Dave Read

The Boston Symphony Orchestra has scheduled consecutive performances of all nine Beethoven symphonies in a series of 4 programs beginning Oct. 22, 2009. Program 1 is previewed here by Karl Henning.

The notion of performing all nine of Beethoven’s symphonies in just over a fortnight was, I thought, a very musical response on maestro James Levine’s part to the Zeitgeist of safer orchestral programming in the face of tougher economic times. It’s a project, though, which reaches back to the very early days of the Boston Symphony. Georg Henschel led the orchestra in all nine, in each of his three seasons, 1881-1884. This feat was not repeated until March of 1927, when in observance of the centenary of Beethoven’s death, Serge Koussevitzky led the BSO in all nine symphonies (and more besides) in one week. Koussevitzy once again led all nine, though over a broader span of time, on Tuesday afternoon concerts in the 1933-1934 season.

Largely a symphony wherein Beethoven works (with great assurance) within the ‘bounds’ of his forebears Haydn and Mozart, the First nonetheless starts out with a brilliant touch of harmonic misdirection. A symphony normally begins by establishing a key, which in the case of Beethoven’s First is C Major. But the opening chord does not belong to C Major (let alone establish it): it is a C dominant-seventh chord, resolving to F. Even the next chord, G dominant-seventh – which ought to “fix” things – winds up resolving ‘deceptively’ to A minor. Beethoven does indeed set C Major as the key, but in his impertinence, he doesn’t do it by rehearsing for the nth time the hoary old I-IV-V-I. The clearest indication in the First, though, of the dramatic changes which Beethoven will impose upon the genre of the symphony, is in the sped-up third movement, which is still labeled “Minuet,” but is in fact already a characteristic Scherzo.

Neither does Beethoven mask his ambitions in the Second Symphony, but sets immediately out for new musical territory. The first movement of a symphony has given the name to sonata-allegro form: i.e., Allegro, at a fast (cheerful) pace; and the norm had been established by Beethoven’s time of starting out at tempo. It was relatively seldom that Mozart (e.g.) began the first movement with a slow introduction (though we note that Beethoven has now elected to do so with each of his first two symphonies). With the first movement of the Second, it is not the fact of a slow introduction that is any novelty, but its scale: the movement begins with 33 measures at a very slow pace, Adagio molto. This compared to (for example) 16 measures at Adagio which begin Haydn’s “London” Symphony (? 104), or 15 measures at Adagio which introduce the first movement of Mozart’s great E-flat Symphony (? 39, K.543).

The main event on this first program, though, is obviously the great C minor symphony, the Fifth – whose opening motive is one of the most recognizable bits of music on the planet. So much has already been written about Beethoven’s Opus 67, and, if you are reading this the chances are you already know something about classical music, and you could probably write a paragraph about Beethoven’s Fifth, yourself – that I shall content myself with a mere editorial remark about the third movement.

Kurt Masur’s set of Beethoven symphonies from the early 1990s with the Gewandhausorchester was the first recording of the edition prepared by Peter Gülke, an edition whose most salient feature perhaps is the restoration of a repeat sign from the autograph score, which changes the overall form of the third movement Scherzo from ABA’ (as it has traditionally been performed) to ABABA’ (which is how Beethoven designed the Scherzi for the Fourth, Sixth and Seventh Symphonies, e.g.) I wonder which edition the BSO will be playing.

Fate has played the trickster with Levine’s plans to lead the entire series of nine symphonies, and in all events we wish him a speedy recovery from surgery. (Maestro Levine will return to the BSO podium to lead the orchestra in a program of Beethoven’s Sixth and Seventh symphonies, October 30 and 31, 2009.) It will be most interesting to see what Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos does with these staples, in Levine’s stead for the first program.

• Thursday, 22 October, 10:30 (open rehearsal)
• Thursday, 22 October, 8:00
• Friday, 23 October, 1:30
• Saturday, 24 October, 8:00
• All-Beethoven Program
• The Complete Symphonies – Program I
• Boston Symphony Orchestra
• Symphony Hall
• Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos

Oct. 17, 2009 performance reviewed by Dave Read.

The Dave Brubeck Quartet recorded the first million-selling jazz album fifty years ago, Time Out, which features Take Five and its unusual 5/4 time signature, and with Mr.Brubeck approaching his 89th birthday, which he’ll celebrate Dec. 6th at the White House while receiving the 2009 Kennedy Center honors, time has prominence in any Brubeck report. Now, and for a long time to come, hundreds of people will be remembering the time they heard the Dave Brubeck Quartet in a sold-out concert at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, including 18 kids who can tell about the time Dave Brubeck sat in with them on “Take the A Train.”

The concert began with a teriffic set of mostly Duke Ellington compostions played by the Berkshires Youth Jazz Ensemble, 17 Berkshire county high schoolers and one Simon’s Rock student. Assembling a student jazz band and giving them the opportunity to perform with jazz masters is a primary function of BerkshiresJazz.org, producers of the Pittsfield CityJazz Festival. The ensemble featured half a dozen wonderful soloists, and at least one double-threat, Jacqueline Doucette of Pittsfield HS, who stepped out from the sax section to sing two songs with more grace and verve than you’d think was available to a teenager.

Youth Ensemble music director Ron Lively of PHS told the audience that he put together the mostly Ellington set because the Duke had been mentor to Dave, and so the number chosen to link the learners to the legend was Take the A Train, with PHS pianist Samuel Landes and Brubeck taking turns at the piano, an 1894 Hamburg Steinway Concert Grand, which this concert’s underwriter, Jim Chervenak, gave to the Colonial in memory of his wife Françoise Nunnallé.

Boston Symphony Orchestra’s schedule of the complete cycle of Beethoven Symphonies at Symphony Hall has been updated to reflect conductor changes resulting from BSO Music Director James Levine’s recent surgery.

Maestro Levine will return to the BSO podium to lead the orchestra in a program of Beethoven’s Sixth and Seventh symphonies, October 30 and 31, 2009, followed by performances of Beethoven’s Eighth and Ninth symphonies, November 5-7, 2009. Mr. Levine, who was previously scheduled to lead the BSO in the complete cycle of Beethoven symphonies, October 22 – November 7, will be unable to lead the orchestra in the first two programs of the cycle due to the recuperation time needed following his surgery earlier this month for a herniated disc.

Filling in during Mr. Levine’s absence, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos will lead the Boston Symphony Orchestra in the first program of the cycle, Oct. 22-24, 2009, which includes Symphonies Nos. 1 and 2 along with the ever-popular Symphony No. 5. BSO Assistant Conductor Julian Kuerti will lead the orchestra in the second program, Oct. 27 and 29, 2009, which includes the Symphony No. 3, Eroica, and Symphony No. 4. Music Director James Levine will also lead the orchestra in performances of Beethoven’s Sixth and Seventh symphonies at Carnegie Hall on Monday, November 2, 2009, as originally scheduled, repeating his Symphony Hall program of October 30 and 31, 2009.

With the Symphony Hall programs, October 22-November 7, the Boston Symphony Orchestra embarks on a history-making endeavor performing a concentrated cycle of the complete symphonies of Beethoven. This marks the first time the orchestra has scheduled such a project in back-to-back Symphony Hall subscription programs and offers Boston audiences a rare opportunity to experience the composer’s symphonic development.

Program 1 (Oct. 27 and 29) opens with Beethoven’s First Symphony, which seems to sum up the Classical symphonic style he learned from the music of Haydn and Mozart. Symphony No. 2, written just two years later, is one of the composer’s warmest and brightest works, and it departs from the earlier Classical style in a number of intriguing ways. The composer’s powerful Symphony No. 5, written over the space of four years and premiered in 1808, is deservedly one of the most recognizable works in all of classical music. From its unmistakable opening four-note motif, often attributed as “Fate knocking at the door,” the work reflects not only Beethoven’s torments and triumphs, but his indisputable genius.

Program 2 (Oct. 27 and 29) features Beethoven’s ground-breaking Symphony No. 3, Eroica, which marks the beginning of the composer’s “heroic” period as well as a turning point in music history. Inspired by Napoleon’s rise to power, it was originally titled “Bonaparte,” but Beethoven reportedly tore the title page in half and retitled the work upon learning Napoleon had arrogantly declared himself Emperor. In contrast to the dramatic tension of the Eroica, the Symphony No. 4 unfurls with a graceful exuberance.

Program 3 (Oct. 30 and 31) pairs two of the composer’s most lyrical symphonies. Nowhere is Beethoven’s abiding love of nature more vivid than in his Symphony No. 6, Pastoral, completed in 1808 around the same time he completed the tempestuous Symphony No. 5. One of the composer’s most popular works, unusually structured in five movements, the Pastoral remains enduringly fresh, with its vivid evocation of a day in the countryside. By the time Beethoven finished his popular Symphony No. 7 in 1812, he was in ill health and growing increasingly hard of hearing.
Yet according to reports, the work’s premiere under his baton in 1813 was one of his greatest triumphs. An audience favorite, the work evokes both stately elegance and sweeping exuberance. Wagner called it “the apotheosis of the dance.” James Levine and the BSO repeat this program at Carnegie Hall on November 2, 2009.

The final program of this historic overview features Beethoven’s final two symphonies, though written more than ten years apart. Program 4 (Nov. 5, 6, and 7) opens with the composer’s jovial, superbly crafted Symphony No. 8. Though Beethoven’s shortest symphony, the composer considered it one of his finest, and it was premiered in 1814. The titanic Symphony No. 9, one of the last pieces Beethoven wrote, was his longest and most ambitious work in the genre. It premiered in 1824, featuring a boldly unprecedented and imaginative use of chorus and vocal soloists in the work’s final movement, a thrilling setting of Schiller’s “Ode to Joy.” These performances feature the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, John Oliver, conductor, and soloists soprano Christine Brewer, contralto Meredith Arwady, tenor Matthew Polenzani, and bass-baritone Eike Wilm Schulte.

Downtown Pittsfield’s final 3rd Thursday of the 2009 season coincides with the Pittsfield CityJazz Festival, so jazz and more music will be heard throughout downtown Oct. 15. The Industrial Jazz Group, a raucous & adventurous 16 member big band from the west coast, will be performing in the Berkshire Museum auditorium for free. Satellite Shine joins them. The Dixieland Jazz Ambassadors play across the street at the Crowne Plaza. At Jae’s Spice the Eagles Stage Band and Berkshire Bateria perform. The Intermodal Transportation Center hosts the BCC Jazz Ensemble, local ‘tween poprockers Epic Purple perform in Dunham Mall, Chris and Woody will be under the marquee at the Senior Center and the B-Boys from Rhythms will be in the lobby of Crawford Square showcasing their hiphop dance moves.

Jacob’s Pillow 2010 schedule will include world premieres of works that are being created by Monica Bill Barnes, Kyle Abraham, and Camille A. Brown, young choreographers and artistic directors of New York City-based contemporary dance companies, at the Pillow through its Creative Development Residency program this fall and spring. (Directions to Jacob’s Pillow)

Monica Bill Barnes will be in residence October 18-25, Kyle Abraham arrives November 15-21, and Camille A. Brown in the spring of 2010, April 18-25. Each Creative Development Residency includes housing and unlimited studio use for the artists and their dancers, and concludes with an invitation-only, work-in-progress showing during which artists receive valuable creative feedback from audience members. All three choreographers have performed at Jacob’s Pillow; in 2005 Barnes’ company was presented on Inside/Out, the Pillow’s free outdoor venue, while Brown performed in the Ted Shawn Theatre with Ronald K. Brown/Evidence, and Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion performed as part of the Inside/Out series in 2009.

Ella Baff, Jacob’s Pillow Executive Director, comments, “These three original, innovative choreographers are part of the next generation of contemporary dance-makers who are taking the reins. And they are all star dancers in their own right, compelling and gorgeous to watch on stage. Keep an eye on them.”

“Their choreographic styles are very different from one another,” Baff continues. “Camille’s work is highly expressive, dramatic, and entertaining. Monica creates incredibly witty and lively dance-theatre, and Kyle has a gift for provocative movement that draws the audience in. Choreographers often struggle to find affordable studio space, a place to do their work. Imagine other professions dealing with that challenge. Our Creative Development Residency Program is a service to the field, giving exceptional artists an incomparable environment, solitude, time in our Archives, and other resources of the Pillow to create new work. The program is also a service to audiences; engaging them in the process of creating art and giving the opportunity to participate in the excitement of three world premieres.”

about Monica Bill Barnes

Named “one of the wittiest young choreographers around, by Deborah Jowitt of The Village Voice, Barnes’ work has been presented in Italy, Russia, Germany, and across the United States. Known for her signature humor, use of gesture, and theatrical innovation, Barnes formed Monica Bill Barnes & Company and has created twelve evening-length works and numerous site-specific and cabaret pieces for the ensemble. Roslyn Sulcas of The New York Times comments, “Subtle gestures infused with meaning and power… [Barnes’] choreography has a genuine wit and humor.” For more information visit www.monicabillbarnes.com.

about Kyle Abraham

Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Abraham, an extraordinary dancer himself, brings together an ensemble from diverse personal and professional backgrounds to perform work rooted in his own life experiences. As a choreographer, Abraham intertwines sleek, sensual movement with a deep understanding of music, creating investigations of human behavior and emotion. He was named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” in 2009, and has been heralded by OUT Magazine as one of the “best and brightest creative talents to emerge in New York City in the age of Obama.” Abraham has worked with such acclaimed contemporary dance companies as David Dorfman Dance, Nathan Trice/Rituals, and Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company.

He founded Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion in 2005, for more information visit www.abrahaminmotion.com.

about Camille A. Brown

Brown, former star performer with Ronald K. Brown/Evidence and one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” in 2006, has created work for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Hubbard Street II, Urban Bush Women, Ailey II, Ballet Memphis, and Philadanco. Described as “a pixie-ish powerhouse with the determined air of a high priestess” (The San Francisco Chronicle) and “a force of nature” (The New York Times), Brown’s choreography is characterized by a lush, powerful, detailed movement style and dramatic flair. Camille A. Brown and Dancers debuted in 2006; to learn more visit www.camilleabrown.org.

The Creative Development Residency Program is part of Jacob’s Pillow’s core mission to support artists and their creative development. The program serves as a signature of the Pillow’s artistic point of view and underscores its commitment to expand horizons, both of choreographers and audiences. During Creative Development Residencies, artists are invited to spend one to three weeks at the Pillow creating or rehearsing new work, with free housing for the company, unlimited use of studio space, and access to the Archives and other Pillow resources. In the quiet, retreat-like atmosphere of Jacob’s Pillow, the residencies are rare opportunities for artists to focus on the creative process without distraction. Following a residency with his company, choreographer Stephen Petronio observed, “Dancing at the Pillow was like being marooned in heaven.” Choreographers who have created work at the Pillow include Bill T. Jones with his Last Supper at Uncle Tom’s Cabin/The Promised Land; Mark Morris’ collaboration with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Falling Down Stairs; Joanna Haigood’s site-specific Invisible Wings; Annie B-Parson and Paul Lazar, Artistic Directors of Big Dance Theater, with their acclaimed work The Other Here; and Kate Weare’s 2008 Bridge of Sighs.

Other notable artists who have created or premiered dances at the Pillow include choreographers Antony Tudor, Agnes de Mille, Glen Tetley, Merce Cunningham, Donald McKayle, David Parsons, Kevin McKenzie, Twyla Tharp, Ralph Lemon, Susan Marshall, Trey McIntyre, and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui; premiered by such artists as Mikhail Baryshnikov, Carmen de Lavallade, Dame Margot Fonteyn, Edward Villella, and thousands of others.

Jacob’s Pillow operates year-round, offering numerous community and artist programs in the fall, winter, and spring. The Pillow will co-present a spring dance engagement with MASS MoCA, America’s largest contemporary art museum, to be announced in November. Jacob’s Pillow Curriculum-in-Motion®, integrates artist educators into Berkshire County public schools and provides students with expanded methods of learning traditional subjects. The Pillow’s extensive Archives are also open to the public year-round: appointments are by request in the fall, winter, and spring and can be made by contacting Norton Owen, Director of Preservation, at 413-243-9919 x50. For additional information visit www.jacobspillow.org.

Jacob’s Pillow celebrates its 78th anniversary in 2010 and is home to a renowned international dance Festival, presenting and commissioning works of artists and companies from throughout the world. The School at Jacob’s Pillow encompasses a professional training program in the diverse disciplines of Ballet, Cultural Traditions, Contemporary Traditions, Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance, and a Choreographers Lab, as well as an Intern Program in arts administration and production. The Pillow’s extensive Archives, open year-round to the public free of charge, chronicle more than 75 years of the often ephemeral art form of dance in print, video, and more. Jacob’s Pillow’s year-round Community Programs enrich the lives of children and adults including Jacob’s Pillow Curriculum-in-Motion® a nationally-recognized program for educational settings, and the Creative Development Residency program supports artists as they create work. In 2003, Jacob’s Pillow was declared a National Historic Landmark and is the first and only dance entity in the U.S. to achieve this honor.

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