On Tuesday, May 15, pianist Shai Wosner plays the world premiere of Michael Hersch’s piano concerto, along the ravines. We recently had the opportunity to ask him about fragments, form, and the challenges and opportunities that come with performing a world premiere. Like world premieres? We’ve got another on May 17: six concert arias from The Noblest Game by David Diamond. Read more about both programs and get your tickets here.
As Seattle Symphony annotator Paul Schiavo writes, Michael Hersch’s along the ravines “is unusual in both form and conceptual basis.” As with many of Hersch’s recent compositions, along the ravines is paired with “companion texts.” In fact, fragments of poetry by Polish poet Zbigniew Herbert are printed with the score. What challenges and opportunities does the pairing of text and music present in your interpretation of Hersch’s score?
Although the inclusion of poetry quotations as “mottos” for musical works has been in practice since at least the early 19th-century, I feel that in the case of this piece these fragments are inseparable from the music. They could almost replace the more “mundane” directions such as tempo markings and performance indications with their atmosphere and spirit. It also lends the piece a certain intimacy, as if the composer draws both the musician and the listener into the world of images that had originally inspired him to write the piece.
[Please see the bottom of this post for the Herbert's poetic fragments.]
What is unusual about the musical form of along the ravines?
I think the use of multiple short movements both highlights the fragmentary, or episodic, character of the music but also the way many disparate elements are some how accumulated into one monolithic whole. I guess it sounds paradoxical, but the end of the piece delineates how it is both a journey that comes full circle, and still remains open-ended.
The text consists of 10 fragments, but carries a weight that reaches beyond the words themselves. Given this, how do you feel about the music itself?
The music has that quality as well, in the sense that it is primarily made of gestures, sometime very modest and sometimes huge, that seem to go beyond the actual notes that make them up. The music is both very abstract yet emotionally direct and it seems that the abstract quality is further highlighted by including only fragments of poetry rather than complete poems.
What do you like about performing world premieres? What is challenging about performing them?
It is a very big challenge, since you obviously don’t have the sounds of the piece in your mind from recordings as you do with many other pieces, for example. There is also no general experience of the piece in the mind of others that you can build on and play with. At the same time, it is a fascinating process because you look for ways to find the meaning in music that, literally, hasn’t yet existed beyond the printed page in the same way that a familiar piece already has a past in the listener’s mind. In theater (and in French), they use the word ‘create’ to describe a first performance, as if it’s inseparable from the process of composition (and sometimes it is). And although I think that any musician is essentially involved in the ‘creation’ of any piece he or she plays in a very profound way, there is an added ‘behind-the-scenes’ aspect to it when dealing with a brand new piece and working closely on it with the composer that changes the whole experience of the piece.
Accompanying text to Michael Hersch’s along the ravines, for Piano and Orchestra
All poetry by Zbigniew Herbert
Translations by Czeslaw Milosz, Peter Dale Scott, John Carpenter and Bogdana Carpenter
Reprinted with permission of the publisher.
I
… to tremble in the air
blow in the ashes stir the ether
gnaw our fingers seek vain words
Drag off the fallen shades behind us …
II
They walked along ravines …
They breathed on the frozen dawn …
III
Cup your hands to scoop up sleep
and the forest will come: a green cloud
a birch trunk like a chord of light
and a thousand eyelids fluttering
with forgotten leafy speech
then you will recall the white morning
when you waited for the opening of
the gates …
IV
I shall be moved neither by the
postman’s bell
nor by the shouting of angels
I shall sit
immobile
my eyes fixed
upon the heart of things
a dead star
a black drop of infinity
V
The earth’s axis screeches and comes to
a stop.
Everything stands still then: storms,
ships and clouds …
Everything.
And after a while the world moves on.
The ocean swallows and regurgitates,
valleys send off steam …
… the resounding class of air against air.
VI
… circling in the darkness
crawling in dust
VII
they appear
a moment before
the final division
of those gnashing their teeth
from those singing psalms
VIII
… a gray wreath
IX
… the world’s four walls go down
X
… again the forest: a charred cloud
forehead branded by black light
and a thousand lids pressed
tightly on motionless eyeballs
a tree and the air broken …
"Bluebeard's Castle" set piece, "Bluebeard's Domain"; photo by Teresa Nouri Rishel
The genesis of the Seattle Symphony’s upcoming concert production of Béla Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle is owed to the creative collaboration of two individuals: Seattle SymphonyConductor Laureate Gerard Schwarz and Artist in Association Dale Chihuly.
The work itself, highly symbolic, features just two characters: Bluebeard, who keepsdark secrets behind seven locked doors, and his fourth wife, Judith, who insists thedoors be opened. The dramatic discovery of what is behind the doors — and whathas happened to Bluebeard’s past wives — is the focus of the opera. With this inmind, Schwarz asked Chihuly to create the set for this production, which the SeattleSymphony premiered in 2007 to critical acclaim.
Since then, the set has traveled to Milwaukee, Nashville, and Tel Aviv, Israel, for a total of 15 performances. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel praised the pairing of Bartók’s opera with Chihuly’s artistic talent: “Chihuly’s striking sculptures … gave fantastic shape to what Judith found behind the first six doors. Framed by reflective panels, they brought an added depth to the stage itself….”
For a more in-depth look at the conception and creation of the Seattle Symphony’s concert staging of Bluebeard’s Castle, we went to Gerard Schwarz and Dale Chihuly themselves. (Click their names or scroll down to read our interviews.)
The Symphony will present Bluebeard’s Castle on May 15 and 17 on a program that also includes world premieres by American composers Michael Hersch and David Diamond. Read about the program and get your tickets here.
Seattle Symphony Conductor Laureate Gerard Schwarz by Ben VanHouten
You worked closely with the Seattle Symphony’s Artist in Association, Dale Chihuly, to create the concert staging for this piece. Why did you ask him, specifically, to design the set?
I find Chihuly to be among the most creative artists that I know. He has extraordinary imagination and he is constantly pushing the envelope as an artist. My first collaboration with him was his remarkable sets for Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande that we did with Seattle Opera. At that time I realized that with the right repertoire this great genius could be a part of our musical world. I’m very proud of our collaboration and I believe the Seattle Symphony is the only orchestra in the world that has an artist associated with it.
This production of Bluebeard’s Castle uses concert staging, in which a pair of singer-actors sing in front of the set, with the Orchestra playing the music behind it. What makes Chihuly’s art and a concert staging of Bluebeard’s Castle such a good fit for each other?
Like Pelléas et Mélisande, Bluebeard’s Castle is a psychological opera. And, while Chihuly could do sets for an opera by any composer, these very psychological works lend themselves to his art. The opera is short — one hour, a single act — with basically a single set with seven doors. If this had been an opera with seven scene changes, it would be extremely difficult to do in a concert presentation with an important artist doing the sets. Since this particular opera is minimal in terms of the set needs, it seemed like a perfect fit for a concert presentation. We do a minimal staging — just enough to ensure the audience’s understanding and hopefully enhance its appreciation of a particular work. In the case of Bluebeard’s Castle, the real issues are the opening of each of the seven doors. Clearly, Chihuly’s artworks are his impression of what is behind those doors, and he and his team came up with a remarkable way to have each of the doors revealed to the audience.
There are two kinds of color in this production: visual and orchestral. How are the dramatic revelations of this story brought out by both music and glass?
In each instance, when Bartók reveals one of the doors, he illuminates those moments in a remarkable way, through orchestration and his use of harmony. The job of the artist is to reflect Bartók’s vision and, of course, the vision of the story. This can be very subjective. Or, it can be quite obvious. Certain colors, like the color red, would have many implications. For example: the color of blood. But again, it is up to the artist to make his or her statement and interpretation of Bartók’s use of the orchestra into what we call orchestral color.
When you began planning this collaboration, did you imagine the set would travel so far?
It was certainly my hope that this production would have resonance around the world. I believe, because of the quality of these sets, there is no better way to experience Bluebeard’s Castle than with the Chihuly Bluebeard doors. And it was always my hope that it would travel — it makes me extremely happy and proud that it has met with such great success.
The Seattle Symphony premiere of "Bluebeard's Castle" in 2007; photo by Teresa Nouri Rishel
Bluebeard’s Castle is a highly symbolic opera. How do the set and the opera complement each other?
The opera becomes increasingly more dramatic through the use of colored light associated with the reveal of each door. The works of art and sets I created to represent each of the doors complement the story because I too used color and light to help set the mood and create a sense of drama as each door is revealed.
Much of the excitement about this production surrounds the revealing of the doors. Can you tell us about each door? What do you call each piece?
The set consists of seven doors, six of which contain different presentations of my artwork.
Door 1: The Torture Chamber — Red Spears
Door 2: The Armory — Tiger Lilies and Paintbrushes
Door 3: The Treasury — Crystal Clubs
Door 4: The Garden — Ferns and Trumpet Flowers
Door 5: The Domains — Herons, Marlins, Neo Reeds
Door 6: The Lake of Tears — Tear Drops and Reichenbach Mirrored Balls
"Bluebeard's Castle" set piece, "The Armory"; photo by Teresa Nouri Rishel
Fragile glass. Shipping logistics. Detailed instructions for assembling, de-assembling and re-assembling the set. What logistical challenges did moving these artworks present?
My team and I have worked over the years to perfect the art of packing and transporting the artworks. The team packs, ships, installs and de-installs all the artwork for various shows, exhibits and installations around the world. Since we are the only ones to touch the glass both on the shipping and receiving end, it really helps us logistically. To date we have a less than one-percent breakage rate.
This set has traveled across the country to Milwaukee and Nashville, and across the ocean to Tel Aviv. What does this mean to you, and how does it feel to present this magnificent production once again in Seattle?
As an artist, you want your work to be seen by as many people as possible. To have the set travel to different cities has been exciting. I’m thrilled to have it back in Seattle for additional performances with Gerard Schwarz and the Seattle Symphony. It is special that the Bluebeard’s Castle performances coincide with the opening of Chihuly Garden and Glass.
1. The fabulous fish puppets you’ll see on stage come to us all the way from New York City, hand-crafted by the internationally renowned Furry Puppet Company.
2. Our brass quintet hails from Central Washington University. And instead of a trombone, they have a euphonium. Isn’t that breaking a rule? Nope! If you unwound a euphonium and a trombone, they’d be exactly the same length. Want to see that done? Come to our concert on Saturday!
3. For every minute a live production company spends on stage, a whole hour of rehearsal is required. But our rehearsals are never boring!
4. Miss Allison (the star of the show!) and Mr. Michael (our delightful tenor) are married. In fact, they met while playing the parts of Laurey and Curly in the musical Oklahoma! It was love at first sight.
5. The 10:30 show is sold out, but there are a few tickets left for the 9:30 – so get them here!
Meet the members of the brass family and play games that teach high and low! Concerts are 35 minutes in length and are designed for tots from birth to 5 years. Pre-concert activities take place 30 minutes prior to each concert.
Subscribe to the 2012–2013 Seattle Symphony Season by June 9, 2012, and be entered to win a Victoria getaway courtesy of Clipper Vacations and the Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour.
Contest Rules and Regulations
HOW TO ENTER
If you become a 2012–2013 Seattle Symphony Season subscriber by June 9, 2012, you will automatically be entered to win a Victoria getaway, compliments of Clipper Vacations and the Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour Hotel.
Recently renewed your 2012–2013 Seattle Symphony Season subscription? If you have renewed your subscription between January 11, 2012 and May 9, 2012, just send in your name, address, phone number and subscriber number to christine.wood@seattlesymphony.org to be entered to win.
NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER. See Official and General Rules below for all terms and conditions.
THE PRIZE PACKAGE
Once entered, the winner will be randomly selected on June 14, 2012, and announced and notified via phone by Seattle Symphony on June 15, 2012. The selected winner will win a prize package that includes:
A certificate from Clipper Vacations redeemable for a round trip travel for two adults from Seattle, Washington, USA, to Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
A certificate from the Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour Hotel redeemable for two consecutive nights’ accommodation for two adults in a standard room at the hotel.
Approximate retail value (ARV) of package is estimated at USD One Thousand Dollars (USD 1,000). Odds of winning depend on the number of entries received.
OFFICIAL RULES
Sponsor of Prize: Clipper Navigation, Inc. (US) (“Clipper Vacations”) and the Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour Hotel (Canada)
Entry: One entry per person. One entry per household (regardless of whether one person has more than one address or more than one person uses the same address).
Entry Dates: Entries will be accepted from May 9, 2012 to June 9, 2012. Entries must be received by 5:00 P.M. (17:00PST) June 9, 2012.
Methods of Entry: There are three methods of entry:
Any person who becomes a 2012-2013 Seattle Symphony Season subscriber or renews an existing subscription to the 2012–2013 Seattle Symphony Season during the period from May 9, 2012 to June 9, 2012, will be eligible for the prize if they meet all the eligibility requirements herein, and are automatically entered into the draw, unless notified to the contrary.
Any person who has previously become a 2012–2013 Seattle Symphony Season subscriber or renewed his or her 2012–2013 Seattle Symphony Season subscription between January 11, 2012 and May 8, 2012, and sends in his or her name, phone number, address, and subscription number to christine.wood@seattlesymphony.org is eligible for the prize if he or she meets all the eligibility requirements herein.
Any person who submits his or her name, phone number and address to the Seattle Symphony during the period from May 9, 2012 to June 9, 2012 is also eligible for the prize if they meet eligibility requirements herein. Entries may be made via e-mail to christine.wood@seattlesymphony.org or via mail to:
Attention: Victoria Get-Away Contest
The Seattle Symphony
200 University St.
Seattle, WA 98101.
The winner will be randomly selected on June 14, 2012, and announced and notified on June 15, 2012.
Details of the Prize: The Prize consists of one (1) round trip for two adults on the Victoria Clipper from Seattle, WA, USA to Victoria, BC, Canada, as well as two (2) consecutive nights’ accommodation for two (2) adults in a standard room in the Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour Hotel. Prize redemption is taken as a whole and subject to availability at the time reservations are made. All expenses and costs associated with the acceptance or use of any prize that are not expressly specified in these Official Rules as being part of the Prize including, without limitation, airfare or other transportation to or from port of departure; ground transfers; shore excursions; hotel service charges; personal onboard expenses; or applicable passport, visa and entry/exit fees, are the responsibility of the winner. The prize covers room charges only; the winner is responsible for all added charges and fees including all food and beverage, telephone, and other ancillary charges above and beyond the room charge. Prize is subject to the contracts provided by Clipper Vacations and Victoria Marriott Harbour Hotel and applicable terms and conditions set forth in said materials. Guests under the age of 21 years (whether that be the Prize winner or not) must be accompanied by a parent, relative or guardian 21 years or older. The Prize is non-transferable, non-refundable, non-negotiable for cash, may not be resold, and cannot be used as partial payment toward a different Clipper Vacations and/or a Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour Hotel package(s) other than that assigned. No substitution of the Prize or any component thereof is permitted, except in the discretion of Clipper Vacations and Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour Hotel, which reserves the right to substitute the Prize for a prize of equal or greater value.
All federal, state/provincial and local taxes on Prize value, if applicable, are the sole responsibility of winner. An IRS Form 1099 will be issued if required by law. Approximate retail value (ARV) of the prize is estimated at USD One Thousand Dollars (USD1,000). Actual value depends on market conditions at time of fulfillment. Any difference between ARV and actual value will not be awarded to the winner. The Prize will be awarded if properly claimed.
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Beginning tonight and ending Saturday, the Symphony hosts several violin test-pieces, be they classically shaped, folk-inspired or a colorful blend of notes both scored and improvised.
Tonight (Thursday) and Saturday, Hungarian conductor Gregory Vajda leads the Orchestra and visiting violinist Misha Keylin in a performance that includes, among other pieces, Mozart’s classic Second Violin Concerto and Vieuxtemps’ demanding Violin Concerto No. 5. Misha (brother of Seattle Symphony first violinist Leonid Keylin — yeah, we know: it’s a veritable vault of violins), who gives the concerto performances on this program, has attracted particular attention with his three-CD recording of all seven of Vieuxtemps’ violin concertos. Read more and get your tickets here.
Misha Keylin (c) Lisa-Marie Mazzucco
Tomorrow’s (Friday’s) program, also conducted by Vajda, features Hungarian violinist József Lendvay, Jr., son of (you guessed it) József Lendvay, Sr., one of the most famous Hungarian Gypsy violinists and former Concertmaster of the Budapest Gypsy Symphony Orchestra — also known as the 100 Gypsy Violins of Budapest. Lendvay, Jr., combines his formal training with his unique improvisational talents on a program that includes Ravel’s Tzigane for Violin and Orchestra, Waxman’s Carmen Fantasy, De Saraste’s Zigeunerweisen (“Gypsy Airs”), Brahms’ Hungarian Dance No. 5 in G minor, and more. Read up on the program and get your tickets here.
József Lendvay, Jr.
Vajda, who leads these two talented performers and the Orchestra for the next three nights, is also a gifted composer and musician. His instrument? Why, clarinet, of course.
Led by Director Dr. Samuel Jones, the annual Merriman Family Young Composers Workshop is a 12-week series of two-hour classes given to our area’s most talented young composers. On Tuesday, May 1, at 7:30pm, Seattle Symphony musicians perform the young composers’ works in a concert in the intimate Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall. Best of all, this incredible showcase of impressive talent is FREE.
Dr. Samuel Jones discusses a composition with workshop participants during class in the Soundbridge Seattle Symphony Music Discovery Center.
Tuesday’s concert is the final night in a challenging and rewarding process. We recently asked Dr. Jones a few questions about the Workshop and its lasting positive impact on the students and the community.
What do you enjoy most about these workshops?
I enjoy working with each of the students. I enjoy their talent, their quickness, their love of music, their dedication, their sense of humor, their camaraderie, their helpfulness to each other. There is a wonderful atmosphere of collegiality, of excitement in the creation of theirs and each other’s works, and of anticipation at the prospect of working with the Symphony musicians.
What do the students learn in these workshops?
They learn how to notate and develop their musical ideas, how to make those ideas more communicative and how to apply professional standards to their work, among many other things.
What does it mean to you to see these composers’ works performed by Seattle Symphony musicians in a live chamber setting?
It is incredibly exciting and it renews my faith in the future to see, every year, a new group of gifted students who are reasserting, with their love and devotion to music, the living and ongoing viability of our art. Don’t believe the naysayers! Classical music is alive and well, and these students are proving it.
Why would you encourage someone to take advantage of the free concert on May 1?
First of all, because you’ll enjoy it. You don’t have to be a parent or a friend to be bowled over by the impressive level of accomplishment and by the vitality of these students’ works. Secondly, to encourage these young people at the earliest stage in their careers. And finally, to support the Symphony and its musicians in one of its most important educational activities — and to thank our generous donor, Pamela Merriman, for her invaluable support.
As a newly-minted Seattleite in 2009, Meeka Quan DiLorenzo ran into Dave Matthews at a park in Wallingford. “I was very sad I was wearing sweatpants,” she says with mild embarrassment. “I think I was holding a box of cupcakes or something.” But this didn’t prove to be too much of a damper to DiLorenzo’s interaction with Matthews. “I had a good conversation with him — he’s a very nice guy.” Matthews, in fact, shares a special relationship with the Seattle Symphony: his CD Some Devil features several Symphony musicians.
DiLorenzo’s was a fitting baptism to the Northwest music scene, where Seattle Symphony musicians regularly brush elbows with other pop, jazz and classical artists, be they established virtuosos or rising stars. DiLorenzo, who joined the Symphony after five seasons as Associate Principal Cello of the Utah Symphony, is quite happy with her new home in the Northwest. While she and her husband don’t hit the slopes anymore given the lengthier drive time — “it was only 20 minutes to the lift in Utah” — they’ve found a lot of other things to do. Between exploring the Puget Sound’s islands and Seattle’s restaurants they stay quite busy. “We’re total foodies,” she says.
Being a mother certainly takes up a lot of time as well. “When I’m not here [at the Symphony], I’m usually with my son…. That’s pretty much my life. I am Mom all the time.” Meeka’s husband, Anthony DiLorenzo, is a composer and trumpet soloist; needless to say, their son, Luca, has grown up in an incredibly musical environment. “He thinks everybody plays an instrument because all my friends do,” says Meeka.
Well, does he play an instrument then? Not yet. “He’s got so much energy that I’m thinking sports will be better for him,” says DiLorenzo. As with many of the musician-parents in the Seattle Symphony, DiLorenzo and her husband are content to let their son find his way. After all, DiLorenzo got her start as a cellist not because the instrument was forced upon her but because she expressed interest. “I come from a very blue collar background. I went to a Montessori school and that’s what was offered and so that’s what I did. And it was great! Now I’m going to send my son to a Montessori school as well.”
The musician-parent dynamic can be both challenging and rewarding. “Being married to a musician,” DiLorenzo says, “has its benefits and drawbacks.” She and her husband are very laid back about letting their son explore his own interests, but they are much more vigilant about the delineation between their own work and free time. “We try not to talk about work too much,” she says. “Before you know it, you can talk all day about work and the orchestra.”
They do, however, understand each other’s busy schedule and their needs to practice and prepare. It’s not all drudgery, of course — their professional life leads to intersections with interesting people and places. Anthony, for example, plays in a brass quintet with Ko-ichiro Yamamoto, Principal Trombone for the Seattle Symphony; and DiLorenzo, an avid chamber musician, enjoys taking her talents to such festival locations as Sun Valley, Aspen and Taos. And, of course, she is a familiar face in the Seattle Symphony’s Chamber series — the chamber concert on Sunday, April 22, is her third of the season. See DiLorenzo, other Seattle Symphony musicians, and guests perform in the intimate Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall. Get your tickets here.
The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra has been around for a long time. We’re talking serious history here, people. With its beginnings in 1935, in Kansas City, Missouri, and an illustrious career that’s still going, the Count Basie Orchestra has musical connections that are firmly intertwined with several bands and musicians in the Big Band era and beyond. The myriad — and surprising — connections, influences and collaborations require some investigation.
Say you’re looking at the Seattle Symphony’s 2012–2013 season brochure, and you come across the Pops series. The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, which comes to Benaroya Hall in April 2013, strikes your fancy. How does Tommy Dorsey intersect with the Count Basie Orchestra? In 1939 Tommy Dorsey himself asked the classic crooner Frank Sinatra to join his ensemble. This move proved fortuitous for Mr. Sinatra, who gained much from increased public visibility. Years later, Ella Fitzgerald was a guest on The Frank Sinatra Show.
And who else collaborated with Ella Fitzgerald but the Count Basie Orchestra? They recorded together on the 1957 album, One O’Clock Jump.
Ok, how about this: You came to the Seattle Symphony’s Celebrate Asia concert in February 2012. You loved ONE, a piece composed by Seattle composer and trumpeter Cuong Vu that features lightning-fast trumpet runs. How does this intersect with the Count Basie Orchestra? Thing is, Cuong Vu composed this for the Seattle Symphony’s Sonic Evolution concert in October 2011, which featured several compositions in homage to noteworthy Seattle musicians. ONE is a tribute to Quincy Jones (who attended Garfield High School — Go Bulldogs!), who has an extensive list of musical achievements, from producing Michael Jackson’s Thriller to doing arrangements for Ella and Basie!, the 1963 studio album featuring Ella Fitzgerald and … the Count Basie Orchestra!!!
Because it’s Friday, let’s get a little weird. How can you connect the Count Basie Orchestra to actress Diana Lynn and a messy but lovable chimp? They were featured in the 1951 comedy Bedtime for Bonzo, alongside a man who would eventually become President of the U.S.: Ronald Reagan. And guess who played at Reagan’s inauguration? Yep: the Count Basie Orchestra. (For the sake of political balance, we should add that the Count Basie Orchestra played at JFK’s inauguration as well.) Red or blue, we can all count on the Count.
Liven up your weekend by seeing the Legendary Count Basie Orchestra bring its Big Band energy to Benaroya Hall — tickets are available tonight, tomorrow and Sunday. Read more and get your tickets here. We’ll leave you with one of our CBO favorites, “Corner Pocket.”
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