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Classical Beat: Vermont Home to Some Hits This Week
By Stephen Dankner, iBerkshires Staff
12:39PM / Wednesday, July 16, 2014
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The Shanghai Quartet will perform in Manchester, Vt., this Thursday, July 17.

Another gloriously diverse week of captivating music is in store for lovers of chamber vocal, voice with orchestra, symphony, and, especially, tone poems (short symphonic pieces that tell a story or establish a mood.)

As always, Tanglewood is the place to be for musical riches across the spectrum. And, to add to the mix, there’s the five-day Festival of Contemporary Music – a celebration of new music for listeners with adventurous tastes and ears and minds hungry for new sounds, styles and genres.

But also look north of the border – Vermont – for some amazing performances, as well. Here's the rundown:

Tanglewood

• Wednesday, July 16, 8 p.m. in Ozawa Hall: A vocal recital featuring Thomas Hampson, baritone, and Wolfram Rieger, collaborative pianist, in a very special concert: "Strauss and His World." Why go? The lush Romanticism of Richard Strauss (1862-1949) is a musical milestone, bridging the late19th century to the mid 20th century. Though he dubbed himself "A first-class second rate composer," performers and audiences alike don’t believe it; they find his heartfelt music irresistibly moving. Celebrate Strauss’ 150th birthday, along with the songs of some of his illustrious fin-de-siècle Viennese contemporaries Berg, Korngold (of film music fame [e.g. "The Adventures of Robin Hood"].)

• Friday, July 18, 8:30 p.m. in the Shed: Conductor Edward Gardner leads the Boston Symphony in more Strauss: the lovable and riotous tone poem "Tyll Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks" and Aaron Copland's charmingly nostalgic "Old American Songs," featuring Mr. Hampson, The concert concludes with Beethoven’s all-encompassing Symphony No. 7. Why go? Music of an exuberantly boisterous nature establishes the mood in this concert. Though the pensive "Allegretto" in Beethoven's Seventh Symphony casts a temporary shadow, the tumultuous "Presto" and "Allegro con brio" finale turn the corner on darkness, dispelling all negative thoughts, and the music ends tumultuously in glorious, brilliant A Major. Richard Wagner called the Seventh "The apotheosis of the dance." Attend, and you will be assured of a rollicking good time.

• Saturday, July 19, 8:30 p.m. in the Shed: The BSO's phenomenal Music Director-designate Andris Nelsons leads the Orchestra in a melodious program of Brahms (the autumnal Symphony No. 3) and Tchaikovsky’s fanciful, folkloristic "Capriccio italien." In between, there is the absolutely thrilling "Bridge" – Trumpet Concerto No. 1, by Swedish contemporary composer Rolf Martinsson, featuring trumpet virtuoso extraordinaire Hakan Hardenberger. You should hear this brilliant Concerto on YouTube (at left), with the same soloist, to get a preview of what to expect. Why go? This is a fantastic mix of music, with each piece poles apart and highly characterful. And Nelsons will be at his best bringing these three divergent styles to life. Don’t miss this one.

• Sunday, July 20, 2:30 p.m. in the Shed: Maestro Nelsons leads the BSO in another intriguingly diverse program: contemporary composer Christopher Rouses’s tone poem "Rapture," Eduard Lalo's "Symphonie espagnole" for violin and orchestra, featuring the great Joshua Bell, and concluding with Beethoven’s iconic Fifth Symphony. Why go? Christopher Rouse writes about "Rapture," composed in 2000: "It should be noted that the title of this score is not 'The Rapture'; the piece is not connected to any specific religious source. Rather, I used the word ‘rapture’ to convey a sense of spiritual bliss, religious or otherwise. ‘Rapture’ is one of a series of more recent scores … to look 'towards the light.' " The Lalo is a virtuosic, five-movement violin concerto in everything but name and is beautiful, with exotic themes. Joshua Bell is the perfect soloist to bring out the sweet and mellifluous Spanish-inspired melodies. And of course, there's Beethoven’s Fifth… Need I say more?

Thursday, July 17-Monday, July 21: The annual Festival of Contemporary Music gets underway this week. Under the direction of Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Harbison and former TMC composition Fellow and Coordinator of Tanglewood's Composition Department Michael Gandolfi, the Festival explores adventurous new music across the spectrum of compositional styles, from 20th century masterpieces to cutting edge music by young and emerging composers. The theme of this year's Festival is "American Composers," and features works by modern masters George Perle, Roger Sessions, Bernard Rands, Steve Mackey, Jacob Druckman, Fred Lerdahl, John Adams and Harbison, as well as premieres and performances of newly-composed works by current TMC Composition Fellows and others. Featured performers are the TMC Orchestra, led by Stefan Asbury and TMC Conducting Fellows. Why go? This is the chance to experience this extraordinary festival-within-a-festival of new music in a vast array of styles and idioms. Go, and stretch your ears. You’ll see; it'll be fun.

Tickets for all Tanglewood events can be purchased at tanglewood.org, via SymphonyCharge, 888-266-1200 or 888-266-1200, and at the Tanglewood box office located at the main gate, on West Street in Lenox. For further information, call 413-637-1600.

 

Manchester Music Festival

• Thursday, July 17, 7:30 p.m.: The Manchester Music Festival presents a diverse program of classical masterpieces and new music dubbed "Vim, Vigor and a Touch of the Modern," featuring the works of Haydn, Mendelssohn, Verdi and contemporary composer Kenji Bunch. Performers include the Shanghai String Quartet, violinists Joana Genova and Austin Hartman, violist Ariel Rudiakov, cellist Benjamin Capps, pianist Julio Elizalde and percussionists Matthew Gold and Conor Meehan. Why go? The contrast of varied styles adds spice and great interest to any program, and to this one particularly.

The performance venue for "Vim, Vigor and a Touch of the Modern" is located at the Arkell Pavilion, Southern Vermont Arts Center, in Manchester. To purchase tickets and for complete information about the Manchester Music Festival, go mmfvt.org, or call 802-362-1956.

 

Marlboro Music

Saturday, July 19, 8:30 p.m. and Sunday, July 20, 2:30 p.m: The opening concerts of chamber music begin at Marlboro (Vt.) Music this weekend. Saturday's program features the Brahms Piano Quartet in G Minor – a perennial audience favorite, with performers Mitsuko Uchida, Marcy Rosen, and two resident young artists. Also on the program is the U.S. premiere of the Quintet for Clarinet and Strings by the little-known Russian composer Alexander Lokshin (composed in 1955,) featuring clarinetist Charles Neidich. Mozart’s Quintet in E flat for Horn and Strings, K. 407 opens the program. Sunday’s program features a combination of works for strings, voice, woodwinds and piano and strings by Haydn, Janáček and Schumann. Haydn's Quartet in A, Op. 20, No. 6 will be performed by former Juilliard Quartet violist Samuel Rhodes, and the first half also includes one of Janáček's most brilliant chamber works – Mládí (Youth) for woodwind quintet and bass clarinet. Also, there are two Italian Duets for soprano and tenor by Haydn, and to close the program and the weekend, the thrilling Piano Trio in D Minor, Op. 63 by Robert Schumann. Why go? Marlboro is the "ne plus ultra" of summer chamber music festivals; it’s truly in a class by itself, and attracts connoisseurs who look forward every year to hear the very best performances of favorite masterworks and unfamiliar repertoire in this gem of a music space – intimate and understated.

For tickets go to marlboromusic.org, or call Brian at 802-254-2394. Concerts continue on weekends through Aug. 17 with two special Friday concerts at 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 8 and 15.

Marlboro Music is located off Route 9, approximately 20 minutes west of Brattleboro and east of Wilmington in Vermont, on the campus of Marlboro College. The drive is about one hour from North Adams.

Stephen Dankner lives in Williamstown. Send your comments to him at sdankner@earthlink.net, or visit stephendankner.com.

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