After the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande cancelled several commissions and a residency with him, Swiss composer Richard Dubugnon is suing the orchestra. A curious succession of general managers is at the origin of the situation. The residence included a creation for the centenary in 2018, a CD, a work for young audiences, conferences and meetings in the music schools. It was announced in concert programs and a seasonal brochure of the OSR. The cancellation, a year and a half in advance, « is a big loss for me », says the composer. As it was reported, Dubugnon’s publisher Peters sent the orchestra two letters to find an arrangement. They were unsuccessful. Now the Court will have to state.

Seriji Ozawa
Photo: CAMI

The conductor Seiji Ozawa has cancelled his concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood Festival this summer because of a “lack of physical strength.” The 80-year-old conductor said in a statement that he was disappointed not to be coming to Tanglewood, where he studied as a young man, conducted the BSO during his 29 seasons as music director and where a concert hall  has his name. Read More →

Suntory Hall

Throughout the 30th anniversary season, world-renowned musicians have talked to the cameras about why they like performing at Tokyo’s Suntory Hall, what they find special about its acoustics and about their fondest memories of performing there. Read More →

Nelson Goerner
Photo: J.B. Millot

Mister Goerner, some of the most famous Argentinian pianists, you included, live in Europe. Why?
I think this happens because we are simply too far, geographically, from the European music centres. It would be very unpractical to have to go back and forth all the time! This is sad, for ours is a hugely musical country, and we can be surely proud to have one of the most beautiful halls in the world, the Teatro Colon. Those artists who experience this hall for the first time always do so with amazement. Read More →

Ludwig van Beethoven: Sonate Nr. 29 (Hammerklavier) op. 106, Bagatelles op. 126; Nelson Goerner, Klavier; 1 CD Alpha 239; Aufnahme 05/2015, Veröffentlichung 04/2016 (62'55) – Rezension von Remy Franck

Man braucht Nelson Goerner nicht lange zuzuhören, um seine Stärken in Beethovens Hammerklavier-Sonate auszumachen: eine außergewöhnliche klangliche Klarheit, schlanke Linien und eine sehr wache Vitalität fernab jeden intellektuellen Zugriffs kennzeichnen die Sonate. Read More →

Benjamin Godard, Sonates pour piano et violon nos. 1-4; Nicolas Dautricourt, Violine, Dana Ciocarlie, Klavier; 2 CDs Aparté AP 124; Aufnahme 10/2015, Veröffentlichung 03/2016 (88') – Rezension von Remy Franck

Als gefeierter Geiger wusste Benjamin Godard (1849-1895) genau, was er zu tun hatte, als er seine vier Sonaten für Violine und Klavier komponierte. Und die erste davon entstand, als der junge Musiker gerade mal 17 Jahre alt war. Doch sie ist nicht die einzige, die von leidenschaftlicher Kraft geprägt ist. Read More →

After several cases of sex abuse in various schools in Paris, a report of the General Inspectorate recommends the limitation of individual courses, notably in Conservatories, to avoid situations presenting a risk of sexual abuse on minors. The text has upset the teachers who do not want to be collectively considered as potential paedophiles. The teachers associations are ready to fight for maintaining individual courses which, according to them, are essential for music teaching. Meanwhile the administration of the Mayor Anne Hidalgo communicated that the city does not at all have the intention to abolish the individual courses.

Canadian pianist is the successor of Maria João Pires at the Chapelle Musicale Reine Elisabeth in Brussels. He becomes the new Master for Piano teaching at the Belgian breeding ground for special talents.

Dimitrij Kitajenko
Photo: Gerd Mothes

The Budapest Festival Orchestra is shortening its 2016/17 season in order to survive after heavy cuts made by the General Assembly of Budapest to their funding. So, a series of concerts planned for October 2016 (conductor: Dmitrij Kitajenko, with pianist Lilya Zilberstein) has been withdrawn from the season.

Manfred Honeck
(c) Jason Cohn

Pizzicato-Mitarbeiter Alain Steffen hat Konzerte bei den Dresdner Musikfestspielen besucht. Hier ist sein Bericht. Read More →