Stravinsky’s late ballet, Agon, an astonishing hybrid of diatonic, chromatic and dodecaphonic harmonies, while much of the rhythmic element is inspired by 17th-century French court dances. The orchestration features unique small combos of instruments. Michael Tilson Thomas conducts the London Symphony Orchestra.
Review: Mirga Returns to LA for the Worst of Times, the Best of Times. Musical America, April 8, 2019.
Review: Third Coast Percussion Lays Down a Virtuosic Set at Samueli. Voice of OC, April 9, 2019.
That’s the composer who starts things out. This piece served as finale to Third Coast Percussion’s concert at Samueli Theater on Friday.
Pacific Chorale to Sing the Praises of Women Composers. Voice of OC, March 26, 2019.
The ‘Roadrunner’ movement of John Adams’ Chamber Symphony, a mash-up of Schoenberg and American cartoon music, according to the composer.
Four scores from my collection. I’ve been collecting since I was in college. I like the look and feel of these particular four publications. I include shots of the covers and first pages of the music. Click on the jpegs for larger views if you like.
The cast of Previn and Stoppard’s ‘Every Good Boy Deserves Favour.’
(Dateline: Garden Grove! I came close to meeting and interviewing André Previn, who passed away yesterday at 89, several times in my career, including standing across the aisle from him when I worked at Tower Records on Sunset Blvd. in the 1980s. I reviewed and wrote about him many times, though, including this review below, penned for the Los Angeles Times when I was a relative youngster. Judged by the length of the review, it only appeared in the OC edition of the Times, which means it is being read my millions for the first time now. Well, uh, many. Anyway, it’s a good play and a good piece — orchestras should still consider it for a different type of program — and it was a most unusual evening, directed by and starring the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation. TM)
MUSIC / STAGE REVIEW : A Starry Staging of ‘Every Good Boy’
February 17, 1992|TIMOTHY MANGAN | SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
GARDEN GROVE — “He has an identity crisis,” says the doctor. “I can’t remember his name.”
The doctor is speaking of one Alexander Ivanov, a patient in a Soviet mental hospital, a lunatic triangle player with a symphony orchestra in his head. In Tom Stoppard’s play “Every Good Boy Deserves Favour,”–with music by Andre Previn, an orchestra sits onstage with Ivanov, and we hear what he hears (even if none of the other characters does).
A new production of the play at the Don Wash Auditorium in Garden Grove Saturday brought out an unlikely cast: the crew of “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”
Patrick Stewart, who plays Capt. Picard in the TV series and who took part in the original London performances of “Good Boy,” was making his directorial debut and enlisted fellow “Trek” cast members Brent Spiner, Jonathan Frakes, Gates McFadden and Colm Meany. It proved a very strong ensemble.
The orchestra was the rough and ready Orange County Symphony, led by its music director, Edward Peterson. The musicians surrounded the center stage and through the clever scenario became a virtual seventh character.
André Previn died today, may he rest in peace. The New York Times obit is here.
Classical Life 