Stravinsky at the CSO: Here Comes the Big One

Mida oli,* 4.29.08

Remember the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s Stravinsky Festival?
   Music director Paavo Järvi focused on some of Stravinsky’s less often heard works on two CSO concerts in November (including his Symphony of Psalms and Symphony for Three Movements).  The CSO Chamber Players followed up with “Histoire du Soldat,” also in November.
    Well, here comes the big one
   To close the CSO’s 2007-08 season, Järvi will lead the orchestra in Igor Stravinsky’s fabled “Rite of Spring” at 8 p.m. May 4 and 5 at Music Hall.
   Arguably the most famous composition of the 20^th-century -- and certainly a revolutionary one – the 1913 shocker re-directed music toward its elemental roots, i.e. rhythm.
    Stravinsky’s music was so stimulating that it caused a near riot at its premiere with Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballet Russe in Paris.  Written for a ballet about pagan rites in ancient Russia, it passed quickly into the mainstream, influencing virtually ever composer who came after him in one way or another.
   Paired with it is the world premiere of “Prairyerth” by Cincinnati composer Robert Johnson and Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20, K.466, featuring guest artist Lars Vogt.

Lars Vogt

   The CSO will host its own rite of spring at a “Spring Fever” post-concert party in the Music Hall lobby immediately after the performance.
   Johnson will introduce his work, described as “evocative of the Great Plains," at a pre-concert “Classical Conversation” at 7 p.m. both nights.
    Tickets are $12-$79.25, $10 for students, half-price for seniors, at the Music Hall Box Office, 1241 Elm St.  Call (513) 381-3300, or order online at www.cincinnatisymphony.org.  Half-price ZIPTIX available at the Music Hall box office from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. concert days.

•     Hear pianist Vogt for a chamber music “encore” with the Linton Music Series at 4 p.m. May 4 in First Unitarian Church in Avondale.

   Joining Vogt will be violinist Alexander Kerr, violist Michael Strauss and cellist Eric Kim in a program comprising Schubert’s Trio No. 1 in B-flat Major for Violin, Viola and Cello, Janacek’s Sonata for Violin and Piano and Brahms’ Quartet in G Minor for Piano and Strings. 
   Kerr, former concertmaster of both the CSO and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, is now on the faculty of Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington.  Strauss is principal violist of the Indianapolis Symphony.
   Tickets are $30, $10 for students, the day of the performance.  Call (513) 381-6868.

•    The choral ensemble Cincinnati Camerata led by Christian Miller will unveil their 2008 composition contest winner at the final program of their season, "From Bourbon Street to Broadway: Music for the Hell of It," at 4 p.m. May 4 at Maple Ridge Lodge in Mt. Airy Forest.

   Following the concert, there will be a wine-tasting and silent auction with dance music by Lagniappe.
   Suggested donation is $12.  Information at (859) 491-2362, or visit http://home.fuse.net/cincinnaticamerata.com.

•    Siblings Natania and Benjamin Hoffman share the spotlight on the annual joint CSO/Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra concert at 10:30 a.m. April 30 at Music Hall.

Natania, 16, winner of the CSYO Concerto Competition,

Dorotea Hoffman

will be featured soloist in the first movement of Lalo's Cello Concerto in D Minor.  Her brother Benjamin, 18, is CSYO concertmaster

Benjamin Hoffman

and will perform the violin solos in selections from Rimsky-Korsakov's tone poem "Scheherazade."

    The Hoffmans are children of Joel and Dorotea Hoffman.  Joel Hoffman heads the composition department at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.  Dorotea is a violist, teacher and director of CCM's summer Accent program for young instrumentalists.

   Also on the program are Weber's Overture to "Der Freischütz" and Wagner's Prelude to "Die Meistersinger."  Sharing conducting duties will be CSO music director Paavo Järvi (Prelude to "Die Meistersinger"), CSYO conductor Eric Dudley (Weber, Lalo) and CSYO guest conductor Bradley Thachuck ("Scheherazade").

   Tickets are $8, at the door.
  

•    In the News: Cincinnati welcomes the CSO back from its recently completed European tour from 12:15-12:30 p.m. April 30 on Fountain Square, Fifth and Vine Streets downtown. 

   Council member Chris Monzel on behalf of Mayor Mark Mallory will present a City of Cincinnati Proclamation to Järvi and members of the CSO honoring their achievements at home and abroad.

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