January 2008
The Bard
This weekend in Iowa – Shakespeare & orchestra
This weekend in Arizona – Shakespeare & football
Happy 252nd
No worries, Wolfgang – you don't sound that old to me.
Mozart – Serenade K361, 'Gran Partita', 6th movement: Tema con Variazioni
Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony, January 13 , 2006
He got rhythm
A highlight of my concerts last week with the LO for the Martin Luther King, Jr. anniversary was performing Gershwin with pianist Stewart Goodyear. In Stewart's hands Rhapsody in Blue was by turns brash and bluesy, swinging and soulful. I'm already looking forward to working with him again sometime down the road.
And of course it would be an understatement to suggest that the Rhapsody is one of this country's most essential works of art. In fact, I've said it and written it before – George Gershwin is the most American of all American composers. Hardly a controversial opinion, but just to back it up: a few weeks ago a Gershwin special on American Routes explored the depth of the composer's appeal to a wide variety of American musicians.
LO honors MLK
The Courier-Journal has several articles on the MLK concert this past weekend. Andrew Adler reviews the concert. Chris Otts writes about the atmosphere at the Brown. Finally, a piece about the featured student speeches and artworks.
Haimovitz, WCFSO on air
Broadcast – My October 6, 2007 concert with Matt Haimovitz and the WCFSO will be featured on Iowa Public Radio's Symphonies of Iowa series this Saturday morning at 10:00 am. [As always, time given is local.] Hoping that IPR will establish an iTunes stream soon.
Well-tempered web
In case you missed this superb piece on classical music and the internet by Alex Ross from the October 22, 2007 issue of the New Yorker. [Props to Mr. Ross for this nudge to finally start my own blog.]
Mahler on Vimeo
It has been several years since I've done video of concerts, but with all the advances in consumer HD I am thinking about jumping back in. A personal catalyst for this effort is a wonderful new video service on the web, Vimeo. I have never been a big fan of YouTube's weak aesthetics, and now I don't have to worry about it.
Mahler – Symphony no. 2, 'Resurrection'
Waterloo Cedar Falls Symphony, February 5, 2005
More excerpts and HD at Vimeo
Mahler – Symphony no. 2, 'Resurrection'
Waterloo Cedar Falls Symphony, February 5, 2005
More excerpts and HD at Vimeo
Thinking of Copland
Working with Philip Wharton on his new chamber orchestra suite [Passing Season] this week has me thinking of Copland. One piece in particular – Appalachian Spring. Similar limpid textures and sparsely gorgeous wind writing. Both have wonderful titles, too.
In 1998 I created a small chamber orchestra at the Baltimore School for the Arts, an arts high school in downtown Baltimore. [A truly inspiring place – I will write more about the school in the future.] Several students from the first year's ensemble are now doing great things in music, including Nadia Sirota in NYC and Bert Witzel, principal bass of the Louisville Orchestra.
Among the many memorable experiences I had during my four years at the School for the Arts was recording Appalachian Spring with that group of students.
Copland – Appalachian Spring, excerpts
Baltimore School for the Arts Chamber Players, 1998
Download the complete piece here. [zip/51mb]
Wharton activities
Philip Wharton is back in Iowa to help us debunk stereotypes about composers. He writes refreshingly appealing music. He performs concertos. He drinks lots of Diet Coke while spending too much time in front of the computer. What doesn't he do?
Here's a preview of Philip's residency by Melody Parker of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier.
In addition to visits to Price Lab and Hansen Elementary schools, Philip and I will be involved in a variety of other activities around town this week:
Today through Sunday, January 13 – The artwork inspiring Philip new composition 'Passing Season' will be on display at Cup of Joe on Main Street in downtown
Thursday, January 10, 7:30 pm – Open rehearsal of 'Passing Season' at the Oster Regent Theatre, with the opportunity to mingle with Philip and me at break. We have invited the New Horizon’s band, members of a local chamber music enthusiasts’ group and the WCFSO board.
Friday, January 11, 7 & 8 am – Catch us on air with Jacqueline Hallbloom on Iowa Public Radio KUNI.
Friday, January 11, 6 pm – Philip Wharton will join me at Cup of Joe for an informal discussion about 'Passing Season' and the concert on Saturday.
I'm hoping to do an interview with Philip for this site later in the week. In the meantime, concert details here.
Shostakovich redux
With the handy excuse of testing out the audio set-up for this site, I'm going back to a memorable experience from last season – the final movement pseudo-apotheosis of Shostakovich 5. In preparing the score for this performance I decided to utilize the tempo markings given in the most recent critical edition of the symphony. [This is a subject of debate among performers.] Most notably impacted is the conclusion of the piece, with the slower-by-half tempo setting an atavistic mood for the chant section and then creating the feeling of a huge, unseen [unheard] weight anchoring the final procession.
Shostakovich – Symphony no. 5, 4th movement
Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony, March 3, 2007
Who we are
In the event you are not familiar with the WCFSO and our work, here are some of the highlights.
Finally
I've been wanting to create a new site and blog for a while, but have had some trouble finding the time to get myself set-up. [Doing concerts every week will do that, but I plan to keep up with the blog now that it's rolling.] The current layout is temporary and will probably be shifting in form throughout its existence, but hopefully it will offer me the opportunity to get things organized well as I proceed towards a final design. Links are mainly on the blog. Feel free to share your thoughts with me publicly [via commenting] or privately [via email] about your encounters with my work and website, or concerning performace in general. Links to jasonweinberger.com are always appreciated.
At some point soon I am certain I will establish an order for each week's postings but this week I offer complete chaos instead, due mostly to my boy Philip Wharton and his residency with the WCFSO. More on that soon...