Blogcritics: Concert Review with Julian Schwarz and Marika Bournaki
Cellist Julian Schwarz and pianist Marika Bournaki presented an eye-opening survey of a fascinating and mostly neglected 20th-century musical movement at the Center for Jewish History on May 22.
Blogcritics
Jon Sobel
Cellist Julian Schwarz and pianist Marika Bournaki presented an eye-opening survey of a fascinating and mostly neglected 20th-century musical movement at the Center for Jewish History on May 22. With contributions from violinist Avi Nagin and clarinetist Alec Manasse, the pair gave us a powerful representative sample of concert music from the New Jewish National School, and especially by cellist-composer Joachim Stutschewsky (1891-1982), with musicianship of the highest order...
Schwarz’s velvety, singing tone and Stutschewsky’s creative strength were both immediately on display in the folk-dance-influenced “Legend” at the top of the program. Gentle dissonances from the piano set the 20th-century scene as Schwarz showed brilliant dynamic control on the cello. Stutschewsky’s “Freylekhs: Improvisation” reworked Jewish folk songs into beautiful chamber music through the twin lenses, as I fancied I heard it, of Rachmaninoff and Gershwin.
Read the full review here.
The Strad Cover – June 2018
The second part of Terry Borman’s detailed examination of Anne Akiko Meyers’ violin, ‘Vieuxtemps’ Guarneri ‘Del Gesù’, with contributions from experts in the latest technologies, investigating acoustics, dendrochronology, varnish analysis and plate thicknesses.
The Strad
Terry Borman
This is an extract from the second part of Terry Borman’s detailed examination of the ‘Vieuxtemps’ Guarneri ‘Del Gesù’, with contributions from experts in the latest technologies, investigating acoustics, dendrochronology, varnish analysis and plate thicknesses. Download the June issue on desktop computer, via the The Strad App, or buy the print edition
Two months before his death in June 1881, Henri Vieuxtemps was considering selling his beloved 1741 Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violin. He was no longer able to play, having suffered a stroke, and in a letter dated 9 April 1881 he told his friend, cellist Joseph Van der Heyden, that the instrument would ‘cost the buyer a lot, but it will be well worth it because this violin is a unique pearl’.
In early January 2013 the world found out how prescient his comment was, as the newspapers were flooded with reports about the violin’s sale to an anonymous buyer for an undisclosed sum – stating only that it was in excess of $16 million (£9.8 million).
That made it, at the time and still five years later, the most expensive violin in the world. The news also stated that it was to be a lifetime loan to the US violinist Anne Akiko Meyers.
The ‘Vieuxtemps’ Guarneri ‘Del Gesù’
Photo: J. & A. Beare Ltd
Read the full excerpt here.
Watch: Anne Akiko Meyers plays Saint-Saëns’ Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso on the ‘Vieuxtemps’ Guarneri
21CM: Gerard Schwarz Premiere
This concert features the world premiere of Gerard Schwarz’s latest duo for violin and cello alongside the New York premieres of his first two duos. These will be played by Schwarz’s son, cellist Julian, and Bargemusic’s president, violinist Mark Peskanov. Pianist Misha Dichter joins for a Schubert trio.
21CM
This concert features the world premiere of Gerard Schwarz’s latest duo for violin and cello alongside the New York premieres of his first two duos. These will be played by Schwarz’s son, cellist Julian, and Bargemusic’s president, violinist Mark Peskanov. Pianist Misha Dichter joins for a Schubert trio.
21CM Takeaway: Since stepping down from his post as music director of the Seattle Symphony, Gerard Schwarz has been able to focus more of his musical talents on composing. Between Schwarz’s music and its sublime players, this is a concert sure to satisfy.
Blogcritics: Cellist Julian Schwarz on Joachim Stutschewsky and 20th-Century Jewish Music
Julian Schwarz spoke with us about his approach to playing Stutschewsky and other 20th-century music, the preparation for this unique concert program, and his interest in “music of Jewish connection.”
Blogcritics
Jon Sobel
Julian Schwarz is an award-winning cellist, an active soloist and chamber musician and a champion of new and unheralded music. Together with pianist Marika Bournaki, violinist Avi Nagin, and clarinetist Alec Manasse, he will present on Tuesday May 22 a concert sponsored by the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, part of its Sidney Krum Young Artists Concert Series series and co-sponsored by American Society for Jewish Music. The program features compositions by Joachim Stutschewsky (1891-1982) and other 20th-century Jewish composers, much of whose music is today obscure, along with a new work written for the occasion by Israeli composer Ofer Ben-Amots. Neil W. Levin, YIVO’s Anne E. Leibowitz Visiting Professor-in-Residence in Music, will give a pre-concert lecture on the life, work, and artistic milieu of Stutschewsky, a composer whose influences ranged from Schoenberg to klezmer.
Julian Schwarz spoke with us about his approach to playing Stutschewsky and other 20th-century music, the preparation for this unique concert program, and his interest in “music of Jewish connection.”
Click here to read the exclusive interview.
Strings: Anne Akiko Meyers Reminisces on a Childhood Spent in Los Angeles
Violinist Anne Akiko Meyers Reminisces on a Childhood Spent in Los Angeles
Strings
Anne Akiko Meyers
Anne Akiko Meyers as a child and onstage at the Emmy Awards Show
To quote Randy Newman, “I love L.A.!” I feel very fortunate to again call Los Angeles my home base. The year-round warm climate, beautiful ocean and mountain views, thriving music scene, world-class restaurants, and friendly people make it a wonderful place to live.
I was born in San Diego, moved to the middle of the Mojave Desert for a few years (my mother drove three hours each way for violin lessons in Los Angeles), and then grew up in L.A. until I was a teenager. It was the perfect place for an aspiring violinist to learn and grow.
When I was seven years old, I began studies with Alice Schoenfeld and had chamber-music coachings with her sister Eleonore. I had bi-weekly lessons, chamber-music studies, and classes at the Community School of Performing Arts (now the Colburn School) on the weekends. When driving around we listened to—and today still listen to—KUSC, with the comforting and friendly voice of Jim Svejda in the car.
To read the full article, click here.
The New York Times: Grand Teton Music Festival Named One of Top 15 Classical Music Festivals
Donald Runnicles is the music director in this picturesque town opposite Jackson Hole, which is just south of Grand Teton National Park and an hour’s drive from Yellowstone. With an orchestra whose players are drawn from major symphonies across the country, Mr. Runnicles conducts Mahler’s Symphony No. 3, Bernstein’s “West Side Story” and much else. Visiting soloists include Daniil Trifonov, Leila Josefowicz and Kirill Gerstein.
The New York Times
David Allen
From Bernstein centennials at Tanglewood to Mahler in the desert, concerts across the county you don’t want to miss this season.
Grand Teton Music Festival
TETON VILLAGE, WYO., JULY 3-AUG. 18 Donald Runnicles is the music director in this picturesque town opposite Jackson Hole, which is just south of Grand Teton National Park and an hour’s drive from Yellowstone. With an orchestra whose players are drawn from major symphonies across the country, Mr. Runnicles conducts Mahler’s Symphony No. 3, Bernstein’s “West Side Story” and much else. Visiting soloists include Daniil Trifonov, Leila Josefowicz and Kirill Gerstein. gtmf.org
For the full list of top 15 classical music festivals, click here.
WQXR: The Shanghai Quartet Celebrates Its 35th Anniversary
Join us on Facebook Live for Midday Masterpieces, featuring the Shanghai Quartet.
WQXR
Join us on Facebook Live for Midday Masterpieces, featuring the Shanghai Quartet. The chamber ensemble is marking its 35th anniversary by performing on four valuable instruments loaned to the group for the occasion by J.A. Beare: the 1714 “Kneisel, Grün” Stradivari violin, the 1729 “Stretton” Guarneri violin, a 1700 Matteo Goffriller viola, and 1690 Stradivari cello. On Wednesday, the Shanghai will play chamber music by Beethoven and Mendelssohn, as well as some traditional Chinese folk music specially arranged to suit the quartet’s western instrumentation.
Chicago Tribune: A selective guide to U.S. summer classical music festivals
Grand Teton Music Festival named in Chicago Tribune’s selective guide to US summer classical music festivals.
Chicago Tribune
John von Rhein
Grand Teton Music Festival: July 3-Aug. 18; Jackson Hole, Wyo.: This year’s festival at the foothills of the Teton Mountains celebrates American music. Music director Donald Runnicles leads the orchestra, which comprises players from several top U.S. orchestras. The 2018 roster includes Daniil Trifonov, Julian Rachlin, Johannes Moser and Kirill Gerstein. Repertory includes Mahler’s gigantic Third Symphony and world premieres by Kareem Roustom and Sean Shepherd. 307-733-1128; www.gtmf.org
Click here to see the full guide.
KDFC: Anderson & Roe's Album, Mother, Named Album of the Week
KDFC names Anderson & Roe’s Mother – A Musical Tribute as album of the week (April 30).
KDFC
Album of the Week – Week of April 30
Anderson & Roe
Mother – A Musical Tribute
Mother’s Day is coming up on May 13. Celebrate with queens and saints, homemakers and lawmakers, scientists and artists, goddesses and mortals: the rich complexity of motherhood inspires this musical tribute from the piano duo of Anderson & Roe. The collection includes music by a diverse group of composers from Dvorak, Rachmaninoff, and Grieg, to Freddie Mercury, John Lennon, Paul Simon!
KUSC: Championing American Music with Conductor Gerard Schwarz
Gerard Schwarz was the second-ever conductor of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra before spending 26 years on the podium with the Seattle Symphony. KUSC’s Alan Chapman caught up with him while Schwarz was in town to help celebrate LACO’s 50th anniversary. Here’s their conversation about the unique logistics of Schwarz’s first concert with LACO and how he (secretly) became a champion of American music in Seattle.
KUSC
Alan Chapman
Gerard Schwarz was the second-ever conductor of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra before spending 26 years on the podium with the Seattle Symphony. KUSC’s Alan Chapman caught up with him while Schwarz was in town to help celebrate LACO’s 50th anniversary. Here’s their conversation about the unique logistics of Schwarz’s first concert with LACO and how he (secretly) became a champion of American music in Seattle.