In today’s Orange County Register online, I review conductor James Gaffigan, pianist Orion Weiss and the Pacific Symphony in a season finale program featuring Gershwin and Rachmaninoff.
CLICK HERE TO READ MY REVIEW, or pick up a copy of tomorrow’s newspaper.
The Taningard ex-Davy, or Taningard ex-John Doe, or Neo violin made its first public appearance in the care of my son yesterday at his 8th grade graduation ceremony. Conditions were favorable. His name (my son’s) was spelled correctly in the program. A sizable crowd, each of them a connoisseur of the finer things in life, awaited him in the seats of Plummer Auditorium in Fullerton, an acoustically friendly venue built in 1930. The lighting was dramatic.
His vehicle: The Gigue from the Partita No. 2 for solo violin by Johann Sebastian Bach. The boy has had this piece under his belt for some time, so there was no undue stress in performing it.
Rehearsal had gone well, though it had been decided that a microphone would be used. The day of the performance, however, we were told that the microphone wouldn’t be used, and we were happy about it because we wanted to see what the violin could do on its own.
We spent a great deal of our time and energy on the day of the performance in making sure that the violin would be safe backstage. A special table was supplied just for the violin; a stagehand promised to watch it as it sat there, protecting it from barbarians and thieves. My son and I, loitering in the wings, discussed where he would stand onstage for maximum effect — directly under the proscenium and dead center.
In the event, violinist and violin met expectations. The son (afterwards) said that he made a couple of miscues, but they were minor. His parents, snapping photos (without flash) and shooting video, certainly did not notice, and the video provided evidence of most proficient execution. There was some debate amongst us as to whether or not the performance was loud enough in the big hall. I believe I won the day by insisting that it was (because I’m right).
He received a boisterous ovation, and not just from his parents.
And the violin itself (made in Rome by Taningard in 1748, according to sources and the label) sounded terrific: Smooth, mellow and powerful. Mission accomplished.
related posts:
The 65th annual Ojai Music Festival takes place this weekend in beautiful downtown Ojai. This year’s music director is Dawn Upshaw, and she’s invited along the Australian Chamber Orchestra, violinist Richard Tognetti, pianist Gilbert Kalish and director Peter Sellars, among others. Click here for the full schedule.
Above are photos of the new Libbey Bowl, which was inaugurated Saturday with a concert by Upshaw and eighth blackbird (as seen in photos two and three). Click on the thumbnail photos for larger views.
photos: courtesy of the ojai festival
A couple of hayseeds, Homer and Jethro, attend the opera. Spike Jones and his Big Band, 1940s. (Click on the little play button above to hear the song.)
photo: (l-r) Spike Jones, Marilyn Monroe, Ken Murray, 1952.
“Pal-yat-chee” lyrics are below:
In today’s Orange County Register online, I review Carl St.Clair and the Pacific Symphony in performances of Martinu and Shostakovich. Conrad Tao, 16, joined them for Rachmaninoff’s “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.”
CLICK HERE TO READ THE MY REVIEW, or pick up a copy of tomorrow’s newspaper.
Music by Bach: “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring.”
Related post: Great moments in commercial music: Jameson’s whiskey
Available for a limited number of cancellations: Yuja Wang.
The sensational young pianist did it last year, late in the season. (Louis Lortie came to the rescue.) Now she’s done it again, late in the season, late in the day. Wang has cancelled her appearances with the Pacific Symphony June 2-5. Word went out Friday afternoon. “Due to illness” was the reason given. We hope she’s OK, of course.
She was to perform Rachmaninoff’s “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini” with Carl St.Clair and the orchestra. Conrad Tao, a 16-year-old Chinese-American pianist, will step in and perform the same piece.
This has been a public service announcement.
The violin repertoire is full of bonbons and/or showpieces such as Ottokar Novacek’s “Perpetuum mobile.” As my son studies some of them, including the Novacek, I’m learning to like them and regret that, these days, they aren’t played more often.
Generally, these pieces are extremely lightweight, but they make no pretensions of being anything other than what they are. They aim to impress, they aim to entertain.
Below, Yehudi Menuhin zips through the Novacek in 1934, with Pierre Monteux and the Paris Symphony Orchestra in support.
John Alexander and the Pacific Chorale will make two tours during the season. CLICK HERE TO READ MY ARTICLE.
photo: St. Etienne-du-Mont, church interior, Paris.
In today’s Orange County Register online, I review a production of a rare Shostakovich operetta. CLICK HERE TO READ MY REVIEW, or pick up a copy of tomorrow’s newspaper.
photo: keith ian polakoff
Classical Life 