Lake Union Civic Orchestra concert - June 17th
Hi friends,
It's time again for the next gig! But first I'll tell you about how the previous one went. I put a recording of me and Marjorie on Soundcloud, so you can listen to the songs we played - I think it went well!
My next concert is with LUCO again, on Saturday, June 17th. It's our final concert of this orchestra season- here's what we're playing.
SCHUMAN, New England Triptych
One of the interesting things about being an orchestra musician is that you generally don't get to choose what you play- that's the conductor's job. I find that this often introduces me to music that I might not otherwise have chosen or gotten to know. Usually, taking the time to inhabit a piece gives me appreciation for a composer that I didn't really know much about or like before, or it makes me see why a piece of music stands up as art.
Sometimes, though, I hate something I'm playing and my hatred grows throughout the rehearsal cycle for a concert. This is one of those times. I find that everything about this piece irritates me. The sheet music is printed in a way that makes it annoying to work with. The sonority of the piece alternates between shrill and bombastic, when it isn't sappy. It sounds like it was written for a concert band, and if I wanted to play in a concert band, I wouldn't be playing a string instrument. In the current political climate, I find the subject matter- a patriotic tribute to Revolutionary-era America- jingoistic and full of maudlin patriotism. I even find the movement titles annoying.
You should come to this concert, if for no other reason than to listen to this piece, and see if you dislike it as much as I do. If all music appealed to everyone all the time, we would live in a relentlessly boring society.
BEETHOVEN Triple Concerto
Jo Nardolillo, violin
Julian Schwarz, cello
Marika Bournaki, piano
Most of the time, you want your orchestra season to go out with a bang, so you do something really spectacular. This is that thing. A concerto is a piece of music in which a soloist plays with an entire symphony orchestra as their backing band. A triple concerto is the same thing, but with THREE soloists, and it is a rare and wonderful thing - this is one of the only ones ever written. The soloists in question are all amazing, and it's worth mentioning that Jo is my former violin teacher. When you have soloists like these, their individual parts are great and the interplay between them is wonderful- a treat to both see and hear.
BRAHMS Symphony No. 3
The famous part of this is the third movement, and I like the whole thing. Though Brahms is known for big sounds and lush, sensual sonorities, there are a lot of quiet moments in here. I enjoy the contemplative nature of this piece - to me, it sounds like Brahms getting to know himself and coming into his own.
In addition to the live concert, part of the dress rehearsal will be broadcast on Northwest Focus Live on Friday, June 16th at 8pm, and there will be interviews with each of the soloists. So if you'd like their perspective on all this, put KING-FM on during that time.
There's also a fundraising auction for the orchestra associated with the concert. I'm running the auction, which means I'm even more excited than usual about promoting it. If you like wine or cabins or drinking wine in cabins, you should have a look.
The concert is at 7:30pm, at Meany Hall. I suggest either taking the train there (it's a lovely walk through the Rainier Vista), or riding your bike over after you wash your solstice parade paint off and put some clothes on. Tickets are available online, or at the door.
As always, thanks for reading!
It's time again for the next gig! But first I'll tell you about how the previous one went. I put a recording of me and Marjorie on Soundcloud, so you can listen to the songs we played - I think it went well!
My next concert is with LUCO again, on Saturday, June 17th. It's our final concert of this orchestra season- here's what we're playing.
SCHUMAN, New England Triptych
One of the interesting things about being an orchestra musician is that you generally don't get to choose what you play- that's the conductor's job. I find that this often introduces me to music that I might not otherwise have chosen or gotten to know. Usually, taking the time to inhabit a piece gives me appreciation for a composer that I didn't really know much about or like before, or it makes me see why a piece of music stands up as art.
Sometimes, though, I hate something I'm playing and my hatred grows throughout the rehearsal cycle for a concert. This is one of those times. I find that everything about this piece irritates me. The sheet music is printed in a way that makes it annoying to work with. The sonority of the piece alternates between shrill and bombastic, when it isn't sappy. It sounds like it was written for a concert band, and if I wanted to play in a concert band, I wouldn't be playing a string instrument. In the current political climate, I find the subject matter- a patriotic tribute to Revolutionary-era America- jingoistic and full of maudlin patriotism. I even find the movement titles annoying.
You should come to this concert, if for no other reason than to listen to this piece, and see if you dislike it as much as I do. If all music appealed to everyone all the time, we would live in a relentlessly boring society.
BEETHOVEN Triple Concerto
Jo Nardolillo, violin
Julian Schwarz, cello
Marika Bournaki, piano
Most of the time, you want your orchestra season to go out with a bang, so you do something really spectacular. This is that thing. A concerto is a piece of music in which a soloist plays with an entire symphony orchestra as their backing band. A triple concerto is the same thing, but with THREE soloists, and it is a rare and wonderful thing - this is one of the only ones ever written. The soloists in question are all amazing, and it's worth mentioning that Jo is my former violin teacher. When you have soloists like these, their individual parts are great and the interplay between them is wonderful- a treat to both see and hear.
BRAHMS Symphony No. 3
The famous part of this is the third movement, and I like the whole thing. Though Brahms is known for big sounds and lush, sensual sonorities, there are a lot of quiet moments in here. I enjoy the contemplative nature of this piece - to me, it sounds like Brahms getting to know himself and coming into his own.
In addition to the live concert, part of the dress rehearsal will be broadcast on Northwest Focus Live on Friday, June 16th at 8pm, and there will be interviews with each of the soloists. So if you'd like their perspective on all this, put KING-FM on during that time.
There's also a fundraising auction for the orchestra associated with the concert. I'm running the auction, which means I'm even more excited than usual about promoting it. If you like wine or cabins or drinking wine in cabins, you should have a look.
The concert is at 7:30pm, at Meany Hall. I suggest either taking the train there (it's a lovely walk through the Rainier Vista), or riding your bike over after you wash your solstice parade paint off and put some clothes on. Tickets are available online, or at the door.
As always, thanks for reading!
Don't miss what's next. Subscribe to Melinda Minch Music: