Word: orchestra
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1990-1999
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...misgivings about Daniele Gatti's sense of expression were quelled with the introduction of the Mahler symphony. From the first notes of the melancholy Funeral March, Gatti was literally on his toes, straining visibly to extract as much sound as possible from his orchestra. Again, the central placement of the cello section onstage allowed for the diffusion of a remarkably pithy timbre perfectly suited to the first movement. Passages seemed to dissolve into dissonance, sliding into prolonged suspensions wherein the orchestra became a sea of reddened faces...
After such a physically and emotionally draining movement, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and its conductor alike seemed to rejoice in the relaxed, waltz-like pace of the gargantuan Scherzo. The introduction of bells and intricate spiccato/pizzicato sections augmented the diversity of texture in the third movement, whose screaming finale prompted Gatti to take a handkerchief from his packet and wipe his cheek before proceeding into the final two movements of Mahler's fifth symphony...
Daniele Gatti is currently finishing his first tour of the United States, which will culminate in a performance at the John F. Kennedy Center on Nov. 2. Aside from Schubert and Mahler, the Royal Philharmonic repertoire includes Schumann's Piano Concerto, Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 8, as well as Respighi's Fountains of Rome, a piece just recorded in the first installment of Gatti's contract with BMG's Conifer Classics label...
...evening of old favorites and new faces marked the first concert of the 1997-1998 season for the Bach Society Orchestra last Friday. Under the direction of new conductor Eric R. Tipler '99, the orchestra presented nicely rendered performances of Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, Stravinsky's "Dumbarton Oaks" concerto and Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 ("pastoral"). The performance had some flaws, mostly of the sort one might expect from a small, student-directed orchestra, but in general it was quite solid and entertaining...
Tipler isn't new to conducting at Harvard. A junior music concentrator, he was the music director of last year's puppet performance of The Magic Flute by the Onion Weavers and was one of the three conductors of the Toscanini Chamber Orchestra last year. At Friday's performance, he appeared a little nervous, but took control of the orchestra as soon as he mounted the podium. His conducting was clear and expressive, though at time slightly tense and skittish--probably due simply to nerves. Every once in a while he appeared to forget he was in front...