorian Label. Amazing people!
Toronto's Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra
With over 70 recordings, these musicians are world famous and one of the very best period orchestras on the planet! I'm proud that they call Toronto home! Toronto is the Centre of the Universe as all Canadians already know!
Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute's first concert is tonight!
The first concert of the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute opens tonight with a FREE concert at the Trinity-St Paul Centre located on Bloor Street West, just west of the Spadina Subway station. The Orchestra and Choir will perform Bach, Vivaldi, Handel and Purcell to their usual high level of excellence. This will be the fourth year that I have been going to see them and the first concert has always been the best and the greatest concert offered by this orchestra throughout the whole year. They really pull out the stops!
Come one....come all for the experience of a lifetime!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Bruckner as you have NOT heard
For those who know this Symphony and don't know the Urfassung, this recording will come as a shock! It barely resembles the standard version that is played in all the concert halls. There is a splendid version on the Teldec Label with Eliahu Inbal conducting. I don't believe it is in print anymore, so try purchasing it on line. It has to be heard to be believed!
Bruckner's First.......not quite
Today I bought a used copy of Bruckner's Symphony no.1 conducted by Riccardo Chailly. What surprised me without hearing it, is the incredible length of the work. It is the "Vienna Version" of 1891. The work was composed in 1866 but the composer often listened to who he thought were well wishing critics. Many friends and followers would recommend "changes" to make his works sound "better". There are so many versions of half his symphonies it's a wonder we don't get lost trying to buy the CD recording that we are used to! There is the "original" version of his Fourth Symphony and almost none of the material is even slightly similar to what we usually hear in the concert halls! Then there is the Third....I won't even try to guess how many versions and editions there are for that work! The "Urfassung"(original) is quite magnificent and there is a splendid recording of it on the Naxos label conducted by Georg Tintner. It should be noted that Bruckner wrote two earlier un-numbered "student" symphonies(#0 and #00) so this is really his Third work in this genre.
The revised version of 1891 of the First is so different to what I am used to hearing. It's orchestration is heavier and new material makes it much longer. What I think is amazing is that in this version the writing and orchestration are both more akin to Mahler than anything I have ever heard before from this composer! Quite outstanding!!
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