The Well-Tempered Ear
Pianist Yuja Wang’s new ‘Vienna Recital’ is another triumph
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By Jacob Stockinger
Yuja Wang remains the hottest pianist on the touring concert circuit — and not just for her daring, high fashion clothes and her sensuous legs and arms, and her especially expressive face.
Lang Lang might make more money.
Newcomer Yunchan Lim might inspire more anticipation.
And veterans Martha Argerich and Emanuel Ax might command more authority for their interpretations.
But the supremely talented China-born, U.S.-educated Wang remains in very high critical regard and high popular demand — something that the release just yesterday of her latest album “The Vienna Recital” is sure to sustain and increase.
The recital’s program features an eclectic and somewhat unusual mix of works by Beethoven, Scriabin, Isaac Albéniz, Nikolai Kaspustin and Philip Glass (whose Etude No. 6 you can hear Wang perform in the YouTube video at the bottom.)
The Ear also likes seeing that Wang uses the music through a printed score on what appears to be an iPad.
Here is a link to a rave review by Tal Agam from the The Classic Review that is based in Tel Aviv, Israel:
What do you think of Yuja Wang?
Have you listened to The Vienna Recital?”
What do you think of it?
Do you intend to listen to it?
The Ear wants to hear.
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A biopic about Vivaldi is in the works
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By Jacob Stockinger
The baroque master and violin virtuoso Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741, below) composed the most recorded piece of classical music of all time: “The Four Seasons.”
The work was composed around 1720 and published in 1723, but because Vivaldi died in poverty and his music fell into obscurity, it was not rediscovered and recorded until 1939. And scholars are still finding manuscripts and rediscovering works by the prolific composer who has some 500 concertos and 40 operas to his credit.
The Roman Catholic priest with flaming red hair who was admired by J.S. Bach and who taught at an orphanage for girls in Venice, Italy, has been the subject of numerous biographies, critical studies and even novels, including mystery novels.
But now — after a 20-year delay since the script was completed and submitted — Vivaldi is about to hit the Big Screen in a biopic.
Last year saw “Maestro” about Leonard Bernstein and his wife. And a movie about opera diva Maria Callas is in the works with Angelina Jolie in the title role.
It seems a trend that might perhaps help attendance as concert organizations still are struggling to recover from the Covid pandemic. One wonders if we will see more Vivaldi programmed in response to his increased visibility and publicity his music will get thanks to Hollywood.
For more background and details, here is a link to the story on Classic FM:
Which is your favorite of the four violin concertos that make up “The Four Seasons”?
And what about Vivaldi’s other pieces, including the glorious “Gloria”?
The Ear particularly likes Vivaldi’s concertos for two violins. It is in A minor, RV 523, and you can hear the first movement played by Simon Standage and Collegium 90 in the YouTube video at the bottom.
Do you recommend a particular work by Vivaldi?
What is your favorite piece — choral, operatic, instrumental — by The Red Priest?
The Ear wants to hear.
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Pianist Lang Lang gets a Hollywood star
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By Jacob Stockinger
He is not the first classical pianist to be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
But the controversial Chinese superstar Lang Lang (below) — once referred to as Bang Bang and compared to Liberace for his flamboyance and showmanship — is certainly the most popular.
As a performer, educator and philanthropist, he is also the first Asian pianist to be so honored, although The Ear is betting that his fellow Chinese and highly respected pianist Yuja Wang is not far behind him.
Lang Lang received the 2,778th star (below, in a photo by Jesse Grant of Getty Images) from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. He received it last week, on April 10.
His alma mater — the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where Lang Lang studied with Gary Graffman and graduated in 2002 — is deservedly proud of him, issuing the following press release with links:
And if you missed any or all of the 49 minutes-long fluffy ceremony, in the YouTube video at the bottom is a 5-minute clip of the event, during which Lang Lang played the piano on the street.
Do you have an opinion about Lang Lang?
What do you think is his best recording?
The Ear wants to hear.
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Conductor Edo de Waart retires after 60 years
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By Jacob Stockinger
World-famous Dutch conductor Edo de Waart (below) announced on Wednesday that he is retiring after a career that has spanned 60 years.
You might recall that de Waart, 82, was the music director of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra from 2008 to 2017 and is now a conductor laureate of the MSO.
He lived in Middleton, Wisconsin, a suburb of Madison, while conducting in Milwaukee. He and his sixth wife, Rebecca Dopp, and their two children now live in Maple Bluff, another suburb of Madison.
De Waart is known for championing contemporary music and for an his extensive catalogue of recordings.
The Ear especially loved his early recording of Mozart’s “Gran Partita” wind serenade with the Netherlands Wind Ensemble. You can hear the sublime slow movement — which was used in the film “Amadeus” — in the YouTube video at the bottom.
Here is a press release from his current agent:
https://www.harrisonparrott.com/news/2024-04-09/conductor-edo-de-waart-announces-his-retirement
Here is a link to a biography in Wikipedia that has many details about de Waart and his career:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edo_de_Waart
Did you ever hear de Waart conduct?
Did you happen to play music under Edo de Waart?
Do you have a favorite de Waart recording?
What do you think of Edo de Waart as a conductor?
The Ear wants to hear.
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Here are Gramophone’s 12 best recordings for March
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By Jacob Stockinger
Gramophone magazine, based in the UK, is probably the best and most influential periodical about classical music for the general public.
Every month, the editors pick a recording of the month with 11 others to make up a dozen great opportunities for listening. The reviews — which often favor British performers and composers — include links to excerpts on streaming services.
Would you like to hear the prolific super-virtuoso pianist Marc-André Hamelin play his own compositions, including his Variations on a Theme of Paganini? See the YouTube video at the bottom for an astonishing display of pianism.
Or an obscure opera by Leos Janacek?
Or historic recordings of the violinist Joseph Szigeti?
Or the contemporary composer Nicola LeFanu?
Maybe a spring bouquet of songs about flowers?
Then check out this month’s choices for the Best Of.
And if these reviews interest you, check out the other stories and reviews at the bottom of the Gramophone webpage.
Here is a link:
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Why did obituaries for pop star Eric Carmen omit Rachmaninoff?
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By Jacob Stockinger
The American songwriter and pop singer Eric Carmen (below) died in his sleep at 74 last Sunday. The cause has still not been revealed.
I haven’t checked out all the obituaries for Carmen, who fronted as the lead singer for The Raspberries before striking out on his own prolific and profitable career.
In the obits I did sample, I heard how the 2001 movie “Bridget Jones’s Diary” used Carmen’s “All By Myself” (1975) — with Renée Zellwegger on drums in the staring role — at the beginning of the hit film.
I heard how Céline Dion scored a huge hit with her version of the same song.
I heard praise quoted from the American superstar horror author, and sometimes amateur rock band member, Stephen King.
But all the obituaries thatI read on the web, saw on TV and heard on the radio omitted a central element of Carmen’s career in soft rock: his “theft” or “borrowing” — depending on what you think of his justification and the results of the lawsuit he lost — of music by Sergei Rachmaninoff (below).
Indeed, Carmen’s two biggest hits owe their irresistible melodies and harmonies — their tunes, if you will — to the Russian late Romantic composer (1873-1943).
Carmen — who was a trained classical pianist — certainly had a good ear, as his year-to-year, back-to-back hits demonstrated.
And he wasn’t ashamed to use what that ear heard and what he liked.
“All By Myself” uses a theme from the second movement of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 (1901). The main melody of the last movement also gave rise to the often recorded popular song “Full Moon and Empty Arms.”
Carmen’s “Never Gonna Fall in Love Again” (1976) uses the main theme from the slow movement of Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 (1907).
If you liked Carmen’s songs, you just might like the original Rachmaninoff works, if you don’t already know them.
Here is a link to a story by Cynthia Dickison for yourclassical.org that not only recounts what happened with the lawsuit but also — with YouTube videos — offers comparisons between the original Rachmaninoff and Carmen’s reworkings.
https://www.yourclassical.org/story/2024/03/12/eric-carmen-sergei-rachmaninoff
Chances are very good that you will also hear the complete Rachmaninoff works on radio stations and in live performance a lot sooner and certainly a lot longer than you will hear Eric Carmen’s music.
Did you know about Eric Carmen’s “use” of Rachmaninoff?
What do you think of it?
What do you think it was ignored in obituaries?
The Ear wants to hear.
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YOU MUST HEAR: Alkan’s ‘Barcarolle’
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By Jacob Stockinger
One of the standout recordings for The Ear this past year was “Waves.”
It is a recital of Baroque, Romantic and modern French piano music by Bruce Liu (below), who won the 18th Chopin Competition in 2021 and has since skyrocketed to fame.
Here is Liu’s story: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Liu
Liu’s first recording for Deutsche Grammophon was a memorable and highly acclaimed all-Chopin recital made up of excerpts from his competition appearances. Recently, “Waves” (below), his second solo recording, was released.
You can enjoy “Waves” for the crisply articulated Rameau theme-and-variations suite. Or for the nuanced Ravel in “Miroirs” (Mirrors).
But Liu — who was born in Paris to Chinese parents, who came of age in Montreal, Canada, and who speaks fluent Mandarin, French and English — manages to unearth a piece that at least this pianophile never heard before and now wants to play.
It is the Barcarolle by the eccentric and misanthropic French-Jewish composer Charles-Valentin Alkan (1833-88, below).
I’m not usually a fan of Alkan.
He possessed a titanic keyboard technique and his music often sounds too much like simply a showcase for it, especially his Solo Concerto for Piano. Too often he sounds just too much over the top, too forced and virtuosic, not naturally lyrical or accessible.
Perhaps that stems from having so little social contact in his personal and artistic life.
Here is a walk-through narrative of his life: https://www.pianotv.net/2016/10/brief-history-charles-alkan/
And here is his Wikipedia biography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles-Valentin_Alkan
But then I heard Liu playing Alkan’s Barcarolle — one of a set of pieces —and was joyfully surprised. It sounds mysterious and wistful, more like a nocturne than a rocking-boat barcarolle to me. And it even sounds playable by amateurs like The Ear.
So I intend to check out more Alkan, especially the short pieces like preludes.
Listen to the 4-minute Barcarolle in the YouTube video at the bottom.
What do you think?
Do you like it? Are you surprised by it?
Would you want to play it?
What do you think of Alkan?
Can you suggest other listenable and even playable pieces by Alkan?
The Ear wants to hear.
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Here are the classical music winners of the 2023 Grammy awards
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By Jacob Stockinger
The 2023 Grammy — officially known as the 66th Grammy Awards — took place on live TV Sunday night.
Big surprise: pop singer Taylor Swift — she of the $1,000 concert tickets, Kansas City Chiefs skybox and crazy right-wing conspiracy theories about about how she and the NFL are plotting to rig the Super Bowl and re-elect President Biden — dominated and took home a record-breaking fourth Album of the Year for “Midnights.”
In addition, all of the main events — the live performances — that aired on CBS were non-classical.
Does anyone else think that demonstrates just in what disregard — aside from atoning for past neglect of women, composers and performers of color, and contemporary compositions — most classical music is being held right now?
We must not forget that the Grammys are industry awards, designed to recognize and promote sales and profit above and beyond artistic merit, although the two aims sometimes coincide.
That lack of respect also seems demonstrated by the fact that if you go to the website with the complete list for Grammy winners and nominees, the classical Grammys rank dead last. Ahead of classical you will find (in rough order): pop; electronic dance; rock; alternative; rhythm and blues; rap; spoken word; jazz; Latin; contemporary; roots; bluegrass; blues; folk; gospel; Christian; global; African; reggae; new age; children’s; comedy; audiobook; soundtrack; video games; and album notes.
But enough grousing.
Or maybe not.
Anyway, if you want to see that complete listing of the winners along with the nominees, here is a link: https://www.grammy.com/awards/66th-annual-grammy-awards-2023
And excerpted from that list of the nominees and winners of the Grammy Awards are the winners, which have been capitalized and boldfaced.
87. Best Orchestral Performance
Award to the Conductor and to the Orchestra.
ADÈS: DANTE
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor (Los Angeles Philharmonic)
Bartók: Concerto For Orchestra; Four Pieces
Karina Canellakis, conductor (Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra)
Price: Symphony No. 4; Dawson: Negro Folk Symphony
Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor (The Philadelphia Orchestra)
Scriabin: Symphony No. 2; The Poem Of Ecstasy
JoAnn Falletta, conductor (Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra)
Stravinsky: The Rite Of Spring
Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor (San Francisco Symphony)
88. Best Opera Recording
Award to the Conductor, Album Producer(s) and Principal Soloists, and to the Composer and Librettist (if applicable) of a world premiere Opera recording only.
BLANCHARD: CCHAMPION
Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor; Ryan Speedo Green, Latonia Moore & Eric Owens; David Frost, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus)
Corigliano: The Lord Of Cries
Gil Rose, conductor; Anthony Roth Costanzo, Kathryn Henry, Jarrett Ott & David Portillo; Gil Rose, producer (Boston Modern Orchestra Project & Odyssey Opera Chorus)
Little: Black Lodge
Timur; Andrew McKenna Lee & David T. Little, producers (The Dime Museum; Isaura String Quartet)
89. Best Choral Performance
Award to the Conductor, and to the Choral Director and/or Chorus Master where applicable and to the Choral Organization/Ensemble.
Carols After A Plague
Donald Nally, conductor (The Crossing)
The House Of Belonging
Craig Hella Johnson, conductor (Miró Quartet; Conspirare)
Ligeti: Lux Aeterna
Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor (San Francisco Symphony Chorus)
Rachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil
Steven Fox, conductor (The Clarion Choir)
SAARIAHO: RECONNAISANCE
Nils Schweckendiek, conductor (Uusinta Ensemble; Helsinki Chamber Choir)
90. Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
For new recordings of works with chamber or small ensemble (twenty-four or fewer members, not including the conductor). One Award to the ensemble and one Award to the conductor, if applicable.
American Stories
Anthony McGill & Pacifica Quartet
Beethoven For Three: Symphony No. 6, ‘Pastorale’ And Op. 1, No. 3; Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax & Leonidas Kavakos
Between Breaths
Third Coast Percussion
ROUGH MAGIC
Roomful Of Teeth
Uncovered, Vol. 3: Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, William Grant Still & George Walker
Catalyst Quartet
91. Best Classical Instrumental Solo
Award to the Instrumental Soloist(s) and to the Conductor when applicable.
Adams, John Luther: Darkness And Scattered Light
Robert Black
Akiho: Cylinders
Andy Akiho
THE AMERICAN PROJECT
Yuja Wang; Teddy Abrams, conductor (Louisville Orchestra)
Difficult Grace
Seth Parker Woods
Of Love
Curtis Stewart
92. Best Classical Solo Vocal Album
Award to: Vocalist(s), Collaborative Artist(s) (Ex: pianists, conductors, chamber groups) Producer(s), Recording Engineers/Mixers with greater than 50% playing time of new material.
Because
Reginald Mobley, soloist; Baptiste Trotignon, pianist
Broken Branches
Karim Sulayman, soloist; Sean Shibe, accompanist
40@40
Laura Strickling, soloist; Daniel Schlosberg, pianist
Rising
Lawrence Brownlee, soloist; Kevin J. Miller, pianist
WALKING IN THE DARK
Julia Bullock, soloist; Christian Reif, conductor (Philharmonia Orchestra)
93. Best Classical Compendium
Award to the Artist(s) and to the Album Producer(s) and Engineer(s) of over 50% playing time of the album, and to the Composer and Librettist (if applicable) with over 50% playing time of a world premiere recording only.
Fandango
Anne Akiko Meyers; Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Dmitriy Lipay, producer
Julius Eastman, Vol. 3: If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Rich?
Christopher Rountree, conductor; Lewis Pesacov, producer
Mazzoli: Dark With Excessive Bright
Peter Herresthal; Tim Weiss, conductor; Hans Kipfer, producer
PASSION FOR BACH AND COLTRANE
Alex Brown, Harlem Quartet, Imani Winds, Edward Perez, Neal Smith & A.B. Spellman; Silas Brown & Mark Dover, producers
Sardinia
Chick Corea; Chick Corea & Bernie Kirsh, producers
Sculptures
Andy Akiho; Andy Akiho & Sean Dixon, producers
Zodiac Suite
Aaron Diehl Trio & The Knights; Eric Jacobsen, conductor; Aaron Diehl & Eric Jacobsen, producers
94. Best Contemporary Classical Composition
A Composer’s Award. (For a contemporary classical composition composed within the last 25 years, and released for the first time during the Eligibility Year.) Award to the librettist, if applicable.
Adès: Dante
Thomas Adès, composer (Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic)
Akiho: In That Space, At That Time
Andy Akiho, composer (Andy Akiho, Ankush Kumar Bahl & Omaha Symphony)
Brittelle: Psychedelics
William Brittelle, composer (Roomful Of Teeth)
Mazzoli: Dark With Excessive Bright
Missy Mazzoli, composer (Peter Herresthal, James Gaffigan & Bergen Philharmonic)
MONTGOMERY: ROUNDS (in the YouTube video below)
Jessie Montgomery, composer (Awadagin Pratt, A Far Cry & Roomful Of Teeth)
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The Well-Tempered Ear 
Watch ‘The Last Repair Shop’ — the Oscar-winning short documentary about music education
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By Jacob Stockinger
The beautiful and animated face of the young girl comes on the screen with a violin, smiles and says simply, “I love the violin.”
And we as viewers fall in love right then and there.
“The Last Repair Shop” just won the 2024 Oscar for Best Short Documentary. The 40-minute film, released in 2023, is now available to watch on YouTube.
It is a feel-good, feel-guilty story about the last shop to repair free musical instruments offered students in the Los Angeles public schools. But it is also a meditation on things that are broken– and not just musical instruments but also people, schools and politics.
It is really a story about growing up; about adults making art matter to young people; about the role of public education at a time when it keeps getting attacked by ideologues as well as stingy legislatures, city councils, school boards and, ultimately, voters.
Here is a capsule summary: “Since 1959, Los Angeles has been one of the few United States cities to offer and fix musical instruments for its public school students at no cost.
“Those instruments, numbering around 80,000, are maintained at a Los Angeles downtown warehouse by a handful of craftspeople.
“The film profiles four of them, each specializing in an orchestra section, as well as students whose lives have been enriched by the repair shop’s work. The film concludes with a performance by district alumni.”
It sounds irresistible — and it is.
Here are some more background and particulars — including other awards and honors — from Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Repair_Shop
If you don’t have time right now to watch the whole film, the two-minute trailer is at the bottom. But if you go to YouTube yourself, you can also read the heart-warming and perceptive comments from other viewers:
What do you think of the movie?
How did you react?
And what do you think about the importance of music education in schools?
The Ear wants to hear
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