This upcoming month lends itself to the holidays - to winter break, relaxing, and taking a breather from the trials of a long semester. However, once the new year (and semester) starts, the Orchestra has decided to cap off our vacation with two of the best concerts of the season.
First, on Jan 7-10 we get a concert brimming to the rim with a 'classical' sound, including Mozart's effervescent and sublime Clarinet Concerto, J.S. Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 3 - the original source of the famous 'Air on the G String', and the ever-popular Haydn "Surprise" Symphony, where the second movement starts softly and slowly before pulling the rug from underneath the audience with a thunderous entrance: the aforementioned "Surprise" of the title. Combined with a Handel work (why not?), this should be one of the easiest concerts on the ear imaginable, so bring friends along!
Next comes a concert full of romantic longing and dramatic gravitas - the final works of arguably the two last German romantics - Gustav Mahler and Richard Strauss (Jan 14-16). Mahler, the first conductor of the New York Philharmonic (and a revolutionary one at that), was unable to finish his 10th Symphony before his early death from heart issues at age 50. While reconstructions have been made of the final four movements, Mahler had actually finished orchestrating the first movement, and it has entered the repertoire as a grand statement of ethereal longing. It not only may be the best of Mahler's late-style work, but also may have pointed towards a new compositional direction should he have lived longer to see it through. Strauss, who would survive Mahler by more than 40 years, wrote his Four Last Songs in the wake of World War II that had destroyed Germany. Rather than defiantly resisting his last days, Strauss wrote four songs of true contemplative depth, filled with acceptance of his inevitable demise and dealing with death in a courageously calm (and deeply stirring) manner. The legendary Karita Mattila, who took New York and the world by storm with her jaw-dropping performance in Strauss' revolutionary opera Salome, sings the composer's final composition in her Philadelphia Orchestra debut.
Two concerts: one with the sublime joys of the classical and baroque era, and one filled with the deep and beautifully haunting final works of two of the greatest romantic composers in history. These two concerts are not to be missed!
--David Gottlieb
Friday, December 11, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Why the Blog?
My name is David Gottlieb, and I am the editor of this new student-oriented eZseatU blog. I started this blog originally in December 2006 as a Facebook newsletter entitled "Nights on the Symphony." It was meant to let fellow students know about upcoming concerts, how college tickets worked for the orchestra (eZseatU has been a blessing in that regard), and to try and explain in layman terms what makes a particular concert special. A substantial issue with classical music is that the titles are cryptic to one without pre-existent knowledge. 'Symphony No. X', 'Concerto for Solo ____ and Orchestra' - what differentiates one from the next is minimal on paper, instead relying on a knowledge of history and style that is often not delineated.
Ironically, this beforehand knowledge is not a barrier of entry to classical music - a form that can be immediately enjoyed by anyone, without any prior knowledge. Rather, this lack of explanation can enact a barrier preventing people from understanding what type of music will be played at a concert, as 'classical music' has not been anywhere near as static as its title suggests - what we consider the the 'classical era' ended nearly two centuries ago. As such, I hope my posts can help illuminate what makes these concerts special and unique - and worth your time. There are so many 'Symphony No. 5's worth listening to, but if one is unaware of the differences between Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, & Sibelius (to name a few composers of completely different nationalities and time periods who all wrote excellent fifth symphonies), there is less of a chance one would go to the concert in the first place. As such, I hope I can be your eyes, pointing out what I consider the crème de la crème of the Philadelphia Orchestra's repertoire this season, while giving you context as to why particular concerts deserve your attention.
Lastly, my views do not reflect the views of the Philadelphia Orchestra. The opinions contained within this blog should be seen solely as my own. Feel free to look out for me at concerts, as I try to go as often as I can, and I hope my recommendations lead to some fun times on your end, whether a night out with friends, a great place to impress a date, or just to pique your curiosity about the wondrous world of classical music, played by one of the finest orchestras in the business. Enjoy!
--David Gottlieb
Ironically, this beforehand knowledge is not a barrier of entry to classical music - a form that can be immediately enjoyed by anyone, without any prior knowledge. Rather, this lack of explanation can enact a barrier preventing people from understanding what type of music will be played at a concert, as 'classical music' has not been anywhere near as static as its title suggests - what we consider the the 'classical era' ended nearly two centuries ago. As such, I hope my posts can help illuminate what makes these concerts special and unique - and worth your time. There are so many 'Symphony No. 5's worth listening to, but if one is unaware of the differences between Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, & Sibelius (to name a few composers of completely different nationalities and time periods who all wrote excellent fifth symphonies), there is less of a chance one would go to the concert in the first place. As such, I hope I can be your eyes, pointing out what I consider the crème de la crème of the Philadelphia Orchestra's repertoire this season, while giving you context as to why particular concerts deserve your attention.
Lastly, my views do not reflect the views of the Philadelphia Orchestra. The opinions contained within this blog should be seen solely as my own. Feel free to look out for me at concerts, as I try to go as often as I can, and I hope my recommendations lead to some fun times on your end, whether a night out with friends, a great place to impress a date, or just to pique your curiosity about the wondrous world of classical music, played by one of the finest orchestras in the business. Enjoy!
--David Gottlieb
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
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