It's Sunday afternoon. Do you know where your Symphony is?
Date:
08/28/2012 Contributor:
[The following is an encore presentation of the New England Public Radio Classical Blog. The broadcast dates have been changed to protect the innocent.]
Coming to WFCR starting this Sunday: A series of six orchestral concerts that cover the gamut from Alan (Hovhaness) to Wagner (Richard)...not to mention that one-man gamut, guitarist Denis Azabagic. More terrific soloists than you can shake a stick at, unless you're the conductor. Speaking of whom, a maestro who exudes non-stop excitement and energy — and he's pretty thrilling on-stage too! Roof-raising symphonies. American masterworks (nice programming, K-Rho!). Mars, the Bringer of War. Prometheus, the Bringer of Fire. Mickey Mouse, the Bringer of Brooms. But wait — there's more!
Yes, music lovers, it's WFCR broadcast series of the complete 2011-2012 classical concerts by your Springfield Symphony Orchestra, Kevin Rhodes, conductor. The voluble, unstumpable Dr. Rhodes will also join me for pithy commentary on the selections. Tune in Sunday afternoons at 1:00 during Walter Carroll's classical music show, and hear what great music is happening in our midst. Here's the complete program listing:
September 2
Rimsky-Korsakov: Russian Easter Overture
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto (Axel Strauss, violin)
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5
September 9
Barber: Adagio for Strings
William Schuman: Symphony No. 3
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3 (Joyce Yang, piano)
September 16
Wagner: Siegfried Idyll
Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme (Julian Schwarz, cello)
Beethoven: Symphony No. 7
September 23
Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Haydn
Harris: Symphony No.3
Hovhaness: Guitar Concerto (Denis Azabagic, guitar)
Brahms: Academic Festival Overture
September 30
William Schuman: Symphony No. 5
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 25 (Spencer Myer, piano)
Robert Schumann: Symphony No. 2
October 7
Dukas: The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Bolcom: Prometheus (Jeffrey Biegel, piano, Springfield Symphony Chorus,
Nikki Stoia, director)
Holst: The Planets (Women of the Springfield Symphony Chorus, Nikki Stoia,
director)
Comments
Springfield Symphony May concert
My son Paul and I attended the SSO May concert this year, the final one of the season, and experienced an awesome concert with three different major pieces. One of my favorites, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, was followed by a rather unusual work by Wiliam Bolcom, Prometheus, then after intermission we were treated to The Planets. Paul and I came out of that concert refreshed and enlightened. I'm very glad that these concerts are broadcast on WFCR, as it provides a second chance for some and a second hearing for others. Thank you John Montanari for your good work.
Steve Curylo
We appreciate that, Steve.
We appreciate that, Steve. Of course, it's the musicians who do the really hard work. We, basically, just hold the door open for them.