JSngry Posted November 5, 2014 Report Posted November 5, 2014 Solo recital, not particularly expensive, "a program framed by Bach’s cello suites and exploring the works for solo cello of Zoltán Kodály, Benjamin Britten and Osvaldo Golijov". Sounds like a no-brainer as far as a pleasant evening, maybe better, but would be interested in hearing informed opinions about Weilerstein, relative to the contemporary scene as well as The Grand Scheme Of Things. Quote
David Ayers Posted November 5, 2014 Report Posted November 5, 2014 I heard her recently performing the Elgar Concerto. She projects wonderfully and completely took control of the work. She has recorded Carter so she is no slouch, and has a solo disc out that I haven't heard. A fine young musician. Quote
Peter Friedman Posted November 5, 2014 Report Posted November 5, 2014 Her father was the first violinist of the Cleveland Quartet. That string quartet was in Residence at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York for many years. I had the good fortune to see/hear that quartet numerous times when I was living in the Rochester area. Quote
Larry Kart Posted November 5, 2014 Report Posted November 5, 2014 Her father was the first violinist of the Cleveland Quartet. That string quartet was in Residence at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York for many years. I had the good fortune to see/hear that quartet numerous times when I was living in the Rochester area. Just picked up on LPs the Cleveland's RCA set of the late Beethoven quartets. Very impressed so far. Quote
JSngry Posted November 5, 2014 Author Report Posted November 5, 2014 So her father will be playing as well? Excellent! I'm encouraged also by the inclusion of a piece by Zoltán Kodály. That must be a tribute to Larry Young or Woody Shaw, I'm thinking. Quote
jeffcrom Posted November 5, 2014 Report Posted November 5, 2014 I'm assuming that the Kodaly piece is the Sonata for Solo Cello, op. 8. It's a cool piece of music. Quote
JSngry Posted November 5, 2014 Author Report Posted November 5, 2014 Ok, here's what I like, the solo concert is $25 (or just $20 if you subscribe to the series, like we have just done did): http://www.nashersculpturecenter.org/engage/event?id=147 OR.... you can hear her featured with the DSO, playing just one piece, and pay about $100 (a little less if you want not so good seats): https://www.mydso.com/season-tickets/subscriptions/14-15-ti-classical-series/productions/alisaweilerstein.aspx# I understand, different economic models involved, and probably the DSO booking made the solo gig feasible for all concerned, but still, hey. This Soundings series at the Nasher http://www.nashersculpturecenter.org/engage/2014-2015-soundings-seasonseems like it might be "iffy" (if anything called "Yellow Barn" doesn't raise at least part of one eyebrow, nothing will...), but part of "iffy" allows for maybe pretty good, or better. It's not like you can go into a club for drinks and Schoenberg on any given night. And it's not like the DSO programs with one eye on reinforcing the status quo and the other on.... anything else. Good band, but...it is what it is as far as that goes. But anyway...about Weilerstein herself, anybody else besides David (and I thank you for that, sir), have any impressions, or even actual opinions? I don't care if Moms himself stomps on in and calls here a monument to the eternality of vapidity, the money's already spent, we're definitely going, I'd just like to go with some sort of real time perspective in place, not just oooohhhh, great cellist, great music, AWESOME. Because I don't need it to be awesome to be worthwhile, although that's never bad. I would, however, prefer to experience the performance in something besides a total vacuum, dig? Quote
Larry Kart Posted November 6, 2014 Report Posted November 6, 2014 Here she is playing some of the Kodaly. Don't think you'll be disappointed. And some Bach: Quote
JSngry Posted November 6, 2014 Author Report Posted November 6, 2014 Yeah, that's a 20 buck show, easy. But/And seriously, that Kodaly is indeed a cool piece of music. Quote
JSngry Posted November 7, 2014 Author Report Posted November 7, 2014 Hope she's not still rockin' that Janis Joplin look, that would be distracting, and on top of that, I don't like Janis Joplin, I think I like this more. But, still we hear with our eyes, that's what everybody says, so it must be true. Quote
JSngry Posted November 13, 2014 Author Report Posted November 13, 2014 Wow...totally non-"sentimental" playing, but intensely passionate. Brenda was visibly shaken (physically and emotionally) after the Kodaly, she'd never heard anything like that live, and I've never heard any "classical" music like this live, not of/at this sustained level of....everything. Plus, the venue was a really small room, not a "hall" but an actual room, just a room, with a modular assembled stage and about 250 chairs. Not "seats", chairs. Some were reserved, but they left some open ones from the second row back. By doing the work and getting there early, we were able to get second row center, no more than 30 feet away, dead center, look straight ahead and you're looking at the bridge of the cello. Having not paid attention to the real specifics of anybody's bowing technique for several decades now (and then, just looking, not really paying attention), to hear these sounds and be able to see that bowing that close, was mesmerizing. $20 bucks folks, this is what you can get in Dallas for $20, thanks to the Nasher family and the way they work it after they make it. The Nasher family has ensured that you can just mosey on in and see Warhol hanging in a mall, and you can see Alisa Weilerstein rockin' it (really, why isn't this woman getting the PR push that the charming mild-mannered Yo Yo Ma did a generation ago? Rhetorical question, of course) for $20 (and complimentary valet parking, btw, which in near freezing weather was not unwelcome!). Kill the rich, my ass. RETRAIN 'em to all be Nashers, that'll do just fine, thank you and good night. Quote
David Ayers Posted November 13, 2014 Report Posted November 13, 2014 (edited) Thanks for the report. She has a record deal with Decca, so far three titles in maybe two years, and seems to be touring hard. You can't be Yo-Yo Ma any more, but you can be Alisa Weilerstein. And record Elliott Carter on your first CD... Edited November 13, 2014 by David Ayers Quote
JSngry Posted November 13, 2014 Author Report Posted November 13, 2014 A solo cello recital by a bold cellist...in an intimate setting, can't say I've ever had an experience quite like that before. Nowhere for the music to go but straight to you, and nowhere for it to come from except that one person and that one instrument. Pretty damn ballsy endeavor, come to think of it! Quote
Peter Friedman Posted November 13, 2014 Report Posted November 13, 2014 Sounds like a terrific evening of music. Your comments on the venue reminds me a bit of the place where the chamber music series is held here in Tucson. A small concert hall with about 400 seats. The very best string quartets , piano trios, etc. come in every year from all over the world. When I moved to Tucson 16 years ago I would never have expected a small city to have such a world class chamber music series. Quote
JSngry Posted November 13, 2014 Author Report Posted November 13, 2014 You can't be Yo-Yo Ma any more, but you can be Alisa Weilerstein. And record Elliott Carter on your first CD... I bought that CD in the lobby on the way out last night, btw. Paid $20 freakin' dollars cash for it, didn't get a receipt. Some skinny girl standing around with a lost look on her face and one of those payboxes in her hand. The table was swarming with old people trying to decipher what she had just played and which CDs it was on, so there was much...chatting & browsing. Me, I just walked up took a copy of the Carter (which as you know also has the Elgar, which is what she's playing with the DSO this weekend, we don't get no Elliot Carter out of the DSO, at least not yet), and handed it to her like, ok, she would want to scan this or something, but she just smiled and said "yes" and started to look away, but then I handed her a 20 and with the same blank stare she again said "yes thank you" and went back to blankstaring at all the browsers. I have no idea what kind of transaction that was, it felt like I was stealing it, except that the $20 changed hands. But otherwise, I felt like that lady was just standing there and was going to let anybody walk off with anything if they didn't say something to her. I've had online transactions take on more personal engagement than this one did! Pretty funny, really. Quote
JSngry Posted November 13, 2014 Author Report Posted November 13, 2014 t hall with about 400 seats. The very best string quartets , piano trios, etc. come in every year from all over the world. When I moved to Tucson 16 years ago I would never have expected a small city to have such a world class chamber music series. Once I decided to start getting out of the house again, I just assumed that there would be chamber music offered with the financial oomph that the Symphony gets, but sad to say, no. But there are several series/societies that are funded by a combination of private and corporate input that appear to be doing excellent work. What I'm still trying to get a handle on is where d the local groups play, or even if they do? Quite teh talent pool here, and with UNT just up the road, there;'s always recitals and things going on, but you know, I don't want to drive an hour just to hear some students playing because its a requirement, i you know what Imean. Been trying to cultivate some sources inside the school to kinda point out the interesting things, but between their natural demands on their time and the real ethical concerns of going outside the home turf with objective rating of their own students, haven't had much luck. No matter, though. It's just good to know that there are things going on besides the "Big Show" of the DSO, worthy things, affordable worthy things. Seek and ye shall find, apparently. Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.