July 27, 2006
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Norman Lebrecht has an interesting  piece in La Scena Musicale on pianist  Piotr Anderszewski, who he calls " a quizzical soul with a sense of mission."

Agreed that Anderszeweski is a formidable player -- and I like Lebrecht's skepticism about Lang Lang (he calls him "Bang Bang"), Yundi Li ("Bandy Legs") and the rest of the current constellation of stars.

"The attraction of Anderszewski is the impression he gives of being unfulfilled, far from the finished star, devoid of greed and vanity, still searching for meaning in his music," writes a smitten Lebrecht. "His success, popular and critical, cuts against the grain of marketing gimmicks, restoring an integrity to modern pianism that is as much moral as it is musical."

Take a look at Anderszewski's website if you have a chance -- it's full of interesting anecdotes, like this encounter with Sviatoslav Richter:

"Richter was like a god to me. I met him in Warsaw in 1991. Because I wanted to watch him rehearsing, I literally lay on the floor behind the stage.... The next day I got a phone call. They needed someone to turn pages for him. In fact a young girl had been chosen to do it, but when Richter knew that he said he couldn't play with a woman beside him because he would find her breasts too inhibiting!"

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Freelance violinist Philippa Ibbotson has a heartfelt rant in The Guardian today, involving much wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth over the "pernicious commercialism" of classical music.

Ibbotson's complaint?  Those horrid little men at the London Symphony Orchestra have recorded a soundtrack for a DVD put out by a company called "Baby IQ" --  designed, the company's website says, "to entertain babies and youngsters."

Uh-oh.  That's bad.  That's really crossing the line.

And it's downright shocking that the LSO would engage in "something akin to baby brainwashing", in Ibbotson's memorable phrase.  

But on second thought -- maybe those babies neeed a little brainwashing.  The way they applaud between movements when you take 'em to the symphony?  And always confusing "bravo" and "brava"?  Annoying as hell.

It reminded me, though, of the nice babies-'n-music line in Alex Ross' piece in The New Yorker last week on Mozart.  The dark depths of "Don Giovanni", he writes, put "a stake through the heart of the chocolate-box Mozart, the car-radio Mozart, the Mozart-makes-you-smarter Mozart."

Keep that opera away from the crib, he cautions: "It would probably cause perversion in infants."

July 25, 2006
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The skies exploded just before guitarists Ken Meyer and Ricardo Cobo took the stage on Saturday night -- fitting weather for a dramatic, elemental program that capped the fifth Alexandria Guitar Festival.   Contrasting styles and repertoire made it a fascinating evening:  Meyer (head of guitar studies at Syracuse University) stayed mostly in Europe;  his account of the "Drei Tentos" from 1958 by Hans Werner Henze (remembered distantly from an ancient Julian Bream LP) was a particular joy. Cobo was in fine form -- wild, fearless and intuitive as always, mixing the familiar (Piazzolla) with rarely heard beauties (Ignacio Figueredo's "Los Caujaritas") from across Latin America. Here's the review:

The Washington Post 7/25/06:  The annual Alexandria Guitar Festival is one of the undiscovered gems of the summer music scene, bringing some of the planet's best classical guitarists to town for a week of intimate and always interesting recitals. The seven-concert series closed, alas, over the weekend -- but not before showcasing some spectacular talent.


Ken MeyerKenneth Meyer, who opened Saturday night's recital at the Old Presbyterian Meeting House, is a thinking man's guitarist -- he focuses on the inner structure of a piece, rather than just poetic effect, and plays with impressive gravity and power. In lighter works (such as the frothy, lights-on-but-nobody's-home "La Rossiniane," by Mauro Giuliani), that approach was too earthbound to be really effective. But he brought three lyrical, wistful pieces by Hans Werner Henze beautifully alive, and infused Augustin Barrios's lovely "La Catedral" with almost ethereal light.

The Colombian guitarist Ricardo Cobo may be one of the finest guitarists of our time -- certainly he's a first-rank interpreter of Latin American music, as he showed in the tango-flavored second half of Saturday's program. From the driving "Acrilicos en Asfalto," by Eduardo Martin, to smoky cafe music from Horacio Salgán and the classic "La Muerte del Angel," by Astor Piazzolla, Cobo has the smoldering sensuality of Latin music deep in his blood, and played with heart-clenching passion.

But even the formidable Cobo may have been upstaged by the breathtaking recital Friday night by the young Italian virtuosos Lorenzo Micheli and Matteo Mela, who perform together as Soloduo.  Extraordinarily sensitive, with effortless command and an almost unbearable delicacy of touch, the duo's playing was nothing less than rapturous -- profound and unforgettable musicianship of the highest order.

July 22, 2006
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Dropped in to the Alexandria Guitar Festival last night to hear the spectacular Italians Lorenzo Micheli and Matteo Mela – otherwise known as “Soloduo”. And let me tell you, this was killer playing: virtuosic, imaginative, extraordinarily detailed and deeply intelligent.  Micheli and Mela are unusually gifted musicians with a rapport rivalling that of the Assad brothers, and the effect was riveting, even rapturous – especially in the intimate confines of the Old Presbyterian Meeting House, with no more than 150 people (most of them guitarists) in the audience.  In all honesty, it was one of the most impressive and affecting concerts I’ve been to this year. Is anything more beautiful, more transporting, than two guitars played at the highest level?  If you have something, let me know.


Lorenzo Micheli and Matteo MelaThe program was a treat, too, revolving around Astor Piazzolla’s elegant-sexy “Tango Suite”, Antoine de Lhoyer’s “Duo Concertant, op. 31”,  and Mauro Giuliani’s “Variazioni Concertanti, op. 130”.  The duo (who make a point of digging up forgotten works from the 19th Century repertoire) also performed four arrangements by Miguel Llobet of works by Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, and Louis-Claude Daquin.

Just more evidence that it pays to get off the beaten track to find the best of anything in life.  But we were firmly in the mainstream on Thursday night, covering the BSO’s “Mozart’s Hottest Hits” program out at Strathmore. Here’s the review:

The Washington Post 7/22/06:  The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of guest conductor Edwin Outwater, descended on the Music Center at Strathmore on Thursday night for an evening of “Mozart’s Hottest Hits”. Putting the elegant title aside for a moment (what’s next? “Beethoven’s Funniest Home Symphonies”?), Outwater showed that he is, in fact, a very accomplished Mozart conductor, with a lyric sensibility and a gift for blending high drama with subtle, convincing emotion.

The program itself was, as promised, wall-to-wall chestnuts, from the iconic “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” to the magnificent Symphony No. 41 (the “Jupiter”). But Outwater conjured up fresh and very engaging interpretations, and the evening felt like visiting old friends who still have a lot to say. He infused the well-mannered “Nachtmusik” with a distinct electrical current, and was joined by violinist Soovin Kim for a sweeping, hugely enjoyable account of the Violin Concerto in G, K. 216.


Soovin KimKim’s a young violinist we’re likely to hear more from.  A superb musician with a fine tone (that 1709 Stradivarius he plays probably doesn’t hurt),  he’s also assured, imaginative, and has a likeable “geek chic” appeal. Outwater had a little trouble waking the orchestra from what appeared to be a mid-concert nap, but by the opening of the unbearably tender and gorgeous Adagio, both conductor and soloist were soaring.

The “Jupiter” is, of course, one of Mozart’s most relentlessly captivating symphonies. It’s also relentlessly complex, especially all that diabolical counterpoint in the last movement. But Outwater produced a near-crystalline performance that kept the music tight and exciting. Definitely hot -- and definitely a hit.

July 21, 2006
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Summertime, and the brain cells are melting.  Here and there, dotted forlornly across the DC wasteland, lie a few glittering gems -- Ricardo Cobo’s guitar recital  tomorrow night, for instance.  But mostly we’re adrift in the Easy Listening Doldrums as events like “Mozart’s Hottest Hits”  (last night at Strathmore) wash over our languid, slightly-sunburned ears.

Out of these dog days of summer, though, came the energetic Taipei Philharmonic, performing very well indeed at the Kennedy Center last Sunday. Not really their fault if the event had the anxious, please-the-constituents feel of a government-sponsored tour -- the audience was at least 70 percent Taiwanese, every note was wildly applauded, and there were so many bouquet-bearers that they had to be choreographed -- not kidding! -- so as not to trip over each other. Whatever – the place was packed, families abounded, and everybody had a good time. Here’s the review:

The Washington Post 07/17/06:  Taiwan’s Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra brought an amiable East-Meets-West program to the Kennedy Center Concert Hall on Sunday evening, mixing fluff and familiar warhorses with an intriguing, culture-straddling new work by local composer Chien-Tai Chen. 


Yoel LeviUnder the capable direction of guest conductor Yoel Levi (Director Emeritus of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra), the orchestra tossed off Mozart’s “Overture to The Marriage of Figaro” with ease, displaying their considerable skill from the outset.  But the group really came alive in the two Taiwanese folk songs that followed. Soprano Huey-Ru Tang delivered a nuanced and extremely tender account of Li Lin-Chiu’s “Spring Breeze Prospect”, and both she and the orchestra dug deeply into Yang San-Lung’s “Awaiting Your Early Return” – a powerful lament on the tragedy of war. Huey-Ru Tang sang with great conviction and understanding, despite being plagued with problems in the high notes.

After a slightly lumpy, slightly frumpy rendition of Johann Strauss’ well-known “Fruelingstimmen”, Levi launched into Chien-Tai Chen’s piano concerto, “Far Horizon.”  It was a truncated version of this five-movement piece (the outer movements require a children’s chorus), but pianist Brian Ganz gave a vivid reading, from the introspective opening (with its short, questioning statements from the piano over floating waves of orchestral color) to its jazzy, lyrical ballad-like middle section, to the jaunty and wildly percussive close.

Levi saved the best for last, however, with Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9, "From the New World". Superb playing from the Taipei Philharmonic and elegant direction from Levi produced a passionate, thrilling interpretation -- beautifully controlled, thunderously alive, and memorable in every way.
 

July 8, 2006
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Princeton music professor Dmitri Tymoczko has an intriguing article in the journal Science this week explaining how he uses  topology and non-Euclidean geometry to explore elusive musical structures.

 "Western music theory has developed impressive tools for thinking about traditional harmonies, but it doesn’t have the same sophisticated tools for thinking about these newer chords," Tymoczko says. "This led me to want to develop a general geometrical model in which every conceivable chord is represented by a point in space. That way, if you hear any sequence of chords, no matter how unfamiliar, you can still represent it as a series of points in the space. To understand the melodic relationship between these chords, you connect the points with lines that represent how you have to change their notes to get from one chord to the next."

Clear as the azure sky of deepest summer? Check out the short movie he made of Chopin's  E minor piano prelude (Opus 28, No. 4) -- it traces the harmonic movement in a sort of triangular prism, in which points representing traditionally familiar harmonies such as major chords gather near the center of the triangle, forming neat geometric shapes with other common chords that relate to them closely.

More of these movies (and a pdf of the article, "The Geometry of Musical Chords") can be found here.  

June 26, 2006
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The Washington Post 6/26/06:  Something about much of medieval and Renaissance music is intimate, almost seductive. The polyphony is subtle and beguiling, and the delicate instruments whisper; you'll never hear a lute snarl, or a harp annoy. And as the Armonia Nova ensemble showed Friday night, 14th-century love songs can burn with as much passion as anything from later, louder eras.

The concert at St. Mark's Church, titled "Amor l'ali m'impenna" ("Love Feathers My Wings"), featured five of the area's most gifted early-music virtuosos, playing works from more than a dozen Italian composers. There were poignant madrigals, tender love songs, delicate trios and duets -- pieces that, although small, contained whole worlds. And all were alive with the pungent harmonies and shifting, ephemeral textures that make early music so captivating.

Captivating, but also difficult -- this music demands an extremely light, almost improvisatory touch or its elusive beauties vanish. The Armonia Nova players were more than equal to the task; harpist (and ensemble founder) Constance Whiteside is a musician of uncommon depth, and her rendition of the anonymous "Lamento di Tristano" was both moving and profound. Countertenor Jay White and mezzo Barbara Hollinshead provided especially memorable duets, playing their similar voices off each other to create rare and unforgettable colors. Douglas Wolters provided witty playing on the viol and vielle (getting to show off a bit in a canzone by Girolamo Frescobaldi), and the remarkable lutenist Howard Bass brought superb musicianship to everything he played.

June 25, 2006
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Going offline for a couple of weeks -- back mid-July, unless the lobsters get me.

The early music ensemble Armonia Nova played mostly Medieval "music of passion" at St. Mark's on Friday night; one of the most unusual and captivating concerts in recent memory. Review comes out tomorrow in the Post. Kudos to the Washington Early Music Festival, which organized an ambitious and very satisfying series this year.