The Concerto for Orchestra No. 1, “Naughty Limericks,” by the brilliant Russian composer Rodion Shchedrin (born 1932), composed in 1963. Great fun. Evgeni Svetlanov conducts the USSR Symphony Orchestra.
Classical cover: ‘Also Sprach Zarathustra’
From 1972. Here’s how the opening of Richard Strauss’s Also Sprach Zarathustra sounds in its original form, as famously used to launch Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey.”
Recommended recordings: September
Recommended recordings of the pieces performed by the Pacific Symphony on its programs in September. Shostakovich: Festive Overture. Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Neeme Jarvi, conductor. Chandos. Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1. Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Krill Kondrashin, conductor. Martha Argerich, piano.
Pacific Overtures: September
Here’s the latest edition of my newsletter. Contents: September Concerts Roundup Interview: Dennis Kim Interview: Meredith Crawford Listen to This: Boléro Single Tickets Connections Series Renamed Video: Festive Overture Essential Books (4) Miscellany Pacific Overtures. September, 2018.
Listen to this: ‘Boléro’
First in a series. Videographer: Paul Harkins.
Interview: Meredith Crawford, principal viola
By ERICA SHARP Meredith Crawford, principal viola of Pacific Symphony, cheerfully picked up the phone to talk to an interviewer at the appointed time. She said she had just come back from a walk on the beach. She currently resides
Interview: Dennis Kim, concertmaster
By TIMOTHY MANGAN Dennis Kim is the new concertmaster of Pacific Symphony, named in April to the position after a long search, replacing Raymond Kobler, who retired in 2016 after 17 years with the orchestra. Kim just moved to Irvine
Pacific Symphony: September concerts
The summer season ends with fireworks and the 40th anniversary indoor season begins with shooting stars this month. The annual Tchaikovsky Spectacular, Sept. 8, features big works by Pyotr Ilyich and his Russian compatriots. The commanding Van Cliburn-winning pianist Vadym
Miscellany
Plácido Domingo, 77, has sung his 150th role. … Architect Frank Gehry has designed a new concert hall for L.A. Phil’s youth orchestra. … The music director of the Long Beach Symphony adds the Portland Symphony (Maine) to his resume.
Weissenberg plays ‘Petrushka’
Here’s one of my favorite concert videos. It features pianist Alexis Weissenberg playing Stravinsky’s Three Movements from Petrushka. The director is Ake Falck, and while he didn’t exactly reinvent the wheel, the lighting and the camerawork here are superb. Notice