tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post9193843512507209397..comments2024-03-26T07:58:59.761+00:00Comments on I'll think of something later: Cantatas by the calendarDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-68279919980402356332013-01-15T23:10:58.090+00:002013-01-15T23:10:58.090+00:00Delighted to see you here, Bruce, and to hear of y...Delighted to see you here, Bruce, and to hear of your much more ambitious parallel project. It's amazing how much there is on YouTube - I've found complete performances of my first three (though still prefer my Gardiners). I'm actually buying classical CDs for the first time in ages, such a sucker am I for the presentation of the Bach Pilgrimage series.<br /><br />J suggested I should amend to 'Snipcock Day', but I thought that might be one step too far...Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-25821689049008144492013-01-15T18:41:38.471+00:002013-01-15T18:41:38.471+00:00A belated Happy New Year to you, David, from Bruce...A belated Happy New Year to you, David, from Bruce & Colin. Being alone over the holidays (C was en famille) I started a (chronological by date of composition) Bach cantata marathon of my own. Last Christmas it was the Ring and I needed a new, less taxing holiday "project" this time. I became joyously bogged-down conducting a compare-and-contrast exercise, thanks to Spotify, between the various cycles and the sundry one-off recordings and as a result I haven't even bested 1715 yet. So it's morphed into a year-long project. Pluswhich I just discovered that there are entire performances of some cantatas on YouTube (e.g. Koopman / Wachet Auf). Sigh. But it's all such wonderful stuff, there could be far worse ways to spend one's time, no? So many fabulous obbligatos (obbligati?) and arias. Bit of a pity about the quality of the texts, but I'm determined not to let that get in the way of enjoyment. I find JSB's word-painting engrossing at times; there's a choral passage in BWV150 setting "leite mich" where the voices do ladder/strive upwards towards something worthy - very beautiful.<br /><br />Thank you for the expression "Snip Day" - made me smile from ear to ear!Bruce MacRaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13119752935302884140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-22221146309394103182013-01-14T20:01:17.332+00:002013-01-14T20:01:17.332+00:00In my favourite seat at the Royal Opera House - ...In my favourite seat at the Royal Opera House - in the stalls circle virtually on the stage - I could see the wonderful Charles Mackerras leaping about like a 30 year old ( when he was 50 years older than that) and with his face lightening up when a passage he really liked was about to arrive. But with my "austere detachment" preference for everything I suppose I liked just as much the also late Gunther Mann who - admittedly when conducting his own orchestra and his speciality, Brahms - merely raised a hand and twiddled a finger. And " under such a baton even Brahms is impressive " The origin of that quotation it would be imprudent to reveal.David Damantnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-63230060401467881162013-01-03T14:26:07.773+00:002013-01-03T14:26:07.773+00:00Well, the percussion is part of Josef S's chat...Well, the percussion is part of Josef S's chatterbox design; it was just the competitive scenario so feebly acted out that rendered it embarrassing.<br /><br />Graz is such a beautiful city - we went there when it had become European City of Culture and was full of wonderful installations. Plus we saw a Parsifal with freund Peter singing his first Gurnemanz in the Opera House, a lovely intimate size. Ryanair fly there: you have to walk across fields of pumpkins - pumpkinseed oil being a Styrian speciality - if you want to catch the train into town.<br /><br />Looking forward to seeing y'all this year.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-55332502629281728092013-01-03T14:19:05.281+00:002013-01-03T14:19:05.281+00:00The waltzes became wearisome but the polkas perked...The waltzes became wearisome but the polkas perked up, (heard on a car radio, en route to a country walk as it was such a sunny NYD following an unremittingly awful NYE), and the trashy percussion - what was that about? And I speak as one who is partial to many and various percussive allsorts. I didn't mind the Carnival variations, as it was always the theme tune for the late great Fred Dibnah.<br /><br />Oddly it was the second mention of Styria in one day - its capital Graz hosting a triumphant Salome as described in The Rest Is Noise, which I'm reading for the first time. I noticed the Petrushka tune although I didn't hear Petroc Trelawney refer to it.<br /><br />Our sunny walk was lovely if chilly and I wish I had more chances for such spiritually uplifting access to the countryside. Your previous post was a moving and brave one and I hope your upwards journey continues ever upwards as I'm sure it will with all the love and support you have.<br /><br />Your e-card was hilarious and as I think you know an amazing coincidence that we had just seen a play of the film! Well it is loosely based on A Christmas Carol so I suppose being seasonal the odds weren't quite so low. May your colds be banished and health fully restored!Howard Lanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-52867789370267941812013-01-03T02:50:05.942+00:002013-01-03T02:50:05.942+00:00The mighty Mark it is, though he'll be conduct...The mighty Mark it is, though he'll be conducting the Juilliard, not BBCSO. You're lovely to offer such a thing, in any event. I will be in NYC earlier that week & am thinking, if need be, to stay an extra day to snag some tix. <br /><br />May you and yours have the head colds behind you soon! We are all going to have a very good time in 2013, I just know it! Susan Scheidhttp://prufrocksdilemma.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-41523764137101348922013-01-03T00:03:44.264+00:002013-01-03T00:03:44.264+00:00I know you'll have made good use of it, Sue, a...I know you'll have made good use of it, Sue, and I love the connections by which great Hilary was part of your 'program(me)'. Our colds - mine has gone into my right ear, blow it, and J's to his chest - remain, but we've done and enjoyed a lot simply by staying more or less put.<br /><br />By Wigglesworth I hope that's mighty Mark and not limited Ryan...if the former, is it with the BBCSO? In which case let me know if you need help with the tx.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-16896881667914609112013-01-02T22:30:30.038+00:002013-01-02T22:30:30.038+00:00I have no good reason for it really, but I have al...I have no good reason for it really, but I have always thought Welser-Möst a bit inscrutable. We didn't take in the New Year's concert here, and generally the holiday slid by us a bit, what with head colds the first week of it. It has been a cozy and restful period, though, with a scattering of outings, including a nice walk in the snowy landscape here today. Looking ahead, while Bard is in Budapest (somehow I can't get over that!), it appears that Great Britain is in New York, for Juilliard's Focus festival's subject is “The British Renaissance.” Michael Zev Gordon will be here for a panel and with a piece in one of the concerts, and the closing concert is to be conducted by Wigglesworth with pieces by Tippett, Knossen, Turnage, and Britten. It's tricky to get tickets—you have to be in NYC on the day tickets first become available to have a real chance at it, but I’m hoping I can find a way. Susan Scheidhttp://prufrocksdilemma.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-31032573320285058432013-01-02T19:20:54.407+00:002013-01-02T19:20:54.407+00:00I know - it's rare to have that AND the most i...I know - it's rare to have that AND the most incredible conducting technique/rubato combined. But even with Mariss they were smiling much more than this year. Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-50267003678055629532013-01-02T19:17:23.360+00:002013-01-02T19:17:23.360+00:00I do like Kleiber's style of conducting and in...I do like Kleiber's style of conducting and indeed Dorfschwalben aus Österreich is a classic waltz. His style reminds me of Riccardo Muti, it flows with the music. In Dorfschwalben aus Österreich he is dancing, for the orchestra this must be a great way to feel the music and tempo. For the public it is also wonderful to have a conductor who is enjoying himself and the music.Laurenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03297393116796129135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-73275882363242838982013-01-02T17:46:39.567+00:002013-01-02T17:46:39.567+00:00Delighted to hear from you, John, and season's...Delighted to hear from you, John, and season's greetings to you. Funnily enough JEG was conducting his own New Year concert in Venice, mostly Italian operatic fare but with Tchaikovsky's Little Russian Symphony as its centrepiece. We even had an e-mail discussion about which version, the original or the revision - made in Italy, I seem to remember - he'd be conducting. I'm curious to know.<br /><br />I don't remember reading that about Lenny in Burton's biog, but how amazing it would have been in the light of his VPO Rosenkavalier, which, drawn out though it is, I love to bits. Abbado would be the greatest, but I think he overwinters in Venezuela now for the sake of his fragile health. Rozhdestvensky would be the maverick of choice, especially as he used to feature Shostakovich's arrangement of the Excursion Train Galop in his programmes and among his encores.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248503935075362425.post-75479874839230615712013-01-02T17:28:37.665+00:002013-01-02T17:28:37.665+00:00Hello David. I haven't commented before on you...Hello David. I haven't commented before on your blog but I've been a regular enough follower to be mindful of your absences in 2012, and like others I wish you all the very best; thank you for the particularly thoughtful and brave entry of 31 December. <br /><br />I haven't yet seen yesterday's NYDC, but your comments chimed very much with my experience: in my mind's eye (ear?)I can't help thinking that everything has been downhill since 1987/1989/1992. I often play the 1992 Nicolai when in need of a pick-me-up. <br /><br />Am in right in remembering that Bernstein was originally lined up to conduct the 1991 concert? What would that have been like, I wonder? I'm sure a return from Abbado would be worthwhile. I imagine Chailly or John Eliot Gardiner (no relation) could be interesting, too, and I've no doubt a punt (unlikely on the VPO's behalf) on Vladimir Jurowski or Vasily Petrenko would be mutually beneficial. I'm thinking perhaps no to Gergiev, but a certain spirit of mischief makes me long to hear and see Temirkanov or Rozhdestvensky on the podium before it's too late. <br /><br />But nobody will have the authority of Karajan, a benevolent and curiously touching despot in 1987, or the exciting, super-sensitive elan of Kleiber in 1989/92. <br /><br />Maybe I won't watch yesterday's concert after all... Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04681379280593889058noreply@blogger.com