Piotr Tchaikovsky

Das russische Musikleben ist zurzeit von vielen Konflikten geplagt. Neben den internen Streitigkeiten am Bolschoi, die coram publico ausgetragen werden und auf ein schwerwiegendes Malaise in der Führung des Moskauer Opernhauses hindeuten, werden einzelne Institutionen, darunter auch mindestens drei staatlich subventionierte Orchester  in finanzielle Bedrängnis gebracht, weil das Kulturministerium die Subventionen nicht überweist (Siehe hier). Read More →

A l’approche de son quart de siècle d’existence, le festival ‘Sinfonia en Périgord’ demeure fidèle au goût de la diversité qui a toujours guidé ses choix. Du 26 au 31 août, le directeur artistique David Théodorides invite à un parcours éclectique parmi les richesses musicales de l’Europe baroque que le Festival invite le mélomane, de Purcell à Biber ou Sainte-Colombe, de Händel à Bach ou Vivaldi, avec des artistes réputés ou à découvrir mais toujours profondément épris des œuvres qu’ils défendent. Read More →

Sydney Opera House

Sales are up for Opera Australia: Australia’s national opera company, resident at the Sydney Opera House and the Arts Centre, Melbourne, has increased its ticket sales in both of the houses and also on tour (Opera Australia has its own touring company, Oz Opera). According to its Annual report for 2012 the total box office reached last year $54.9m (increase 55% from $35,5 m in 2011). Read More →

Due to the shooting at MIT and the active investigation related to the Boston Marathon bombings, the Berklee College of Music in Boston was closed today, but that news won’t hide another one, a good one: The school, specializing in (all forms of) contemporary music has received a $8.1 million gift from the late Olivier Dyer Colvin Jr. who loved the music made by the students at Berklee College. Colvin’s bequest of an estimated $8.1 million is the largest gift ever made to Berklee in its 67-year history.

Seriji Ozawa
Photo: CAMI

À 77 ans, et après une longue maladie, le chef d’orchestre japonais Seiji Ozawa vient de reprendre la baguette pour diriger l’Orchestre Ozawa, son propre orchestre de jeunes. L’expérience a été satisfaisante, et le maestro a décidé qu’il pouvait continuer. Le 30 juin, il sera en Suisse au Victoria Hall de Genève pour retrouver les élèves de son Académie internationale de musique. En 2014, il pense pouvoir diriger à nouveaux de nombreux concerts.

Christopher Blake: Angel at Ahipara; The Strings of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Kenneth Young; 1 CD Atoll ACD441; 4/11 (65'25) - Reviewed by Remy Franck

At the beginning there was a landscape, Northland, located on the North Auckland Peninsula in New Zealand. There, photographer Robin Morrison made four photos that deeply inspired composer Christopher Blake (*1949). He wrote four orchestral works, the title giving ‘Angel at Ahipara’ being the first one, showing the statue of an angel at a cemetery. ‘Night Journey to Pawarenga’ refers to a small church. ‘Christ at Whangape’ is a sculpture of Christ on the Cross while ‘Anthem on the Kaipara’, the last work, also is drawn from the picture of a Cemetery – it delivers a musical homage to those pioneers who once sailed to New Zealand. Read More →

Fazil Say
Photo: Marco Borggreve

The court case regarding the claim of blasphemous behavior and language brought against Fazil Say, the renowned Turkish composer and pianist, by the 19th Criminal Court of Istanbul on the charge of having shared the quatrain of Omer Hayyam on his Twitter account has ended with the tribunal’s decision to charge him with 10 months of imprisonment, but to grant him a retrieve. Read More →

Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 op. 125; Erin Wall, soprano, Kendall Gladen, mezzo-soprano, William Burden, tenor, Nathan Berg, bass, San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Symphony Chorus, Michael Tilson Thomas; SFS Media SFS0055; Live 6/12 (70'41) – Reviewed by Remy Franck

From the very beginning one is struck by this recording’s beautifully balanced, intense and vividly dense sound. With plain strings, nicely shaped winds and dramatically interacting timpani the surround sound immerses the listener totally in a performance led by what I’d like to call ‘spirit of simplicity’. Tilson Thomas’ tempi are moderate, but never too slow, never too fast. He proves that moderation in  tempo can have a greater effect of moving than a fast tempo driven without the steady propulsive rhythm that is so characteristic to MTT’s conducting. Read More →

Colin Davis

Einer der erfolgreichsten britischen Dirigenten, Sir Colin Davis, ist gestern, am 14. April, im Alter von 85 Jahren gestorben. Im Januar war er erkrankt und hatte alle Konzerte bis Mitte des Jahres abgesagt. Read More →

Colin Davis

Ein Interview von Alain Steffen (2009)

Sir Colin, am Anfang Ihrer Karriere stand die Klarinette, nicht das Dirigentenpult. Was hat den Ausschlag gegeben, dann doch Dirigent zu werden?
Ich kann das auch heute noch nicht erklären. Es war eine völlig irrationale Entscheidung. Aber irgendwie war der Wunsch, Dirigenten zu werden, schon sehr früh da, mit dreizehn oder vierzehn Jahren. Es war ganz sicher eine Herzenssache. Read More →