Music in Cincinnati

Still Friends: The Odyssey of a Recording Producer, Part II

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:23:37 PST

Paavo Järvi and Philip Traugott

Recording producer Philip Traugott hesitated a long time before agreeing to work with his long-time friend Paavo Järvi. When BMG Classics assigned its senior producer to record for Paavo's father Neeme Järvi and the London Symphony Orchestra, the wheels were set in motion for what has become a highly successful collaboration by the two friends. Among their projects is a cycle of the complete Beethoven symphonies with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen that has earned praise worldwide.

Philip Traugott: The Odyssey of a Recording Producer, Part I

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:17:06 PST

Philip Traugott

Recording producer Philip Traugott possesses a set of skills that make him uniquely qualified for what he does. As he was following his muse as a violinist and conductor, she was preparing him for a role he hardly knew existed, much less what it consisted of. By upbringing, education, temperament and being in the right place at the right time, Traugott's niche, he found, was in the recording studio.

Zwilich Reigns in Hamilton

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 21:51:01 PST

Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (Florida State University Photo Lab)

Ellen Taaffe Zwilich charmed the citizens of Hamilton, Ohio March 6 with a concert of her music, including her Symphony No. 4, "The Gardens," heard for only the second time since its premiere at Michigan State University in 1999. Doing the honors at New Life Vineyard Church in Hamilton were the Hamilton Fairfield Symphony Orchestra led by music director Paul John Stanberg, members of the HFSO Chorale, a children's choir and hand bell ringers from the community. Soloist in her 1993 Concerto for Horn and String Orchestra was HFSO principal hornist Todd Fitter. And giving the concert punch was Zwilich's 1996 "Peanuts Gallery" for piano and orchestra performed by Kenneth Danielson, winner of the orchestra's 2009-2010 young artist competition.

Musical Memories: Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra to Honor Keith Lockhart

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:11:04 PST

The Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra will honor former music director Keith Lockhart with its "Pinnacle Award"at a gala April 9 at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza. The award is given for service to the arts in Cincinnati and is well deserved by the Boston Pops conductor who forged his career in Cincinnati. Even after being plucked out of Cincinnati to succeed John Williams in Boston in 1995, he remained music director of the CCO, continuing for four more years, leading it on tour and making two compact disc recordings Since then, Lockhart has returned to Cincinnati numerous times -- to guest conduct the CCO and also the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, where he was assistant/associate conductor from 1990-95 and protege of Cincinnati Pops conductor Erich Kunzel

Penderecki, Thomas Works Powerful in Midwest Premiere

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:18:00 PST

Augusta Read Thomas

The central division convention of the American Choral Directors Association, held in Cincinnati Feb. 24-26, included the Midwest premiere of two important choral works, Krzysztof Penderecki's 1996 Credo and Augusta Read Thomas' 2000 "Ring Out, Wild Bells, to the Wild Sky." Delivering a handsome performance Feb. 27 in Corbett Auditorium at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music were the CCM Philharmonia Orchestra, CCM Chamber Choir and Chorale, Cincinnati Children's Choir and more than a dozen vocal soloists. Conducting was Earl Rivers, director of the choral studies program and head of the division of ensembles and conducting at CCM.

Cincinnati Pops 2010-2011 Season Remembers Erich Kunzel

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 13:15:26 PST

John Williams

The Cincinnati Pops' 2010-2011 season reads like a love letter to Erich Kunzel, the revered conductor who led pops concerts in Cincinnati for 44 years and founded the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra in 1977. Names like John Williams, Bernadette Peters and Henry Mancini dot the season as do Kunzel-style Halloween, Celtic and holiday concerts. Williams will lead a special non-subscription concert in Kunzel's memory August 7 at Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati.

Corporation Formed to Renovate Music Hall

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 01:33:17 PST

Cincinnati Music Hall at night.

An entity called the Music Hall Revitalization Corporation has been formed to implement long-stalled plans to renovate Cincinnati's 133-year-old Music Hall. It has been a contentious effort, involving four tenant organizations with disparate needs and a sacrosanct identity inseparable, it seems, from that of the city itself.

Swedish Radio Choir Awe-Inspiring in Cincinnati Debut

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:26:32 PST

The Swedish Radio Choir is without doubt one of, if not the world's greatest a capella choir. Shaped and nurtured for 30 years by the legendary Eric Ericson, there seem to be no vocal challenges these 32 singers cannot meet. Led by guest conductor Ragnar Bohlin, the choir made its Cincinnati debut at St. Peter in Chains Cathedral Feb. 24 in music by Hugo Alfven, Ned Rorem, Gustav Mahler, Sven David Sandström, J.S. Bach, Anders Hillborg and Frank Martin.

Concert:nova Encores Schoenberg Success with Portrait of Mahler

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:01:07 PST

Amy Warner as Alma Mahler (Ted Nelson, cello, Owen Lee, bass, and Yael Nathalie Senamaud on left)

Concert:nova, Cincinnati's ground-breaking chamber ensemble, presents the second of its series of program featuring actors as famous composers Feb. 24 in the Gap retail store in Tower Mall in downtown Cincinnati. The empty space filled a gap for c:n when their performance home, the garden level of the Metaphor Building on Reading Road in Cincinnati, became unavailable because of fire regulations. Performing Alma Mahler in "The Heart of Mahler" will be actress Amy Warner. C:n musicians will perform three movements from Mahler's "Das Lied von der Erde" as arranged for chamber ensemble by Schoenberg (completed by Rainer Riehn in 1994) and the Fourth Symphony in the chamber version by Erwin Stein. Vocal soloists are tenor Jason Slayden and soprano Audrey Luna.

Sun and Shadow at the CCO

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 02:51:27 PST

Roberto Diaz

How do you say "It's gonna rain" in Russian? The Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra led by music director Mischa Santora said it with Prokofiev and Alfred Schnittke Feb. 21 at Memorial Hall. There was sunshine, too, in Tchaikovsky. Guest artist, with both points of view, was violist Roberto Diaz.

Gerhard Samuel, Legendary Maestro

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 15:40:41 PST

The Cincinnti Symphony Orchestra led by music director Paavo Järvi, performs

Gerhard Samuel

Hans Rott's 1880 Symphony in E Major Feb. 19 and 20 at Music Hall. It will be the CSO premiere. The actual world premiere of Rott's Symphony took place in Cincinnati on March 4, 1989 at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Legendary CCM maestro Gerhard Samuel conducted the CCM Philharmonia Orchestra on that occasion and took them to the International Mahler Festival in Paris for the work's European premiere on March 10. He and the Philharmonia made the world premiere recording on March 13 and 14 at St. Barnabas Church in London (for Hyperion).
This article, "Farewell to a Maestro" was published in The Cincinnati Post on May 30, 1997 on the occasion of Samuel's retirement from CCM.

A Newcomer at the Cincinnati Symphony

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 09:32:51 PST

Hans Rott

Music director Paavo Järvi and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra juxtaposed Brahms and Hans Rott on its concert Feb. 19 at Music Hall. How fitting, since it was Brahms who allegedly helped send the young composer to any early grave. Rott, it seems, brought his Symphony in E Major to Brahms for his comments, which were negative. Rott later slipped into insanity and died of tuberculosis in a mental asylum at age 25.
Guest artist Janine Jansen did the honors for Brahms with his Violin Concerto.

In Cincinnati and on the Road with Hans Rott

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:41:49 PST

Tom Consolo at his desk at the Cincinnati Post, where he worked as copy editor, page designer and assistant business editor from 2000-2007.

Tom Consolo, associate conductor, publications director and principal second violinist of the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, was a member of the Philharmonia Orchestra at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music in 1989, when the orchestra, led by Gerhard Samuel, performed the world premiere of Austrian composer Hans Rott's 1880 Symphony in E Major on March 4, 1989 in Corbett Auditorium at CCM. After the premiere, Samuel and the Philharmonia performed Rott's ground-breaking work at the International Mahler Festival in Paris and made the world premiere recording for Hyperion Records in London. Tom's account of the experience, "Playing Their Hearts Out: Philharmonia Triumphs in Paris and London," appeared in the May, 1989 issue of "Horizons," published by the U.C. Alumni Association.

Hans Rott Returns to Cincinnati

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:17:06 PST

Hans Rott

Dissing Cincinnati seems to be a regular exercise, perhaps like the viola, perpetual butt of "viola jokes" It remains a fact, however, that much of great moment does occur in this Midwest river city.
   A great musical moment was the world premiere of Austrian composer Hans Rott's 1880 Symphony in E Major by the Philharmonia Orchestra of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music on March 4, 1989 in Corbett Auditorium at CCM. Conductor Gerhard Samuel and the Philharmonia introduced the work to Europe at the International Mahler Festival in Paris on March 10 at the Theatre du Chatelet and made the world premiere recording the next week in London.
   Rott "returns" to Cincinnati in a performance of his now-celebrated Symphony in E Major by Paavo Järvi and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra at 8 p.m. Feb. 19 and 20 at Music Hall. The same program includes the Violin Concerto by Brahms, whose dissing of Rott's symphony helped send the young man to his grave at 25.
   You can hear the viola this weekend played by Roberto Diaz, guest artist with the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra. Diaz, former principal violist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, now president of the Curtis Institute of Music, will perform works by Tchaikovsky and Alfred Schnittke on an all-Russian program led by music director Mischa Santora at 2 p.m. Feb. 21 in Memorial Hall.

Meet Me at Seppi's

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:36:03 PST

Entrance to Carnegie Hall, 57th St. New York

The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra under the baton of music director Paavo Järvi, performed in New York's Carnegie Hall Feb. 15 for the first time in five years. Cincinnati supporters and others celebrated afterward at Seppi's restaurant just around the corner from Carnegie Hall on W. 56th St.

Järvi and the CSO Play the Hall

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 02:15:03 PST

Paavo Järvi

Paavo Järvi and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra performed their third concert together at New York's Carnegie Hall Feb. 15 with pianist Radu Lupu. They had a hall with fabled acoustics to perform in and played it accordingly. Their program of Ravel, Bartok, Bach/Webern and Witold Lutoslawski was tailored for the occasion and presented the orchestra -- and Carnegie Hall -- at their very best.

Meaty, Engaging Program Set for Carnegie Hall by Järvi and the CSO

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 06:25:41 PST

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Paavo Järvi music director

Music director Paavo Järvi and the Cincinnati Symphony previewed the program they will take to New York's Carnegie Hall Feb. 15 in subscription concerts Feb. 12 and 13 in Cincinnati's Music Hall. It is a substantial and enticing program, with four 20th-century works: Ravel's "Mother Goose" Suite, Bartok's Piano Concerto No. 3 with guest artist Radu Lupu, Anton Webern's orchestration of the Fuga Ricercare from Bach's "The Musical Offering" and last, but not least, the Concerto for Orchestra by Witold Lutoslawski.
The Feb. 12 concert promised a successful appearance at Carnegie Hall, the third by Järvi and the CSO in the legendary Manhattan venue and their last in New York together. Estonian-born Järvi, CSO music director since 2001, announced in January that he will not renew his contract with the orchestra when it expires at the end of the 2010-2011 season.

CSO Update from President Trey Devey

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 20:35:50 PST

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra president Trey Devey

In response to speculation, by the media and otherwise, about important issues currently facing the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, CSO president Trey Devey issued a statement to CSO subscribers and friends Feb. 11. In it, Devey addresses questions about the financial condition of the orchestra in view of the $85 million gift by Cincinnati arts patron Louise Nippert in December, the status of plans to renovate Music Hall, and the simultaneous search for a new CSO music director and a new Cincinnati Pops conductor. Both positions became open this season, with music director Paavo Järvi's announcement Jan. 7 that he will not renew his contract at the end of the 2010-2011 season, and Pops conductor Erich Kunzel's death from cancer Sept. 1.

The Mighty Music Hall Organ: A Cautionary Tale

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 09:55:46 PST

Music Hall, 1878, organ in the background

Cincinnati's Music Hall was in the news recently when the "Mighty Wurlitzer" theater organ from Cincinnati's once-upon-a-time Albee movie palace, now re-installed in the Music Hall ballroom, made its formal debut at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra's New Year's Eve ball.
Unknown or long forgotten to most of the revelers was another mighty organ, the original Music Hall pipe organ, which stood sovereign in Springer Auditorium for nearly a century until ignominiously dismantled and discarded in 1974.
(first published in "Music Hall Marks," newsletter of the Society for the Preservation of Music Hall, Winter, 2010)

Lutoslawski Goes to Carnegie Hall

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 01:29:02 PST

Radu Lupu

Witold Lutoslawski's 1954 Concerto for Orchestra goes to Carnegie Hall Feb. 15, via concerts by Paavo Järvi and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Feb. 12 and 13 at Music Hall in Cincinnati. Guest artist will be Romanian pianist Radu Lupu in Bartok's Piano Concerto No. 3.
Meanwhile, Valentine's weekend in Cincinnati takes quite a spin on love, from Sleeping Beauty and "they lived happily ever after" to Benjamin Britten's "Rape of Lucretia." Meet Sleeping Beauty in Ravel's "Mother Goose" Suite, to be performed by Järvi and the CSO, both in Cincinnati and New York, and Britten's ill-fated heroine in the production of "Lucretia" by the opera department of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Feb. 11-14 in Patricia Corbett Theater at CCM.