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The Arts Blog ~ News and notes on Orange County's world of arts, from Tim Mangan (classical music), Laura Bleiberg (dance), Paul Hodgins (theater) and Richard Chang (visual art).

Archive for the 'Classical Music by Tim Mangan' Category

86-year-old conducts ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’

February 9th, 2010, 1:01 am by TIMOTHY MANGAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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I speak of Pierre Monteux, of course, who turned 86 in 1961, the year he led this performance with the London Symphony Orchestra. Personally, I think it’s a marvelous reading, filled with many of the Monteux hallmarks: Well marked but never heavy rhythm; a shining and transparent orchestral sound (evident even with the poor fidelity); and a crisp, but never pushy style — the music gathers its own head of steam.

Incidentally, did you know that this piece, like “Der Erlkoenig,” is based on a poem by Goethe? The sequence in “Fantasia” devoted to this music, is faithful to the original tale.

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Pacific Symphony announces 2010 summer season at Verizon

February 8th, 2010, 1:12 pm by TIMOTHY MANGAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

OK, as promised, here it is.

The Pacific Symphony’s five concerts at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater this summer will cover a wide range — in the words of music director Carl St.Clair, “From Rachmaninoff to Rocky Mountain High,“ probably the first time in the history of the world that that alliteration has been made. In addition to Sergei R and John D, the summer concerts also feature music by Beethoven and Tchaikovsky, and collaborations with the acrobats of Cirque de la Symphonie and the crossover group Time for Three.

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American Composers Festival: Pacific Symphony salutes ‘The Greatest Generation’

February 5th, 2010, 11:45 am by TIMOTHY MANGAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE SLIDE SHOW

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE SLIDE SHOW

Review: The 10th annual event features music from the 30s and 40s, and the world premiere of a new work by Michael Daugherty. See slide show of the Pacific Symphony’s “Greatest Generation” concert

The Pacific Symphony’s 10th annual American Composers Festival, as in year’s past, is dedicated to a single overriding theme. This time it’s “The Greatest Generation.” “Hard times can produce great art,” writes music historian Joseph Horowitz in the program booklet. The festival will explore music, he continues, “that could not have been composed without the somber impetus of the Great Depression and World War II.”

Thursday night’s festival concert in Segerstrom Concert Hall was patriotic, moving, earnest, interesting, distracting, entertaining, sentimental, original. With these ACF concerts, as well as with its “Music Unwound” events, the orchestra wants to break down the fourth wall between the audience and the art and to give listeners explicit context for engagement – you know, to help them along a little. Surveys taken by the orchestra are showing that audiences like the approach, and Thursday’s certainly seemed to.

The concert began with the national anthem, and then Tom Brokaw – the man credited with coining the term “The Greatest Generation” – came on the big screen, interviewed last week in New York especially for this occasion. It was a nice touch and set the stage. In talking about the people who lived through those times, he mentioned his mother, a denizen of Laguna Woods, still “thrifty” after all these years and still quizzing her son about the cost of his purchases at Trader Joe’s.

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Hollywood Bowl 2010

February 4th, 2010, 9:51 am by TIMOTHY MANGAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Tis the season of season announcements, dumped unceremoniously in my in-box without warning. OK, then, if that’s the way you want it, I’ll get to them when I damn well please. What, you expect me to drop everything the moment your blasted press release shows up in my e-mail? Not likely.

Anyway, what’s the lead in this latest? I guess I’ll go with Dudamel and why not? The conductor, who recently turned 29, will conduct his first subscription concerts at the Hollywood Bowl as music director of the L.A. Phil this summer and also make his U.S. debut conducting opera, in this case “Carmen,” in a concert performance.

On Aug. 3, he’ll conduct the orchestra in selections from Bernstein’s “On the Town” (Dudamel has a Jones for Bernstein) and Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” with fellow Venezuelan Gabriela Montero in the driver’s seat. He returns on Aug. 5 to lead a program of “Songs of the People” (Socialist!) by Enesco, Piazzolla, Falla, Bernstein (see? I mean that thing about having a Jones) and Ravel. This is not really a “song” program, by the way, despite the title. The Bernstein is his Divertimento, the Ravel is “Bolero.” He conducts “Carmen” the Sunday before all this (Aug. 1); Natascha Petrinsky has been announced in the title role.

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Off subject: How to make a martini

February 3rd, 2010, 1:01 am by TIMOTHY MANGAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

carygrant

I wrote this little ditty on how to make a martini for the Food Frenzy blog, booze division, here at the Register. Off subject, yes, but there is a key musical component involved in my recipe.

Above: That’s Cary Grant (the one with his back turned, naturally) drinking a Gibson in “North by Northwest.”

Pierre Boulez: in concert for free

February 2nd, 2010, 2:57 pm by TIMOTHY MANGAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

boulez

Pierre Boulez, who received a Kyoto Prize in November, and the $550,000 that goes with it, will give a free concert in San Diego when the Kyoto laureates convene there in April. The maestro, who turns 85 on March 26, will give “a personal commentary on his artistic philosophy” and conduct a performance of his ”Sur Incises,” for three pianos, three harps and three mallet instruments, at 3:30 p.m. on April 22 in the Shiley Theatre at the University of San Diego. The concert is free, but you have to register first at www.kyotoprize.org.

Boulez, who used to conduct the Los Angeles Philharmonic regularly, and who has appeared at the Ojai Music Festival six times, doesn’t get out this way much anymore. The San Diego concert, therefore, is a precious chance to hear this musical genius.

The Kyoto Prize is Japan’s highest private award for global achievement. Boulez, who received the award in the “Arts and Philosophy” category, was selected for his “lifelong achievements in music composition, conducting, writing, and organizational operation that have consistently set new trends.”

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California orchestras: February 2010 concert listings

February 2nd, 2010, 1:01 am by TIMOTHY MANGAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

california

The Association of California Symphony Orchestras offers a monthly summary of orchestra performances in California. The information listed below represents concerts presented by current member organizations and is subject to change. 

Sunday, January 31, at 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, February 2, at 7:30 p.m.
Marin Symphony
Alasdair Neale, conductor
Vadim Gluzman, violin
Marin Symphony Chorus
Brahms: Violin Concerto in D Major
Mozart: Requiem
Marin Center, 10 Ave. of the Flags, San Rafael
(415) 499-6800
www.marinsymphony.org

Monday, February 1, at 7:30 p.m.
Orchestra Nova San Diego
Jung-Ho Pak, conductor
J.S. Bach: Concerto No. 4; Orchestral Suite No. 3
C.P.E. Bach: Sinfonia in A Major
W.F. Bach: Sinfonia in D minor
J.C.F. Bach: Sinfonia in D minor
J.C. Bach: Symphony in E-Flat Major
Sherwood Auditorium, 700 Prospect St., La Jolla
(858) 350-0290
www.orchestranova.org

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