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In the Forum: Musical Discussions
In the Thread: Boston and Bruckner

Post Subject: Boston and BrucknerPosted by Romy the Cat on: 8/12/2013

It is kind of suck for Bruckner lovers in America. The American audience do not listen Bruckner too much so the orchestras understandably do not book Bruckner ‘s symphonies. If some visiting conductors do Bruckner then the US orchestras do not do good job to play Bruckner. Here in Boston we kind of luck to have Zander who live to book Bruckner. Still his orchestra has not necessarily has right gravitas for Bruckner music, even though they do have some partial successes a few years back with 5th symphony. We also do not have in Boston proper concert hall to accommodate Bruckner sound. The celebrated Symphony Hall is more or less OK for Stravinsky of Bartok consorts but it is too fast for Bruckner music.

Anyhow, it looks like this season we get a bit lucky here in Boston.

On January 16 2014 Christoph Eschenbach takes Boston symphony on Bruckner 9. BSO in current state is notoriously bad with Bruckner. Bruckner is about meditative complicated sonorities and unique harmonic transitions. BSO today is nowhere near to be able to handle it. It is kind of ridicules as BSO individuals musicals are very much top notch but the orchestra as a whole sounds like crap. Playing Bruckner 50% of time BSO brass off the tune or losing that feel of Bruckner evolution when sound get transitioned between the sections. It was when they play the B7 a few years under Hans Graf and it was in particularly horrible at the beginning of this year during B4 under Christoph von Dohnányi. Let hope that German Mr. Eschenbach will be able to do something with BSO. He spent unfortunately most of his career with American orchestras but still…. let hope. The takers are available now.

On Wednesday, March 19, 2014 Zubin Mehta brings in Boston Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra and they play no less than B8. The Israeli Philharmonic is kind of wrong orchestra to play Bruckner, listening their other recording it is very clear that they hardly understand what they play. Still, in context of Bruckner Zubin Mehta is very interesting character. Sometime he is known to shoe off very stimulating Bruckner with probably Mecca of his Bruckner accomplishment was B9 with Vienna. At that time Mr. Zubin was just 29 years old and it was fantastic. They say that only very mature concoctors have proper patience and understanding to play Bruckner properly. Zubin Mehta today 77, so let see how it goes. For sure I wish it be not Israeli but Austa-German orchestra but it is what it is. The tickets udder the Celebrity Series umbrella will be available soon.

On Friday February 28 2014 Benjamin Zander unlashes Boston Philharmonic on Bruckner 7 and it will be not in shitty Hardware Hall of NE Conservatory Whole but in Symphony Hall, which it not great but still better. That might be very interesting. I kind of feel especial pride as I was bugging Zander that he has to book B7 in Boston. Here it came!!! Of cause I feel that I did it – let me to leave with my fantasies. This consent will be kind of strange as Amy will not coming and sitting with me. So, we will not able able to purr together and look at each other after orchestra did something distinctive good or bad. I absolutely adore sitting on concerns with her - she is such a pleasurable listener companion! Well, she will be not with me as she will be playing. For sure I will be happy and proud for her but frankly I will be missing her touch, her smell and her physical presence. BTW, this consent will come with Robert Levin playing Mozart Piano Concerto No. 25 wish might be very interesting as well. The takers will be available in September.

Anyhow, it looks like it will be good Bruckner year. The new BSO musical director Andris Nelsons in his interview did mention that he would like to explore Bruckner music with BSO. Of course it was juts before he have cancel his appearance in Tanglewood…

Rgs,
Romy the Cat

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