Cleveland Orchestra: Bruckner Symphony No. 8 (DVD Recording)

Prelude Concert
Ives: Prelude in F major (for Solo Organ, Joela Jones, Organ)
Interview with Franz Welser-Most and William Cosel; Dee Perry, host
Ives: Variations on 'America' (for Solo Organ, Joela Jones, Organ)

Special Concert Presentation
Bruckner: Symphony No. 8 in C minor (1887 version, edited by Leopold Nowak)

The Cleveland Orchestra is opening its Severance Hall home this week for a gratis performance of Bruckner's Eighth Symphony as it is recorded for future DVD release and in advance of their upcoming European tour and residency.

In advance of tonight's sold-out performance, I knew that there would be a discussion with Franz Welser-Most, but the two organ pieces were a pleasant surprise. You may recall that this past Saturday, the nicest thing I could say about Ives's work was that it was "Only 4 minutes long". Tonight was the first time I can truly say that I've 'heard' Severance Hall's magnificent organ--I know it has been played during pieces, but I've never had an "oh, there's the organ" moment--I was awestruck by the beautiful sound with which Ms. Jones made that organ sing.

Bridging the two Ives pieces was an interview with Mr. Welser-Most and producer Mr. Cosel. I would have enjoyed hearing more from both participants, particularly since this is the first time I've heard Mr. Welser-Most speak live, yet, I was particularly struck by two comments that he made during the short time he was addressing the audience:

On the subject of the recording affecting the performance: "Microphones or not, these musicians play on the highest level possible; it's what drives them" -- something I've long suspected (and after hearing the performance thoroughly agree with) but it's interesting to hear from someone with a deeper immersion in music.

On the subject of Bruckner's music he commented* on how the experience of the Cleveland Orchestra performing Bruckner's Fifth Symphony at the Abbey of St. Florian and hearing the distinct acoustics with which the composer was working gave a greater appreciation of where Bruckner was coming from with the structure of his pieces.

The Orchestra ended their 09-10 season with Bruckner's Eighth, which was clearly the meat of tonight's concert; rereading those notes I'm inclined to merely say "Ditto". Relatively early (for sake of comparison, this adagio, on its own has a longer running time than many television shows) in the third movement adagio, there were some passages featuring the harp that absolutely buoyed the soul.

Lincoln
*- I was too busy noting the previous comment to even pretend to have an exact quote.

Science Cafe Cleveland: Looking at Art Inside and Out: An Art Conservator's Perspective

A few months ago I attended my first Science Cafe, a quite interesting program on latent finger prints. After that cafe I signed up for the email list, but schedule conflicts have kept me from attending another.

Science Cafe Cleveland is sponsored by the Case Western Reserve University chapter of Sigma Xi and takes place in the Great Lakes Brewing Company Tasting Room and has a very casual atmosphere with hors d'oeuvres and the bar remaining open in the back of the room throughout.

Tonight's Science Cafe featured Shelley Reisman Paine, conservator of objects, and Moyna Stanton, conservator of paper, both of the Cleveland Museum of Art. I had first heard Ms. Paine talk about conservation during the Museum's Member Appreciation Day last September and that was my first real--and intriguing--glimpse of the art and science of conservation. As a result, when I saw this month's Science Cafe topic and had the evening free I didn't want to miss the presentation.

If anything, the evening was too short. Beginning with a discussion of the restoration history of one print including some early repairs and the processes used to discover them, followed by an extensive Question and Answer. The Q&A covered such broad ground that it could not be accurately summarized and those who missed the presentation missed a truly interesting program.

The recurring theme was that the primary job of the conservator was to do nothing to alter the intent of the artist as well as not make any changes that are not completely reversible. The doctor's Hippocratic Oath of "First, do no harm" came to mind during the evening, and two axioms were shared--the precise wording is escaping me, but one was "Better is the enemy of good". In addition, an impressive variety of technology is used in conservation to examine works, from transmitted and reflected light, to scanning electron microscopes, infrared photography, and even particle accelerators.

The point was made that as museum conservators, they are in the position of being able to monitor their collections and nurse them along with the least intrusive possible repairs. As one presenter noted during the even more informal small group Q&A, "keep me alive until they find a cure so I don't go through what my ancestors went through."

In addition to the 'headline' presenters several other members of the CMA curatorial and conservation staff were present, and one two things were quite clear: First, Cleveland is lucky to have a team that's so personable and willing to discuss their expertise outside of working hours. Second, these people are passionate about their work and the collections that are in their care. I have to think that that comes through in the quality of the collection on display.

Lincoln

Cleveland Orchestra: Brahms Symphony No. 2

Ives: From the Steeples and the Mountains
Berg: Symphonic Suite from Lulu
Brahms: Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73
One Unannounced Encore
Franz Welser-Most, conductor.

I was accompanied at tonight's concert by a friend who was experiencing both Blossom and The Cleveland Orchestra for the first time.

Before the concert we met at the Blossom Grille for dinner -- haven never eaten a proper meal on the Blossom grounds, this was a first for me as well. As for food, the grilled 'sandwiches' (in a pita-like shell) served on the patio were reasonably good, though the intended method of consumption--hand to mouth or fork and (table) knife--was a bit unclear (As we were finishing our meal, the next table over had their sandwiches delivered with a steak knife sticking out of the middle, making things a bit more clear). As for value, "real world" pricing is a bit steep; "captive market" pricing wasn't too bad.

The title of Charles Ives' From the Steeples and The Mountains most attracted me to tonight's program. From the title I had expected something bold, perhaps declaratory, and melodic. I was 0 for 3, and the best I can say is that it was only 4 minutes long. With three musicians on chimes, a trumpet and trombone, the dissonance between the instruments left me unclear on the statement.

When last I heard Berg's Symphonic Suite from Lulu, I described it as "a strong contender for my least favorite piece". I've softened slightly, especially given the piece it followed but many of my original sentiments hold true. Interestingly, this time I noticed the program note that the opera from which the excerpts were taken was based on two of Frank Wedekind's plays; my all-time favorite musical, Spring Awakening was also based on a Wedekind play, with pop musician Duncan Sheik as the composer: It's quite interesting how one playwright can serve as the inspiration for two different composers at two different times with wildly different results)

Brahms's Second Symphony was, by contrast, quite enjoyable, particularly the texture of the third and fourth movements dipping into shadows and emerging into a bright, triumphant landscape.

There was one encore, title and composer unannounced, to which I was ambivalent.

Lincoln

Cain Park: Verb Ballets

Wings And Aires (1981)
Tarantella (2005)
Dust Bowl Ballads (1941)
The Fiddler (1951, excerpted from The Village I Knew)
To Have and To Hold (1989)
CLICKS Crew (2010)
Ambiguous Drives (2010)
at the Evans Amphitheater, Cain Park, Cleveland Heights

But for Wings and Aires I probably would be beginning with something about how this was a pleasant evening of dance. Unfortunately, Verb began the performance with Wings and Aires: Not only was I not moved by the dance--which bordered on eternal in length--the quality of the music was distractingly abysmal. I think the only place I've heard classical music with less dynamic range and more distortion is in the parking lot of the United Dairy Farmers convenience store across from Cain Park... where, as near as I can tell, the sole purpose is to make things unpleasant for loiterers. (It's little wonder, in that case, why classical has a bad rap among people in my general age range).

I was contemplating cutting my losses during the pause leading into Tarnatella, and I'm glad I stayed, as that piece was an interesting combination of movement and music, including some fancy footwork/cymbal playing while dancing.

Dust Bowl Ballads and The Fiddler were both acceptable, with Dust Bowl Ballads being only piece in the program where the music (By Woodie Guthrie) had lyrics that joined the story of the dance and the dance and music were an effective combination.

Rounding out the program, it is difficult to choose between To Have and Hold and Ambiguous Drives as my favorite from the evening. Both had great music, compelling movement, and at the most basic level held my interest throughout. I think To Have And To Hold wins by a narrow hair due to the unconventional but enjoyable choreography including flowing over, under, and through three benches and the other dancers. It wasn't until near the end of the dance that I wondered if the undecorated pine benches were intend to double as a symbolic coffin.

Finally, in between those two dances was CLICKS Crew featuring Verb Ballets' summer interns and students: At first it seemed a little sloppy but came together as the dance progressed and was likewise enjoyable to watch and listen to.

Lincoln

Playhouse Square: Phantom of the Opera

Tonight as a relatively spur-of-the-moment decision I found myself at PlayhouseSquare for a fantastic evening of Phantom. Now, I will admit I was full of reservation--I wasn't sure how the intricacy of the Broadway set would translate to the roadhouse stage, and for a tour that's one stop from ending an 18-year run I was a little concerned that I may find myself using the adjective threadbare, not to mention a event-filled* week threatening to procrastinate my way the run of the show in Cleveland.

Back during my trip to New York in January I saw Phantom for the first time. Waiting for the prologue tonight I realized that while it wasn't my first musical, or my first Broadway show that was the first musical that I attended "on" Broadway. I was impressed by the level of detail in everything and I enjoy the music (Wishing you Were Somehow Here Again and Masquerade being my favorites).

Walking up to the box office window this evening, I pushed the concerns aside and asked for One, Best Available, please--almost a reflex by now--and walked away with G210. I don't think I could have asked for a nicer seat, dead center and about 5 rows back. As the prologue and overture began, I realized my concerns had no foundation whatsoever.

The incredibly high level of detail and complexity in the touring production at least equals the New York show--making it that much more impressive, considering that--for example--the chandelier, weighing in at over a ton, is moved in and out of a new theater every few weeks. Far from threadbare, the company felt fresher than some 'new' shows I've seen and during the curtain call the actor's facial expressions conveyed genuine appreciation.

As is to be expected for a show with this tenure, there's not much in the way of performance to critique: By this point it's pretty well nailed down and there for the audience to enjoy. The one mark I have against the show was a crackling mic throughout, but I may be the only person who was distracted by it.

I continue to be baffled, however, by people who feel the need to text in the middle of a musical number. That's irritating.

Following this evening's performance was a talk-back session with the ASM and roughly a dozen members of the cast -- an unusually large number based on similar events -- and was quite informative. To wit: One of the questions was about the "hands at eye level" comment that I nearly missed during the show. The answer--because the Phantom could drop a noose at any time and by having one's hand at eye level would give you the ability to slip out before the noose tightened--provided a great indication of how well these actors understood their roles. Another interesting tidbit is that the boat is driven by infrared control, not radio frequency due to some problems with RF when the show opened in London [yes, I'd kill to be backstage during a show, but that shouldn't suprise anyone who knows me]

Phantom is up at PlayhouseSquare's Allen Theater through August 22, though if tonight's performance was any indication you'd be advised not to wait too long to buy tickets. Following the close of Phantom, work will begin to convert the Allen to house the Cleveland Play House and CSU in a variety of performance spaces. (If anyone has an in for construction tour(s)... drop me a line-I have my own hard hat!)

Lincoln


*- Wade Oval Wednesdays last night, Phantom tonight, probably Verb Ballets tomorrow night, meeting someone at Blossom for an orchestra concert Saturday night, cheering on a frient in a triathalon Sunday morning...I dare anyone to say there's nothing to do in Cleveland to my face.

Mackinac Island Shall Explain My Absence (Part II)

Yesterday kind of got away from me--A long day on the project that brought me to Columbus means I finished the project early and am looking forward to crawling into my own unmade bed a night early. Once again, I've uploaded more photos to my Flickr Photostream.

When last we left this trip I had been to Mackinac Island and was had attended fireworks at the St. Ignace Marina... it really was beautiful with the light reflecting off the water, but since I was watching the fireworks rather than the viewfinder, not many of the photos turned out well...

After a good night's sleep and a late morning, some more visiting took place and my mom and I headed "downtown" to Bently's Cafe, a St. Ignace institution that has found at least one of my relatives behind the counter and is not lacking in 50's feel. Since I needed to be in Columbus, some seven and a half hours south, well rested for Monday morning, I started my journey south...

The Mackinac Bridge is the rest of the world's gateway to the Upper Peninsula, and the Upper Peninsula's gateway to the rest of the world. The toll on opening day in 1957 was $3.25 each way... the toll today $3.50 each way. Not bad for 53 years. The remainder of the drive south looked unsurprisingly like the drive north, just without the never ending sunset.

One of my favorite -- well, I can't call it a favorite -- but one of the pieces I most connect with in the Cleveland Museum of Art's collection is John Rogers Cox's "Gray and Gold" -- the symbolism is a bit hard to pick up from the version on their website, but in this 1942 painting storm clouds linger over amber waves of grain while political campaign posters are tacked to the telephone poles at the intersection of two quiet rural roads--it seems that each time I look it at I pick up another detail.

When I have a bit more time to travel, I enjoy letting my GPS take me off-highway... a quiet two lane road with a high(ish, this is Ohio after all) speed limit through farmland is more relaxing than being stuck behind a semi for 3 hours, and the time seems to fly with the scenery, with the occasional small town thrown in for good measure and a bit of variety. Perhaps because of this, the scenery shown in Gray and Gold seems so familiar.

This trip, for reasons of expediency, I was limited to mostly major highways, but nonetheless as I drove along there were scenes that reminded me of the essence of Gray and Gold -- just without the stormy overcast:

And with that and a few more hours of driving I arrived at my hotel in Columbus with a little bit more daylight and one more picturesque sunset for this trip...

And now, of course I am home...

Mackinac Island Shall Explain My Absence

I have returned from a simpler time, and it scares me. Well, not really, though I was quite confused about what to do when presented with a gas pump that doesn't have a slot for credit cards. (Aparently you pay after you pump the gas...and you go inside. The whole premise of paying for the gas after it's in your car is foreign to me.)

(If you want to skip all of the words and just see pictures, you can go to the Flickr photos)

I was in a place where wireless internet access is not ubiquitous, television is not missed, and the summer sunsets last forever. If you noticed the lack of a performing arts piece this weekend, it's OK... I didn't get hit by a bus, though I have 3 days and another couple hundred miles before I'm home: I will be at a Cleveland Orchestra concert next weekend, though I haven't decided which one sounds better (leave a comment if you'd prefer to hear about Saturday or Sunday's concert)


Before making my way to Columbus, where I am at the moment, I was "Up North" in beautiful St. Ignace and Mackinac Island, Michigan. Both cities are amazing to visit; and my grandparent's home up there has an amazing view of the lake just standing in the middle of the street. But let's start at near the beginning...

My journey started after work on Thursday, and at 11:59PM, 6 hours into the 7 hour drive I found myself checking in to the last room at the Gaylord Hampton Inn: My suspicion that that was a good place to pause the drive was confirmed when I tried convincing the clerk that my Hilton HHonors Diamond Card -- followed by my Ohio Driver's License -- was the credit card I wished to used to pay for the room. A keycard for their last available room was exchanged for a valid (and real) credit card, and I got a good night sleep.


Friday morning, I finished out the drive and greeted my grandparents who graciously hosted us in their home for this trip. After unwinding, my Mom (who had arrived by air the night before) and I headed over to Mackinac Island...relatively unique in that there motorized vehicles are prohibited* on the Island's roads leaving foot, bikes, and horses as the primary means of transportation. The island is full of history and, for me at least, is quite the visual experience so if you can't go for yourself, I'd recommend checking out some of my Flickr photos rather than reading my blather.

Among "new" sights for this trip, I was amazed to see a horse-drawn street sweeper a few times during the course of my visit -- an ingenious bit of technology to address one of the biggest problems of having a few hundred horses as an island's primary means of transportation (don't worry, the old-school human-with-shovel-and-pan street sweeper is still present in abundance).

After leaving the island and unwinding for a bit we grabbed dinner and that pretty much spoke for Friday.

Saturday morning was the reunion proper. Once things quieted down, my mother and I got a few games of bowling in. Unsurprisingly, I lost every game. Badly. But we still had fun. After bowling we paid my tribe's casino a visit to spend some promotional tokens. Unsurprisingly, I lost. Badly. But I walked out with $3.75 more than I started with, and we closed out the night with downtown St. Ignace's fireworks over Lake Huron.


Given that it is now 11:30 this seems like a good place to leave things for tonight, more about the trip and more photos to come tomorrow.


Lincoln
*--Golf carts are allowed on the golf course only; our carriage guide told the story about two attorneys who were golfing and decided to take the cart downtown to pick up more beer. A state trooper cited them for, among other things, OWI, open container, no seatbelt on a state highway...