Comments on: etcetera

By: Richard Buell

Richard Buell — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 05:08:20 +0000

Apropos of Finnish conductors: Sakari Oramo conducts the Mahler 4th, beginning 15 minutes on in this Sveriges Radio P2 recording:

http://sverigesradio.se/webbradio/webbradio.asp?type=broadcast&Id=2263649&BroadcastDate=&IsBlock=

By: Geoffrey Wieting

Geoffrey Wieting — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 20:06:05 +0000

In further answer to the opening post’s question, the BSO is performing Poulenc’s Gloria at Tanglewood on August 27, along with Holst’s The Planets. I noted the date because it falls precisely on my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. Hmmmm…

By: Sam

Sam — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 22:19:54 +0000

The Harvard-Radcliffe Chorus performed the Gloria last year in Sanders Theatre, so it’s still being performed. I like the piece.

By: Richard Buell

Richard Buell — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 16:45:25 +0000

WGBH RADIO BECOMES WBUR WANNABE, SENDS DEBASED VERSION OF OLD SELF OUT OF TOWN

Lest we forget. The story when new, well told here –

http://www.current.org/radio/radio0923wgbh.shtml

By: Richard Buell

Richard Buell — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 21:43:50 +0000

The BSO then — see Poulenc letters above — and now: http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2010/03/25/another_levine_absence_takes_its_toll_on_the_bso/

A glimpse backstage during James Levine’s first season — http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2005/03/17/levines_pace_proves_hard_on_bso/

His eventual successor … no, one is not being morbid. Surely the search is on, if only in the pondering stage … could well be a Finn, or a Russian. There are so many.

By: Joel Cohen

Joel Cohen — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 12:57:05 +0000

Regarding later Stravinsky and the “jarringly candid” review:

Of course, he got old and crotchety. Doesn’t nearly everybody? And clearly, he was no saint; maybe, even, not a very nice person. At least he kept his anti-Semitism largely to himself, rather than making it part of his public persona, a la Wagner.

The essential point is the MUSICAL value of the later works by the author of the earth-shattering Le Sacre. How important or valuable are they? Nadia Boulanger was a ferocious defender of every note that came from Stravinsky’s ear and pen. I remember her going over every detail of a miniscule late piece — was it Requiem Canticles? — and pointing out astonishing felicities in every measure. “I maintain,” she would say, “that Stravinsky is one of the great unknown composers of the 20th century.”

By: Richard Buell

Richard Buell — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 02:11:07 +0000

Lionel Salter, a musical hero — http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2000/mar/06/guardianobituaries2

By: Richard Buell

Richard Buell — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 01:20:41 +0000

And speaking of Stravinsky …

Below: the art of the brief, graceful, but jarringly candid review.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2006/jul/09/biography.music

By: Richard Buell

Richard Buell — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 17:55:37 +0000

A related topic — coded allusions, e.g., Bizet’s “Habanera” in the first movement of the Shostakovich Fifth Symphony. Whereby hangs a tale. There’s this woman, you see …

How long has this common knowledge? Its veracity seems pretty well nailed down.

I myself first heard of it from Stephen Johnson on BBC Radio 3. He just happened to be speaking from Shostakovich’s apartment.

By: John W. Ehrlich

John W. Ehrlich — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 17:31:38 +0000

What fun to have old friend Richard Buell back in full sail here! The Poulenc material is fabulous. Where are those who think (and write) like F.P. today? More, please, Richard!