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2024-04-24
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2024-04-20 12:00:26
The week in classical: Roman Fever/ The Human Voice; NYO, National Youth Brass Band; Celebrating Sir Neville Marriner – review
Susie Sainsbury theatre; Royal Festival Hall; St Martin-in-the-Fields, LondonPegasus Opera sparks change with a tart two-hander and a woman on the edge; teenage brass players show their mettle; and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields do their founder proudAs a scenario for a chamber opera, try this: two women of “ripe but well-cared-for middle age” (an enviable condition) reminisce as old friends but soon reveal themselves bitter rivals, each harbouring a shocking secret. Edith Wharton’s featherlight short story Roman Fever (1934) can nearly be lifted straight from the Page to make a crisp two-hander libretto. The American composer Philip Hagemann (b.1932) did just that in his 1989 opera, set to lush, singable, musical theatre-style music. Wharton’s words remain intact, the levity of the conversation exposed as bitchiness exemplified.Roman Fever was presented as part of a stylish double bill with Francis Poulenc’s La voix humaine (sung in English as […]
The Boston Musical Intelligencer
2024-04-08 16:30:16
Okeghem Takes Flight
Blue Heron is at present very likely the only ensemble in the world to have sung every piece written by the great Johannes Okeghem. Building on this unique expertise, the ensemble will offer a selection of the master’s very best in the context of music by his contemporaries & colleagues at First Church in Cambridge, Congregational, 11 Garden Street, Cambridge on April 13th at 3:00. Tickets HERE. Music Director Scott Metcalfe self-interviews. How did you first dive into the music of Okeghem and why did you want to perform all of his vocal music? What criteria did you employ to determine the authenticity and completeness? Okeghem has been an important part of Blue Heron’s repertoire since our very first season in 1999-2000, when we sang a program featuring two of his four motets and a selection of his Mass settings. I always found his music wonderful (not to mention extraordinarily difficult), […]
2024-03-28 03:30:00
Lang Lang: Saint-Saens
by Bill HeckSaint-Saens: Carnival of the Animals, Piano Concerto 2; Ravel: Pavane pour une infante defunte; Debussy: Petite Suite 71; Faure: In paradisium; Delibes: Delibes: Lakmé: Flower Duet; Saint-Saens: Toccata after the Fifth Concerto (from Six Études pour piano op. 111); Faure: Pavane op. 50; Farrenc: Étude No. 10; Sohy: Song without Words; Tailleferre: Valse lente; Bonis: The Little One Falls Asleep; Boulanger: Of a Bright Garden; Saint-Saens: The Swan. Lang Lang, Gina Alice (pianos), Gewandhaus Orchestra cond, Andris Nelsons. DG 505859 Based on an admittedly very small sample, it seems that DG is interested in producing events as much as producing recordings. I suppose that’s their business, and but my curmudgeonly side is, shall we say, a little jaded. There’s no doubt that Lang Lang is a musical superstar, and I suppose that it’s natural for DG to be trading on that fame. Thus, you can find video […]
2024-03-22 12:00:00
Organ Reborn! Norwich Cathedral Organ Festival: A new music festival for Norwich
[…] of Norwich Cathedral’s organ will be enjoyed by future generations. Tickets £6. Norwich Cathedral on air! Choral Evensong (Wednesday, 10 July, 3pm) will be broadcast ‘live’ on BBC Radio 3 featuring Norwich Cathedral Choir led by the Cathedral’s Master of Music, Ashley Grote, with organist extraordinaire, David Dunnett. Music includes Stanford’s Evening service in C and Parry’s Hear my words, ye people. Free admission. Members of the congregation must be seated by 2.45pm. Acclaimed JS Bach specialist, Anne Page, will give a recital of works by this great German composer and musician of the late Baroque period (Monday, 8 July, 8pm) in what promises an exciting and popular programme. Born and educated in Perth, Australia, Page, who, incidentally, has been an advocate in reviving the humble harmonium as a mainstream instrument, moved to Europe to continue advanced studies successively with Marie-Claire Alain, Peter Hurford and Jacques van Oortmerssen. Based in Cambridge, she directed […]
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