Showing posts with label classically speaking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label classically speaking. Show all posts
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Classically Speaking: Galway's Golden Flute


The BPO's 2012/2013 season kicks off this weekend with an opening night gala featuring world renowned flutist Sir James Galway.  The evening will included performances of Hamilton Harty's An Irish Symphony and Mozart's Flute Concerto No. 2 in D Major.

Nicknamed "The Man With The Golden Flute," Sir Galway has recorded an extensive catalog for flute the world over and has enjoyed success with more mainstream music via live performances with artists such as Roger Waters and performing on the soundtrack for Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy.  His albums have sold more than 30 million copies and he maintains a vigorous touring schedule... between now and New Year's, he will be performing in Buffalo, New Jersey, Hong Kong, Beijing, various locales in the United Kingdom, and finally, a New Years Eve performance in New York City.

This season looks to be very promising, with many can't-miss performances of world-class material.  I am very much looking forward to attending as many shows of the Classics Series as I can and will be posting previews of all Classics Series shows this season.

The Opening Night Gala is this Saturday at 8PM
Kleinhans Music Hall is located at 3 Symphony Circle (where North turns into Porter)
Tickets range from $42-$92



Drew Kline
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Classically Speaking


The BPO's Classics Series comes to a close this weekend with what should be one of the most anticipated and dramatic works of the season: Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 3.

Often hailed as one of Mahler's most unique and grandiose works, Mahler's Third explores themes of creation and nature over the course of six movements.  There are few works that equal Mahler's Third is scale, as it often clocks in at between 90-120 minutes... a feat that has rarely been approached in the world of symphonic music... especially back in the Romantic period.

This weekends' performances will feature a little bit of everything as the orchestra will be joined by the women of the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus for the fourth and fifth movements.

Be sure to make your way down to Kleinhans this weekend as you do not want to miss out on the opportunity to see a production such as this.  This weekends performances were a large determining factor in me purchasing my season passes this year... unfortunately I will be out of town and unable to take the show in.

Performances are as follows:

Saturday, June 2 at 8:00PM
Sunday, June 3 at 2:30PM

Ticket prices range from $25-$72


Drew Kline
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Classically Speaking


Last weekend allowed us to get intimate with the music of Duke Ellington's jazzy pop pieces as part of the BPO's "Pops Series"... this weekend, though, it's time to get classic.

This Saturday and Sunday, the BPO will be hosting the final week of their celebration of the genius of Duke Ellington at Kleinhan's Music Hall.  Many consider him to be among the greatest composers of the 20th Century (and the fact that the BPO has dedicated two weeks of programming to his music is nothing to sway me differently).

Experience the Suite from The River, as well as, Black, Brown, and Beige by Duke Ellington and Carnival of the Animals by Saint-Saëns.

The music being played this weekend has a far reach, as lovers of big band, jazz, and classical will all find something to enjoy.

Showtimes are as follows:
Saturday, May 12 - 8PM
Sunday, May 13 - 2:30PM

Tickets range from $25-$72 and as always,
students get in for $10 with a student ID.


Drew Kline
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Clasically Speaking: A Whole New World


Good news for those who missed the free performance and seminar based around Antonin Dvorak's New World Symphony held at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery the other week: the BPO will be performing Symphony No. 9 in Em, Op.95 twice this week.

This week's performance will be a true immersion into the mind and writing process of a classical music composer as there will be dialogue outlining Dvorak's trip to America in 1892 (the very trip that inspired him to write his 9th Symphony), as well as, a performance piece for actor and orchestra based on Dvorak's "Hiawatha Melodrama".

Performances will be held on the following dates:

Friday, April 27th - 10:30AM
Saturday, April 28th - 8:00PM

Tickets are on sale and range from $25 to $72.



Drew Kline
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Classically Speaking

 

You don't have to wait until summer for free music!

This Friday at 7:30PM, the Albright-Knox Art Gallery will be showcasing the music of Antonin Dvorak and how he was influenced by American painters of his time.  There will be a "mini-lecture", followed by a visual interpretation of Dvorak's New World Symphony.  Concluding the event will be performances of Dvorak's "American" String Quartet and a section from his Violin Sonata.  These pieces will be performed by a string quartet consisting of Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra musicians.

The temperature range for Friday is between 33-53 degrees... I can't think of much better than free art and music if the weather ends up being closer to the lower end of the spectrum.  Take a listen below, you may hear some familiar themes in the "American" Suite.


Drew Kline
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Classically Speaking: BPO Performs Pink Floyd




St. Patrick's Day weekend is upon us and the festivities will be starting on the dark side of the moon when the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra performs the music of Pink Floyd this Friday.

Guest conductor/arranger Brent Havens comes to Buffalo, once again, with an impressive résumé that includes symphonic performances of such classic artists as Led Zeppelin, Queen, Michael Jackson, and more.

The program features a full band with vocals accompanied by a full 50-piece orchestra.  Of the reaction to this unique combination rock and classical, Havens says, "When we first came on stage, the audience gave us polite, almost classical applause.  Then we hit the first note and they realized it was a rock show".

I have been to several shows that combine rock music and classical instruments before and I have to say that I am very excited for this show.  Pink Floyd has to be the penultimate rock band to have songs performed by a symphony orchestra.  The way Pink Floyd composed their songs and approached music making in general lends their music beautifully to a symphonic arrangement.  In contrast, I was in attendance for the "BPO Performs Grateful Dead" show several weeks ago.  The show was great, and I heard a lot of classic Dead songs I love, but at times, it seemed like a cover band with classical music behind it.  With the Pink Floyd show, I anticipate a seamless, well-integrated performance thanks to the grandiose nature of the bands' arrangements.

The concert is being billed as being over 2 hours long and featuring 17 Pink Floyd songs.  The show is this Friday, March 16 at 8:00PM.  The performance will be held at Kleinhan's Music Hall and tickets range from $31-$75.

This is a great chance to introduce someone you know to classical music.



This performance of "Another Brick in the Wall" by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will give you an idea of what to expect.

Drew Kline
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Classically Speaking


"Classically speaking... what the hell is this?  Well, it's just what it sounds like (try coming up with a name using relevant classical music terms and you'll discover it is harder than it looks).  I have had the pleasure of signing on to buffaBLOG with the task of sharing info on the wonderful world of classical music to the good people of Buffalo.  I will be providing weekly reports on the most recent offerings of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and I will give insight on the many composers and musical periods of the past.........few centuries!"


Prokofiev, Beethoven, and one of Buffalo’s Own

One of the most lauded orchestral pieces of the 20th Century makes its way to Kleinhan’s Music Hall this weekend when the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra performs Sergei Prokofiev’s Symphony No.5 in B-flat major, Op. 100.  The program also includes Beethoven’s Overture: Leonore No.3, Op. 72b and the Montserrat – Concerto for Cello and Orchestra by Buffalo’s own Paul Moravec.

The program starts with the Beethoven piece, a work taken from Fidelio, Beethoven’s only opera.  The overture, being an excerpt from a whole opera, is a shorter piece (14 minutes in length) and has all of the dramatic and powerful force that Beethoven is known for.  This piece was last performed by the BPO in March of 2002.

The performance of Montserrat will be the first by the BPO, and it is a special performance, as the piece was composed by Pulitzer Prize winner,  Paul Moravec, who was born right here in Buffalo.  The piece is an ode to the Catalonia monastery of the same name and to Pablo Casals (who once guest-conducted the BPO in 1966), the famed cellist who spent much time at the monastery.  Fans of the Romantic Period of classical music should greatly enjoy this piece.  The cello solos will be performed by Roman Mekinulov, principal cellist of the BPO.

Finally, to close the show, we have Prokofiev’s famous Symphony No.5.  This symphony teeters back and forth from serene to soaring and climactic over (and within) the four movements of the 46 minute performance.  Prokofiev wrote the piece while residing in Soviet Russia in the summer of 1944.  Of the piece, he stated that he intended for it to be an ode to freedom and happiness and to the “grandeur of the human spirit”… ideas and motifs that may never be as important to those listening than they were to those hearing the piece for the first time in January, 1945; a time when the Axis-powers in Germany were collapsing and Allied victory seemed eminent.

Prokofiev’s fifth was last performed by the BPO in October of 1997.  JoAnn Falletta will be conducting.

Show times are as follows:

Friday, March 9th at 10:30AM
Saturday, March 10th at 8:00PM

Remember, tickets are only $10 with a student ID… take advantage of this fantastic deal!



Drew Kline
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