May Festival Tradition Captured Splendidly at Carnegie Hall

Posted: May 11, 2014 - 11:58:58 AM in: reviews_2014

performance of R. Nathaniel Dett, "The Ordering of Moses," Carnegie Hall, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and May Festival Chorus, May 9, 2012 (photo by Steve J. Sherman)

The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the May Festival Chorus represented the Queen City and her historic choral tradition at the 2014 "Spring for Music" Festival in New York's Carnegie Hall May 9. Centerpiece of their program, which was led by May Festival music director James Conlon, was R. Nathaniel Dett's oratorio "The Ordering of Moses," premiered at the 1937 May Festival in Cincinnati.
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CSO Closes Its Season with Scenes from the Bard

Posted: May 2, 2014 - 5:14:04 PM in: reviews_2014

Connor Lawrence as Romeo, Bailie Breaux as Juliet (photo by Philip Groshong)

This year is the 450th anniversary of the birth of William Shakespeare. The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra took a cue from that for the final concert of its 2013-2014 Music Hall season. Led by guest conductor James Gaffigan, the CSO performed excerpts from Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet" accompanied by dramatic presentations by the drama department of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Guest artist in Max Bruch's "Scottish Fantasy" was violinist Nicola Benedetti.
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American Cuisine at the Cincinnati Symphony

Posted: Apr 28, 2014 - 1:00:02 PM in: reviews_2014

Orli Shaham

Works by Leonard Bernstein framed the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra's penultimate concert of the season April 26 at Music Hall. The all-American concert also featured a CSO premiere, Steven Mackey's 2011 piano concerto "Stumble to Grace." Guest artist in Mackey's concerto was pianist Orli Shaham, who also performed Bernstein's Symphony No. 2, "The Age of Anxiety," with Robertson and the CSO. The concert opened with a bright, energetic performance of Bernstein's Three Dances Episodes from "On the Town." (first published at www.concertonet.com)
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Hadelich, Premieres Liven Exceptional CSO Program

Posted: Apr 12, 2014 - 1:57:18 PM in: reviews_2014

Augustin Hadelich performing Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra April 11, 2014 at Music Hall

Guest conductor Juanjo Mena and violinist Augustin Hadelich brought old and new to life at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra April 11 at Music Hall. Hadelich was soloist in Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto, while Mena presided over two CSO premieres, Alberto Ginastera's “Panambí” and Gabriel Pierné’s Overture to "Ramuntcho."
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Boychoir's "All Quiet" Powerful

Posted: Apr 7, 2014 - 4:10:51 PM in: reviews_2014

The Cincinnati Boychoir observed the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II with a special "All Quiet" program April 6 at St. Peter in Chains Cathedral. It was a moving experience, both in concept and reality. Heard was music by all-French composers, chosen because of France's centrality to the epochal conflict.
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CCM's "Don Pasquale" a Delight

Posted: Apr 5, 2014 - 3:03:05 PM in: reviews_2014

Charles (Zach) Owen as Pasquale in Donizetti's "Don Pasquale" at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music

Donizetti's "Don Pasquale" at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music April 3 had everything: great singing, sharp acting and a beautiful period production. From the melodious Overture (with the CCM Concert Orchestra, led by Mark Gibson) to the pop of silver confetti at the end, it was a delight (first published in the Cincinnati Enquirer April 5, 2014).
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Ariel Quartet Caps Beethoven Cycle Splendidly

Posted: Mar 31, 2014 - 2:28:11 PM in: reviews_2014

left to right: Amit-Even Tov, Jan Grüning, Alexandra Kazovsky and Gershon Gerchikov

It's a long journey from Op. 18 to Op. 135, but the Ariel String Quartet, quartet-in-residence at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory, ended the traversal of the complete string quartets of Beethoven on a high note March 29 in CCM's Corbett Auditorium. On their program, like all of them a mix of early and later quartets, was Op. 18, No. 6, Op. 74 and Op. 132.
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Midori Guests with CSO Chamber Players

Posted: Mar 30, 2014 - 2:12:22 PM in: reviews_2014

left to right: Midori, Ted Nelson and Marna Street

Violinist Midori made a visit to the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Chamber Players a part of her stay in Cincinnati March 27-30 as guest artist with the CSO. She joined the Chamber Players in Dohnányi's Serenade for String Trio, Op. 10. Also on the program were Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 4 and the Duo for Violin and Cello by Kodály. The concert took place March 28 at the Erich Kunzel Center for Arts and Education on Central Parkway.
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Midori, CSO Luxury Casting

Posted: Mar 28, 2014 - 3:25:36 PM in: reviews_2014

Violinist Midori made a welcome return appearance with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra March 27 at Music Hall. Her calling card was Shostakovich's Violin Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, a "serious" work withheld from publication by the composer until after Josef Stalin's death, when license serious works was finally allowed. The CSO, led by guest conductor Jun Märkl, rounded out the program with a Suite from Wagner's "Ring" cycle arranged by Märkl.
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CSO, MusicNOW Align for Exciting New Collaboration

Posted: Mar 25, 2014 - 12:44:38 PM in: reviews_2014

Langrée conducting Aaron and Bryce Dessner (left and right) in Bryce's "St. Carolyn by the Sea"

(first published at www.classicalvoiceamerica.org)
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra led by music director Louis Langrée paired with Bryce Dessner of the alternative rock band The National for the 2014 edition of Dessner's MusicNOW Festival in Cincinnati. Dessner and his brother Aaron, also of The National, performed on electric guitar, there were world premieres by Nico Muhly and David Lang, music to stretch the audience by Krzysztof Penderecki and Jonny Greenwood of the rock band Radiohead, plus a pair of scores challenging in their day by Alexander Scriabin and Sergei Prokofiev.
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Oboist Parry Highlights Cincinnati Bach Festival

Posted: Mar 17, 2014 - 11:35:29 AM in: reviews_2014

Dwight Parry

The Cincinnati Bach Festival honored the oboe on the second concert of its 2014 inaugural season March 16 in Centennial Chapel at Christ Church Cathedral downtown. Dwight Parry, principal oboist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, joined baritone Jonathan Cooper in Bach's Cantata "Ich habe genug." Also on the program were works by Bach's sons Carl Philipp Emanuel and Johann Christian Bach, as well as the inimitable Peter Schickele, aka P.D.Q. Bach. Schickele's "After Hearing Bach" was a Cincinnati premiere.
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Galway, the CSO and Bruckner: Charm and Awe

Posted: Mar 16, 2014 - 11:44:17 AM in: reviews_2014

James Galway performing with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra March 14 at Music Hall

It is always an occasion when Sir James Galway appears with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. March 14 at Music Hall was no exception and the occasion was even more serendipitous coming just before St. Patrick's Day. Music director Louis Langrée sealed the program with power in the Symphony No. 7 by Anton Bruckner. (first published at www.cincinnati.com)
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"Classical Roots" Has Cincinnati Resonance

Posted: Mar 8, 2014 - 1:03:39 PM in: reviews_2014

"Classical Roots" 2014 with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, CSO Youth Orchestra Nouveau Chamber Players, Greater Cincinnati Indian Community Choir (foreground( and Classical Roots Community Mass Choir (rear) led by John Morris Russell

The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra's annual "Classical Roots" concert celebrates African-American music. This was demonstrated across a variety of genres March 7, 2014 at sold-out Music Hall. Guest artists included Marvin Winans and Adrienne Danrich, with participation also by the CSO Youth Orchestra Nouveau Chamber Players and the Greater Cincinnati Indian Community Choir. There was even a world premiere, Winans' "Even Me." (first published in the Cincinnati Enquirer)
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CCM's "El Niño" Reverential, Emotional

Posted: Mar 4, 2014 - 9:37:49 AM in: reviews_2014

John Adams' oratorio "El Niño" is about the birth of Christ. But it has a broader frame of reference, taking in the human experience from birth to violent death. The work had its regional premiere March 2, 2014 by ensembles of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music led by Earl Rivers in a performance that was both deeply reverential and emotional. (first published at www.ConcertoNet.com)
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A Verdi Requiem as Fine As One Could Wish

Posted: Mar 1, 2014 - 4:57:17 PM in: reviews_2014

Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos conducting Verdi's Requiem with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, May Festival Chorus and pictured left to right, soloists Angel Blue, soprano, and mezzo-soprano Julia Gertsova, mezzosoprano

Verdi's Requiem has had many outing in Cincinnati, both by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the annual May Festival. As led by Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos Feb. 28 at Music Hall, the canonical work, with the May Festival Chorus and a quartet of well chosen soloists rivals any within this reviewer's memory.
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