Roundup: Orchestra's Wagner, Dolce Suono's Tango, Trio Cavatina

Wagner and the tango, re-examined

The Philadelphia Orchestra and the Dolce Suono chamber players presented two contemporary additions to the grand tradition of instrumental suites taken from opera and ballet music.

Tom Purdom

Dec 15, 2009 · Articles · 4 minute read

Schumann Trio's debut

Do I hear a clarinet?

In its much-anticipated Philadelphia debut, the Schumann Trio demonstrated why three diverse and busy musicians have chosen to join forces.

Michael Woods

Dec 15, 2009 · Articles · 3 minute read

Peter Serkin piano recital at Perelman

Professor Serkin's grand tutorial

Peter Serkin's recital at the Perelman Theater was a tutorial in the Western classical tradition, anchored in two seminal works of Arnold Schoenberg that began and ended the program. Chopin and Debussy were on hand too, but the evening's highlight was a mesmerizing performance of Charles Wuorinen's ferocious Scherzo, a work written for Serkin that few other pianists in the world could have played.

Robert Zaller

Dec 15, 2009 · Articles · 5 minute read

Philadelphia Orchestra plays Wagner (1st review)

Where's the beef? Or: Wagner sans drama

The Philadelphia Orchestra demonstrated that Wagner without drama can be beautiful. It can also put you to sleep.

Steve Cohen

Dec 12, 2009 · Articles · 2 minute read

Nézet-Séguin conducts the Orchestra (3rd review)

A day and a night in Vivier's Paris (in just 13 minutes)

Claude Vivier's Orion took me on a sprightly 13-minute tour of Paris. In the process, it managed to make Brahms seem tedious by comparison.

Michael Woods

Dec 12, 2009 · Articles · 4 minute read

Nézet-Séguin conducts the Orchestra (2nd review)

In defense of leisurely pacing

Poor César Franck— even the Philadelphia Orchestra's program annotator chides his symphony for being repetitive. But in an age before cell phones, TV and recordings, concerts provided leisurely immersion in beautiful sounds.

Steve Cohen

Dec 12, 2009 · Articles · 3 minute read

Chamber concerts: 1807 and Amerita

Across the generation gap

In two local chamber concerts, the retired Philadelphia Orchestra cellist Lloyd Smith teamed up with his young successor, Yumi Kendall.

Tom Purdom

Dec 08, 2009 · Articles · 3 minute read

Nézet-Séguin conducts the Orchestra (1st review)

Conductor shortage? Where?

Let the auditions continue: Yannick Nézet-Séguin, the young music director of the Rotterdam Philharmonic and principal guest conductor of the London Philharmonic, made a return appearance with the Philadelphia Orchestra and brought fresh energy to two Romantics and a modern.

Robert Zaller

Dec 08, 2009 · Articles · 4 minute read

Mendelssohn Quartet's farewell concert

Three ages of man, one last time

The Mendelssohn String Quartet, disbanding after 30 years, played a program of early Mendelssohn, early middle Bartok, and late Beethoven to a capacity house. Whatever the reasons for the Quartet's separation, they were in full communion for this finale. Their intimacy and feel for inner balances will be missed.

Robert Zaller

Dec 08, 2009 · Articles · 5 minute read

The Academy's acoustics: A forgotten treasure

Let's set the record straight: The Academy's maligned acoustics

Conventional wisdom holds that the Philadelphia Orchestra “has never had a hall worthy of its sound.” Not so. From the Orchestra's founding in 1900, the Academy of Music's acoustics drew nationwide raves from musicians, conductors, audiences and architects alike— until the Academy's stewards began tampering with it in 1960.

Steve Cohen

Dec 01, 2009 · Articles · 4 minute read