Welsh bass-baritone Bryn Terfel, has been forced to cancel his participation in yesterday’s performance of The Flying Dutchman at the Bilbao Opera in Spain, after suffering a fall in which he broke his right foot. He was replaced by Moldovan bass-baritone Roman Ialcic, the opera house announced. Read More →
Luxembourg has granted the super-reduced VAT rate (3%) to composers, writers and performers, for services, fees as well as royalties. The notion of performer (or performing artist) thus covers « any person who represents, recites, declaims, plays or otherwise performs a literary or artistic work, a variety, circus or puppet show ». Read More →
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) announced today that Italian conductor Jader Bignamini, 43, has been appointed Music Director beginning with the 2020-2021 season. Bignamini was chosen following a search by an eight-member search committee comprising DSO musicians, board, and staff. Jader Bignamini succeeds Leonard Slatkin, who ended his decade-long tenure as DSO Music Director in 2018 and is currently the orchestra’s Music Director Laureate. Read More →
After Jun Märkl cancelled concerts with the Belgrade Philharmonic over contractual issues, as reported by Pizzicato in an on-line article, the Belgrade Philharmonic issued an official statement, and subsequently its chief conductor, Gabriel Feltz, came forward, expressing his astonishment at the conductor’s reaction and his regret over Märkl’s failure to conduct the Belgrade Philharmonic. The Belgrade Philharmonic said, it will « take all measures that the law provides in such situations. » Read More →
The San Francisco Symphony (SFS) announce the launch of SFS Media’s new Digital Concert Series on Apple Music and all major streaming and download platforms. In celebration of MTT’s 25th and final season as Music Director, the series will include live concert recordings from 2019–20 season concerts featuring composers that MTT and the SFS have championed throughout their decades together. Read More →
Over 500 pianists from 53 countries have submitted their application for the 18th International Chopin Piano Competition, which is to open in Warsaw on October 2. It is a record number in the almost 100-year history of the competition, the organizer, Fryderyk Chopin Institute, says. In 2015, 452 pianists applied, and in 2010, only 353. Read More →
Dutch violinist, conductor, and pedagogue Jaap Schröder died yesterday, 1 January 2020, in Amsterdam, aged 94. He was one of the most versatile of the musicians who have emerged from the historical performance movement. Read More →
Erwin Schulhoff: Klavierwerke (Klaviersonate Nr. 3 + Ironien op. 34 für Klavier 4-händig + 10 Klavierstücke op. 30 + Musik für Klavier op. 35 + 11 Inventionen op. 36); Monica Gutman, Erika Le Roux, Klavier; 1 CD Wergo WER7385-2; Aufnahme 2019, Veröffentlichung 11/2019 (70'46) - Rezension von Remy Franck
Erwin Schulhoff, der 1942 im Nazi-Konzentrationslager Wülzburg an Tuberkulose starb, war allen Strömungen und Stilen seiner Zeit offen. Er galt ab 1933 im Nazi-Deutschland als ‘entartet’, aber er komponierte weiter, wenn auch sehr wenig im Vergleich zu seinem Output in den Zwanzigerjahren. Stücke aus seinem reichhaltigen Klavierwerk sind auf dieser CD zu hören. Read More →
André Modeste Grétry: Raoul Barbe Bleue; Stephane Rougier, Chantal Santon Jeffery, Orkester Nord, Martin Wahlberg; 2 CDs Aparté AP214; Aufnahme 11/2018, Veröffentlichung 11/2019 (87') - Rezension von Remy Franck & Uwe Krusch
André Grétrys 1789, wenige Wochen vor der Französischen Revolution in Paris uraufgeführte Oper Raoul Barbe Bleue gehört zur Gattung der Opéra Comique und wurde komponiert nach einem Libretto von Michel-Jean Sedaine. Dieses ist inspiriert von Perraults La Barbe Bleue sowie von mittelalterlichem Romanmaterial, insbesondere Le roman du châtelain de Coucy & de la Dame de Fayel und La châtelaine de Vergy. Read More →
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Oktett; Franz Schubert: Klavierquintett D. 667 (Forellenquintett); Gerold Huber, Klavier, Alexandra Hengstebeck, Kontrabass, Diogenes Quartett (Stefan Kirpal, Gundula Kirpal, Violine, Alba Gonzalez i Becerra, Bratsche, Stephen Ristau, Cello), Henschel Quartett (Christoph Henschel, Teresa la Cour, Violine, Monika Henschel, Bratsche, Mathias Beyer- Karlshøy, Cello); 1 CD Solo Musica SM 332; Aufnahme 10/2018, Veröffentlichung 10/2019 (69:45) – Rezension von Uwe Krusch
Das Henschel Quartett hat zwei der emblematischsten und beliebtesten Werke der Literatur, das Forellenquintett von Schubert und das Oktett für Streicher von Mendelssohn für die aktuelle Aufnahme ausgewählt und sich zur Realisierung mit dem Diogenes Quartett bzw. einzelnen Interpreten zusammengetan. Diese Werke, insbesondere das Oktett, stehen seit vielen Jahren im Mittelpunkt ihres Schaffens, so dass sie damit zutiefst vertraut sind. Read More →
