Preu adds Cincinnati post

Eckart Preu, former associate conductor of the Richmond Symphony (2001-04), currently music director of the Spokane (WA) Symphony and incoming music director of the Long Beach (CA) Symphony, has been named music director of the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra.

Preu, a 47-year-old native of Erfurt, Germany, and onetime singer in the famed Dresdner Kreuzchor boys’ choir, has signed up for three seasons with the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, beginning with the ensemble’s August 2017 Summermusik Festival, the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Janelle Gelfand reports:

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/2016/10/29/eckart-preu-lead-chamber-orchestra/92718004/

Letter V Classical Radio this week

A deep dip into piano literature, featuring past masters (Claudio Arrau, John Ogdon, Marcelle Meyer), current luminaries (Marc-André Hamelin, Martha Argerich, Krystian Zimerman, Piotr Anderszewski) and two rising stars, Benjamin Grosvenor and Lucas Debargue.

Nov. 2
10 a.m.-1 p.m. EDT
1400-1700 UTC/GMT
WDCE, University of Richmond
90.1 FM
http://www.wdce.org

Chopin: Fantasie in F minor, Op. 49
Krystian Zimmerman, piano
(Deutsche Grammophon)

Past Masters:
Stravinsky: Capriccio
for piano and orchestra
John Ogdon, piano
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields/
Neville Marriner
(recorded 1970)
(Decca)

Past Masters:
Ravel:
“Gaspard de la nuit”
Marcelle Meyer, piano
(recorded 1954)
(EMI Classics)

Janáček: “In the Mists”
Piotr Anderszewski, piano
(Virgin Classics)

Schumann: Piano Quintet
in E flat major, Op. 44
Martha Argerich, piano
Dora Schwarzberg & Renaud Capuçon, violins
Nora Romanoff-Schwarzberg, viola
Mark Dobrinsky, cello
(EMI Classics)

Haydn: Andante and Variations in F minor
(“Un piccolo divertimento”)
Marc-André Hamelin, piano
(Hyperion)

Mendelssohn:
Prelude and Fugue
in E minor, Op. 35, No. 1
Benjamin Grosvenor, piano
(Decca)

Beethoven:
Piano Concerto
No. 4 in G major
Claudio Arrau, piano
Staatskapelle Dresden/
Colin Davis
(Philips)

J.S. Bach: Toccata in C minor, BWV 911
Lucas Debargue, piano
(Sony Classical)

Ashes at the opera

A premature and macabre end to a Rossini double-bill on Oct. 29 at New York’s Metropolitan Opera: A matinee performance of “William Tell” was called off before the fourth act and “The Italian Girl in Algiers,” which was to follow in the evening, was canceled, after a patron dumped a white, dusty substance, believed to be the ashes of a cremated friend, in the orchestra pit.

The New York Times’ Michael Cooper and Christopher Mele report:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/30/nyregion/metropolitan-opera-cancels-performance-white-substance.html

Letter V Classical Radio this week

Oct. 26
10 a.m.-1 p.m. EDT
1400-1700 UTC/GMT
WDCE, University of Richmond
90.1 FM
http://www.wdce.org

Mozart: “The Abduction from the Seraglio” Suite
(arrangement by Johann Nepomuk Went)
Netherlands Wind Ensemble
(Philips)

Barber:
“Capricorn” Concerto
Basel Chamber Orchestra/
Christopher Hogwood
(Arte Nova)

Poulenc: Sextet
for piano and winds
Pascal Rogé, piano
Patrick Gallois, flute
Maurice Bourgue, oboe
Michel Portal, clarinet
Amaury Wallez, bassoon
André Cazalet, French horn
(Decca)

Haydn: Symphony No. 82 in C major (“The Bear”)
Handel and Haydn Society, Boston/
Harry Christophers
(Coro)

Past Masters:
Beethoven: Quartet
in E flat major, Op. 127
Hungarian Quartet
(recorded 1953)
(Regis)

Rameau:
“Hippolyte et Aricie” Suite
Swedish Radio
Symphony Orchestra/
Daniel Harding
(Harmonia Mundi)

Janáček: Sonata
for violin and piano
Jessica Lee, violin
Reiko Uchida, piano
(Azica)

Tchaikovsky: “Romeo and Juliet” Fantasy-Overture
Czech Philharmonic/Semyon Bychkov
(Decca)

Richmond Symphony reviewed

My review for the Richmond Times-Dispatch of the Richmond Symphony with pianist Anton Nel, performing at Dominion Arts Center:

http://www.richmond.com/entertainment/music/article_07754249-37b0-5d4b-ab80-ae0f8b04878f.html

Letter V Classical Radio this week

This week, I trade time slots with Mark Lederway, my fellow WDCE highbrow. On Tuesday I’ll survey new and recent classical recordings – Brahms from violinist Joshua Bell, cellist Steven Isserlis and pianist Jeremy Denk; Mozart from fortepianist Kristian Bezuidenhout and the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra; Stravinsky from JoAnn Falletta and the Virginia Arts Festival Chamber Players; Tchaikovsky from Vasily Petrenko abd the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic; Debussy from Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra.

Oct. 18
noon-4 p.m. EDT
1600-2000 UTC/GMT
WDCE, University of Richmond
90.1 FM
http://www.wdce.org

Debussy: “Jeux”
San Francisco Symphony Orchestra/
Michael Tilson Thomas
(SFS Media)

Mozart:
Piano Concerto No. 12
in A major, K. 414
Kristian Bezuidenhout, fortepiano
Freiburg Baroque Orchestra/
Gottfried von der Goltz
(Harmonia Mundi)

Vijay Iyer: “Run”
J.S. Bach: Suite in C major, BWV 1009 – Prelude
Matt Haimovitz, cello
(Pentatone/Oxingale)

Dan Visconti: “Black Bend”
Fifth House Ensemble
Baladino
(Çedille)

Schumann:
“Märchenbilder,” Op. 113
Jodi Levitz, viola
Eric Zivian, fortepiano
(Avie)

Brahms: Piano Trio
in B major, Op. 8
(original version)
Joshua Bell, violin
Steven Isserlis, cello
Jeremy Denk, piano
(Sony Classical)

Stravinsky: “L’histoire du soldat” Suite
Virginia Arts Festival Chamber Players/
JoAnn Falletta
(Naxos)

Tchaikovsky: Symphony
No. 2 in C minor
(“Little Russian”)
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic/
Vasily Petrenko
(Onyx)

George Onslow:
Quintet in D minor, Op. 45
Elan Quintet
(Naxos)

Ginastera: Harp Concerto
Yolanda Kondanassis, harp
Oberlin Orchestra/Raphael Jiménez
(Oberlin Music)

Weekend concerts reviewed

My reviews for the Richmond Times-Dispatch of programs exploring Latin-American music by the Richmond Symphony at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland and the Sphinx Virtuosi and Catalyst Quartet at the University of Richmond’s Modlin Arts Center, and of the Parker Quartet with violist Kim Kashkashian, performing in Virginia Commonwealth University’s Rennolds Chamber Concerts series:

http://www.richmond.com/entertainment/music/article_7502d88b-2103-5709-8d19-9566be6035b9.html

CORRECTION (Oct. 18): The Catalyst Quartet’s management sends word that the ensemble’s first violinist, featured in Villa-Lobos’ “Bachianas brasileiras” No. 5, was Suliman Tekalli. The print review credits a former member, who was listed in the Modlin Center brochure.