Saturday, 27 February 2010
Rhinegold Singers taste victory
The Rhinegold Singers have emerged victorious, with all limbs intact, from the first round of the Office Choir Competition. This is despite the fact that, due to the creepily similar 'red and black' dress codes of all the choirs involved, the Apothecaries' Hall looked more like the set of The Cook, the thief, his wife & her lover, than a civilised vocal contest. And when I say vocal contest, of course, I mean BRUTAL MEAT RIPPING SMACKDOWN.
Thursday, 25 February 2010
John's college
To play this composer's oboe concerto, you will require, among more regular items of percussionry (such as the waterphone and lion's roar): 10 'or so' tin cans, 5 scaffolding bars, 4 car wheels, 2 spring coils and and oxygen cylinder. And they're letting him loose on Dartington?!
Actually, the appointment, from 2011, of John Woolrich as artistic director for the next three years of the 60+ years old summer school and festival could be a stroke of genius. Dartington is nothing if not eclectic. So who better to take over the reins than the classical music's foremost Selecta. Over the years, his concert programmes (he has been closely involved with Britten Sinfonia and is associate artistic director at the Aldeburgh Festival) have become renowned for their intelligent mixing of old and new, familiar and unfamiliar. Always he puts the focus on the qualities of individual pieces, which the audience can inspect as if they were curious samples picked out from a larger, less defined musical landscape.
It's the same in his own music, which might draw inspiration from Monteverdi (eg the short piece for viola and strings, Ulysses Awakes) or surrealist art (The Elephant from Celebes) - as well as the local builders' merchant.
Actually, the appointment, from 2011, of John Woolrich as artistic director for the next three years of the 60+ years old summer school and festival could be a stroke of genius. Dartington is nothing if not eclectic. So who better to take over the reins than the classical music's foremost Selecta. Over the years, his concert programmes (he has been closely involved with Britten Sinfonia and is associate artistic director at the Aldeburgh Festival) have become renowned for their intelligent mixing of old and new, familiar and unfamiliar. Always he puts the focus on the qualities of individual pieces, which the audience can inspect as if they were curious samples picked out from a larger, less defined musical landscape.
It's the same in his own music, which might draw inspiration from Monteverdi (eg the short piece for viola and strings, Ulysses Awakes) or surrealist art (The Elephant from Celebes) - as well as the local builders' merchant.
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
The music of everyday life
You all know what I mean. That jingle preceding the railway station announcement which, though a simple arpeggio, reminds you unfailingly of the last movement of Telemann's viola concerto. The signal indicating that the doors of the tube train are about to close - it's the theme from the Alpine Symphony, right? Or is it Dvorak 7? Or is it just a random falling minor third?
Then there were the automatic hand driers in the toilets of my university library which, when starting, sounded exactly like the very opening of Walton's viola concerto. Or the Samsung ML-2010 mono laser printer which produces a tritone when in action. What the devil...?
Yes, as Martha and the Vandellas foresaw, there is music, sweet music everywhere (if not swinging, swaying and records playing). And, for sure, you'll have your own examples of musical themes that are insinuated in the fabric of your day-to-day life.
Take car horns - they always seem to parp out a major second, or a minor third. How brusque, when all the driver wants to do is toot a cheery greeting or gently alert a dozy pedestrian to his presence! And so intrusive for the poor bystander who happens to be nearby. So why not provide motorists with a choice of horn: what about a nice major third when politeness is required, and leave the surlier intervals for, ahem, emergencies only.
Then there were the automatic hand driers in the toilets of my university library which, when starting, sounded exactly like the very opening of Walton's viola concerto. Or the Samsung ML-2010 mono laser printer which produces a tritone when in action. What the devil...?
Yes, as Martha and the Vandellas foresaw, there is music, sweet music everywhere (if not swinging, swaying and records playing). And, for sure, you'll have your own examples of musical themes that are insinuated in the fabric of your day-to-day life.
Take car horns - they always seem to parp out a major second, or a minor third. How brusque, when all the driver wants to do is toot a cheery greeting or gently alert a dozy pedestrian to his presence! And so intrusive for the poor bystander who happens to be nearby. So why not provide motorists with a choice of horn: what about a nice major third when politeness is required, and leave the surlier intervals for, ahem, emergencies only.
Monday, 15 February 2010
And it could have been a night to marimba...!
Viola d'Odio was mightily disappointed to discover that this week's performance of Steve Reich's Drumming at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, featuring a starry line-up of Britain's kings of hitting things at the right time and led by Colin Currie (not pictured), is sold out.
For many, Drumming is one of those pieces which, when heard for the first time, comes as a revelation, almost euphorically so. And its fans come from all kinds of musical traditions and backgrounds. So it's not that surprising that all the seats should have gone.
I suppose I can't really complain - c'est la vie and un reminder to have a little more foresight. But a couple of thoughts nag. Firstly, my attention was drawn to the event because it featured in the Guardian Guide's Preview section. Why preview an event which anybody without a ticket will be unable to attend having read the article?
Given the piece's cult popularity (if that's not a contradiction) and the illustriousness of the performers involved, the Southbank Centre has missed a trick in not programming more than one performance - my second irritation. It could have run for a week and sold out each night!
For many, Drumming is one of those pieces which, when heard for the first time, comes as a revelation, almost euphorically so. And its fans come from all kinds of musical traditions and backgrounds. So it's not that surprising that all the seats should have gone.
I suppose I can't really complain - c'est la vie and un reminder to have a little more foresight. But a couple of thoughts nag. Firstly, my attention was drawn to the event because it featured in the Guardian Guide's Preview section. Why preview an event which anybody without a ticket will be unable to attend having read the article?
Given the piece's cult popularity (if that's not a contradiction) and the illustriousness of the performers involved, the Southbank Centre has missed a trick in not programming more than one performance - my second irritation. It could have run for a week and sold out each night!
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
From Russia with love
All hail the opera divas of Anna Netrebko and Dmitri Hvorostovsky! Bringing charm and glamour to London’s Royal Festival Hall, as part of its ‘International Voices Series’, the pair took us on a journey of ‘favourite classics and hidden gems from the most popular composers of opera’.
And with neither wanting to be outdone by the other, both displayed flamboyant dress changes that would have put the costume department of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ to shame – and those shoes! Whoever knew Hvorostovsky could look so good in heels? And need we mention the Katherine Jenkins’ Barbie Doll pass-me-down dress for Netrebko?
Clothing aside, this was a concert of the highest calibre with both singers on top form. However, concerts of opera appetizers such as this can all too often turn into a ragbag, and it took a while for things to settle into place here as well, with both singers making surprising choices for their opening arias. First up was Dmitri Hvorostovsky with a highly challenging ‘Wolfram’s Aria’ from Tannhäuser, and not even his dazzling Colgate grin could mask the difficulty of this aria, with its traitorous legato lines and phrases that sit right on the pasaggio of the voice.
It wasn’t long though before the gems were brought out and things were able to really get going. Both chose arias from Gounod’s Faust to wow the audience; Hvorostovsky first displaying graceful legato lines in ‘Avant de quitter ces lieux’ before Netrebko glittered with the ‘Jewel Song’. There’s no doubt that Netrebko has an incredibly warm pallet of colours and tones but in some of the more spritly repertoire, her covered tone can sometimes seem to thicken the sound when it really needs to ping like light on jewel. Notably, it was the Jewel Song from Faust in this programme which lacked the sparkle this aria requires but her charisma and presence still made this a charming performance.
After the interval, came a selection of Italian and Russian pieces and it was Arditi’s ‘Il bacio’ by Netrebko and Verdi’s ‘Cortigiani vil razza’ which showed the singers at their best.
The icing on the cake came in the form of Tchaikovsky’s ‘Closing Duet’ which was emotionally and beautifully performed, drawing the audience in to every nuance of this touching piece.
And with neither wanting to be outdone by the other, both displayed flamboyant dress changes that would have put the costume department of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ to shame – and those shoes! Whoever knew Hvorostovsky could look so good in heels? And need we mention the Katherine Jenkins’ Barbie Doll pass-me-down dress for Netrebko?
Clothing aside, this was a concert of the highest calibre with both singers on top form. However, concerts of opera appetizers such as this can all too often turn into a ragbag, and it took a while for things to settle into place here as well, with both singers making surprising choices for their opening arias. First up was Dmitri Hvorostovsky with a highly challenging ‘Wolfram’s Aria’ from Tannhäuser, and not even his dazzling Colgate grin could mask the difficulty of this aria, with its traitorous legato lines and phrases that sit right on the pasaggio of the voice.
It wasn’t long though before the gems were brought out and things were able to really get going. Both chose arias from Gounod’s Faust to wow the audience; Hvorostovsky first displaying graceful legato lines in ‘Avant de quitter ces lieux’ before Netrebko glittered with the ‘Jewel Song’. There’s no doubt that Netrebko has an incredibly warm pallet of colours and tones but in some of the more spritly repertoire, her covered tone can sometimes seem to thicken the sound when it really needs to ping like light on jewel. Notably, it was the Jewel Song from Faust in this programme which lacked the sparkle this aria requires but her charisma and presence still made this a charming performance.
After the interval, came a selection of Italian and Russian pieces and it was Arditi’s ‘Il bacio’ by Netrebko and Verdi’s ‘Cortigiani vil razza’ which showed the singers at their best.
The icing on the cake came in the form of Tchaikovsky’s ‘Closing Duet’ which was emotionally and beautifully performed, drawing the audience in to every nuance of this touching piece.
Monday, 18 January 2010
Who you calling A Pariah?
The classical music world, in Britain at least, is getting its knickers in a twist about the appointment of Alexander Prior as assistant to the guest conductors (does that sound slightly contrived to you?) at the Seattle Symphony, an orchestra which, conspiracy fans, is both going through a period of industrial dispute and on the hunt for a new music director to take over from current boss Gerard Schwarz when he steps down as music director in 2011 and which therefore might just possibly welcome some positive publicity.
We'll leave others to decide just how graceless were his reported remarks on his job offer and only offer the advice that people are more likely to want to work with you if a) you do not make them feel that they are exploitable footsoldiers in your quest for world domination and b) that you have a musical vision which does not totally conflict with the aims of the orchestras you are hoping will hire you.
Instead, we'll chuckle ruefully about the fact that the loser - let's call him the loser - of last year's Leeds International Conductors Competition is getting the press, when the actual winner, Geoffrey Paterson isn't, at least for the time being. Since his success (he was awarded the audience prize as well as the main jury prize), Paterson has been working on projects at the Royal Opera (he is, as a repetiteur, a graduate of its opera studio) and Opera North - so much for that good old British institutional ageism Prior blubs about. And we also hear rumours of a new chamber group to be launched in April, a crack band of young professionals under his direction that will focus on classics of modern music - the first programme will feature music by Ligeti and Boulez. The contrast with Prior's avowed musical conservatism really needs no comment.
We'll leave others to decide just how graceless were his reported remarks on his job offer and only offer the advice that people are more likely to want to work with you if a) you do not make them feel that they are exploitable footsoldiers in your quest for world domination and b) that you have a musical vision which does not totally conflict with the aims of the orchestras you are hoping will hire you.
Instead, we'll chuckle ruefully about the fact that the loser - let's call him the loser - of last year's Leeds International Conductors Competition is getting the press, when the actual winner, Geoffrey Paterson isn't, at least for the time being. Since his success (he was awarded the audience prize as well as the main jury prize), Paterson has been working on projects at the Royal Opera (he is, as a repetiteur, a graduate of its opera studio) and Opera North - so much for that good old British institutional ageism Prior blubs about. And we also hear rumours of a new chamber group to be launched in April, a crack band of young professionals under his direction that will focus on classics of modern music - the first programme will feature music by Ligeti and Boulez. The contrast with Prior's avowed musical conservatism really needs no comment.
Friday, 8 January 2010
Coming to a TV near you!
Entitled Pop star to Opera star, ITV’s new classical ‘reality’ show has already managed to cause a substantial stir in the media, even before it hits our screens on 15 January. The mere thought of it causes my pulse to race, teeth to clench and arguments to commence, with many people trying to fathom the intended result for the creation of such a programme.
Firstly, to call this programme a ‘reality’ show is simply obscured – for what exactly are they suggesting is ‘real’, or for that matter, truly reflective of the opera singing? I can see that the intention behind this programme is good enough – pop singers from Kym Marsh to Jimmy Osmond, who, I’m assuming have an interest in classical music – are given some first-rate tuition (in some cases) to help them use their voices in a classical way. But I can’t help but think that this is all one big plug to encourage ‘opera for the masses’. Not that I’m suggesting this isn’t appropriate, in principle. I still believe that, in many cases, opera is assumed to be a form of entertainment reserved for the elite and therefore inaccessible to many, but this isn’t to say that there isn’t equally a lot of initiative being taken by opera companies, from small amateur groups right through to the international establishments to encourage a wider audience. However, I’m reserved to think that creating a show of this sort will do anything to support this ideal. On the contrary, surely it will only prove the point that opera is a specialist art and that it is damn well hard to perform.
And if the thought of celebrities bashing out their renditions of opera favourites wasn’t enough to encourage you to take up an evening class, or read a good book, it has been rumoured that the judging panel will include the likes of Katherine Jenkins, Russell Watson and even Paul Potts – none of whom have notably sung in a professional opera production! However, the show will also see contestants coached by Mexican tenor, Ronaldo Villazón, the one genuine operatic singer in the line-up.
I’m intrigued to see how well this programme will be received and the response it creates. If anything, it is bound to encourage an interest in opera to a wider audience, but I can’t help but think that it’s just another money-making programme following this current media frenzy for music-based reality shows.
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