Chicago Symphony, Riccardo Muti perform in Costa Mesa

In today’s Orange County Register online, I review last night’s performance by Riccardo Muti and the Chicago Symphony in Segerstrom Concert Hall. This review will not appear in print.

Click here to read my review.

classical music, reviews

Chicago Symphony, Mason Bates, Riccardo Muti

February 18, 2012

12 Comments

12 comments

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chris

Agreed. Quite a performance. I loved it.

“This review will not appear in print” Huh? One of the best orchestras in the world makes its first appearance in OC in over 20 years and the paper won’t print the review?

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February 18, 2012 2:17 pm
- tmangan
  
  There’s no room at the inn on Mondays anymore. There will be a refer in the paper Sunday to my online review. That’s all I can say.
  
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  February 18, 2012 2:33 pm
MarK

Sad but not unique. A couple of weeks ago one of the world’s leading violinists played a recital in the WDCH and, as far as i can tell, there was not a single reviewing word about it in LA Times – neither in print nor online.

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February 18, 2012 9:17 pm
- tmangan
  
  It’s a difficult situation. Newspapers shrink, staffs shrink, choices are made on what to cover. Also, to save money, newspapers cut down on the number of pages in their print editions. Some articles, therefore, end up online only. With classical music articles and reviews, though, the big readership (relatively speaking) is still in print, not online. Though that is probably (slowly) changing.
  
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  February 19, 2012 10:02 am
  - MarK
    
    Yes Tim, i know all that, but i am talking here of a case when a major recital of an outstanding soloist was completely ignored both in print AND online.
    By the way – thanks for a very fine review of Chicago Symphony with Muti!
    
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    February 20, 2012 12:41 am
    - tmangan
      
      You’re welcome, MarK (for the review).
      
      I believe you must be talking about Joshua Bell (regarding the lack of review). That’s probably both a staffing issue and a freelance money issue. That’s an educated guess.
      
      btw, Joshua Bell played in O.C. last week, too, and I was unable to go. I did see him at the airport, though. I even got that event into my celebrity slideshow!
      
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      February 20, 2012 11:06 am
notadentist

On the subject of what to cover, Tim, I must observe that you seemed unaware of a small series of symphonic concerts to the immediate northeast of OC in which one conductor led two orchestras in nine completed symphonies (and more) by a single composer whose (death) anniversary was observed last year. What restraint on your part!

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February 19, 2012 11:43 am
- tmangan
  
  I was very aware of it. Perhaps you are unaware of my other full-time duties at the newspaper? Also, the newspaper doesn’t want me to cover L.A. anymore. So, I must pick and choose carefully what I do on my own time and my own dime. The Mahler Project just didn’t fit in for me in January. It was extremely frustrating, but there it is.
  
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  February 19, 2012 12:09 pm
  - notadentist
    
    I fully understand the circumstances, just find it frustrating that your talents are being constrained. Also a little jealous that you got the CSO and we didn’t!
    
    I have enjoyed your end-of-week posts on the celebrity scene; I guess I should read more of what you DO write and worry less about what you do NOT!
    
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    February 19, 2012 12:16 pm
    - tmangan
      
      I just want readers to know that I’m doing what I can, and often much more, with the music criticism part of my job. Not to pat myself on the back; but still, I don’t want readers to think I’m not interested. I’d rather be a music critic.
      
      The celebrity stuff I write is taking on a life of its own. I now appear live on the Larry Elder radio show, every Friday night. My column appears every day on Page 2 of the newspaper. Yikes. Readers also seem to like what I’m doing in that sphere. I get fan letters. (Yikes redux.) Oh well, I’m doing the best I can (which I have to say, isn’t all that great), trying to have some fun with it.
      
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      February 19, 2012 12:59 pm
notadentist

Oops. Make that northwest!

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February 19, 2012 11:44 am
Deborah

My column appears every day on Page 2 of the newspaper. Yikes. Readers also seem to like what I’m doing in that sphere.

Oh, well. So instead of some Mahler in LA, you’re relegated to covering the trials and tribulations of, say, Madonna or Matt Damon. Celebrities who perhaps are even geographically farther away from your beat (or that of the OC Register in general) than Gustavo Dudamel and his band.

If an orchestra in Los Angeles isn’t local enough for your employer, at least a recent major story, which certainly falls in the “showbiz” category of your main column, can be localized. I’ve read that pop icon Whitney Houston back in 2006 apparently sought the care of a drug counselor based in the Laguna Niguel area and relocated there from Atlanta. So she was hanging around the OC for a few years. The counselor, by the way, was photographed at Ms. Houston’s funeral on Saturday, assisting the late singer’s daughter. If he’s still operating in the Laguna area, and if it’s true that the daughter will require counseling of her own, then there’s a possible local angle for you and the Register. Not exactly as uplifting as Mahler and Dudamel, or Riccardo Muti and the CSO, but it’s something.

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February 20, 2012 11:44 pm