Another Try at Live Music (9/19/20)

 The Orchestra Now

Roque Cordero (1917–2008) – Adagio trágico (1955)
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875–1912) – Four Novelettes, Op. 52 (1903) – Allegro moderato; Larghetto; Andante con moto; Allegro molto
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893) – Serenade for Strings, Op. 48 (1880) – Pezzo in forma di sonatina: Andante non troppo – Allegro moderato; Valse: Moderato – Tempo di Valse; Élégie: Larghetto elegiac; Finale (Tema Russo): Andante – Allegro con spirito

Such a joy. Especially the Tchaikovsky. This was a live onscreen broadcast(?) from the Fisher Center at Bard College. Still too much new-ness for me. No applause at the end of a work?
I must confess that I did not tune in for the entirety of the curtain-raiser. What I heard sounded OK.

Interesting tid-bit about Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. His mother named him after the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. He was English, of African descent. The four movements of his work that I heard were quite pleasant though they didn’t blow me away.

The Tchaikovsky Serenade is near and dear to me. As a college student, it was choreographed and set on me (and others). I was quite surprised to realize how short the waltz movement is. All four movements brought back wonderful memories. I also just heard on WQXR today that the waltz movement was fitted out with lyrics that Kathryn Grayson sang in a film. More to explore. It’s always a joy to hear live performances of music that holds a special place in the memory.

Kudos to The Orchestra Now for creating live music that we can experience via computer. Still strange, but better than nothing. I especially enjoyed it when the string players applauded the concertmaster (duh!) for a job well done.

ConcertMeister

Live Music (9/12/2020)

This was a well-thought-out (if flawed) plan.

Ukrainian Institute of America
2 East 79th Street, NYC
Music on the Steps

Serenade for Strings in E Major. Op. 22 – I. Moderato; IV. Larghetto; V. Finale: Allegro vivace – Antonin Dvorak
Four Seasons of Buenos Aires: Inverno Porteno (Winter) – Astor Piazzolla
Melody in A Minor (arranged for solo violin and string orchestra) – Myroslav Skoryk
Concerto for Two Violins – J.S. Bach

The steps alluded to above are the steps of the Ukrainian Institute. Here’s the deal. The musicians (nine string players that I heard) played on the steps of the building (a mansion at Fifth Avenue and Seventy-ninth Street). We, the audience, stood on the sidewalk. The buses and street noise didn’t help, but we all made the most of it.

I adore the Dvorak Serenade. Here, the small ensemble played the first movement with a gentle and lovely style, though it did build nicely. The fourth movement was slow and sweet, poignant at times, with a slightly lively middle section before returning to the slow tempo. The Finale was lively from the get-go. It was a lot of fun, including bringing back themes from the opening movement and then finishing with a flourish.

The Piazzolla was written in a style that I’ve heard referred to as nuevo tango. Yes, there are the traditional tango rhythms, though expanded in style. This one opened with a slightly moody feel. Then the tempo picked up a bit, though still moody, bouncing back and forth.

I did not stay for the rest of the concert. The crowd had grown; there was no way to social distance; and the 100%-masked audience became less than 100%. That was not a risk I was willing to take. Even for live music.

As I said, a good (but flawed) experiment. If they do another one, I’ll watch the live streaming. I won’t like it as much but I’ll feel safer and healthier.

ConcertMeister