Seiji Ozawa Conducts Carmina Burana

On Sept. 1, Seiji Ozawa turns 77. The Japanese conductor was born in Shenyang, China to Japanese parents in 1935. His family returned to Japan in 1944. Originally a piano student, Ozawa injured a finger playing sports and switched to conducting. In 1959, Ozawa won first prize at an international conducting competition in France, which led to an invitation by Charles Munch to attend Tanglewood (then called Berkshire Music Center) to study conducting with Munch and Pierre Monteux. Later Ozawa moved to West Berlin to study with Herbert von Karajan, and later took on the position of assistant conductor under Leonard Bernstein at the New York Philharmonic. Ozawa served as principal conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (1965-69) as well as the San Francisco Symphony (1969-76). He became music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1973, a tenure that lasted 29 years. Following the BSO, Ozawa became principal conductor of the Vienna State Opera Orchestra until ill health led to his resignation in 2010. Ozawa has been plagued by ill health in recent years, including cancer of the esophagus that was diagnosed in January 2010. To celebrate his birthday, here is Ozawa conducting the Berlin Philharmonic in Carl Orff's Carmina Burana with a great cast- soprano Kathleen Battle, tenor Frank Lopardo and baritone Thomas Allen. The performance dates from Dec. 31, 1989.

Joseph K. So

Honeck Conducts the Czech Philharmonic

The beginning of Mozart's Clarinet Concerto played by Sharon Kam playing a basset clarinet. Manfred Honeck conducts the Czech Philharmonic. Honeck is also the conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony.

Paul E. Robinson

Nicola Benedetti Plays Szymanowski

The music of Szymanowski is currently being featured at the Edinburgh Festival and at least one reviewer has taken the occasion to heap abuse on the composer. He has argued that the music is of poor quality and is only being played because it has become the fashion to explore the edges of the repertoire.

For me, Symanowski's music deserves much better. He is a unique voice in music and some of his works are by turns beautiful and powerful. His opera King Roger is finally beginning to receive the attention it deserves. One of his most frequently performed works is the Violin Concerto No. 1. Our video includes an excerpt featuring the brilliant 25-year-old Scottish virtuoso Nicola Benedetti. Benedetti also included this concerto in her debut album for DG in 2005.

Paul E. Robinson

Dame Janet Baker Sings "Che faro senza Euridice" from Orfeo

The great Janet Baker turns 79 today (August 21). Dame Janet is an outstanding exponent of Baroque and early Italian repertoires throughout her career, from the mid 1950's to the 80's. She is arguably the greatest female low voice singer from the UK since contralto Kathleen Ferrier. In 1956, Baker won the Second Prize in the Memorial Kathleen Ferrier Competition at Wigmore Hall, an event that launched her career. Baker was a great Orfeo, Sesto, Idamante, Octavian and Giulio Cesare, among other trouser roles. She was also celebrated for her Maria Stuarda, Didon, Alceste and Charlotte. But perhaps it was in oratorio and lieder that Baker was at her most memorable - who can forget her interpretation of Mahler, Schubert, and Elgar? She only appeared a very few times in Toronto, including a recital at Roy Thomson Hall in the mid 80's, very close to her retirement. Baker retired from opera at the young age of 49, and retired completely from the stage five years later. Her autobiography, Full Circle, is a satisfying read. To celebrate the birthday of this great singer, here is Dame Janet at her best, singing Orfeo's aria "Che faro," combining beauty of tone and depth of expression.

Joseph K. So

Kavakos Plays Korngold

Erich Korngold is best-known for his scores for some popular Hollywood films but he was a a composer of real substance. His Violin Concerto has recently been taken up by quite a number of leading violinists and audiences everywhere have responded with enthusiasm. Here is an excerpt from the Korngold Concerto with soloist Leonidas Kavakos and the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. The performance was given April 28, 2012.

Paul E. Robinson

The Atlanta Symphony Music Library

One of the key departments of any major symphony orchestra is the music library. In my experience, in this department one finds some of the hardest-working and dedicated folks in the entire organization. Backstage at the Atlanta Symphony these days I am sure they are working harder than ever and probably with fewer people due to the recently-announced deficit.

Paul E. Robinson

Remembering Hildegard Behrens (February 9 1937 - August 18 2009)

Met Elektra starring the late German soprano Hildegard Behrens:

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This Saturday marks the third anniversary of the passing of German soprano Hildegard Behrens, who died suddenly of a dissecting aneurysm of the aorta in a Tokyo hospital. At the time of her death, Behrens was in Japan to adjudicate and give masterclasses at the Kusatsu International Summer Music Festival.  With her passing, the opera world lost one of its most luminous and intelligent singers, celebrated for her Wagner and Strauss roles. Trained as a lawyer, Behrens took up singing comparatively late, only making her debut in 1971 as the Contessa in Le nozze di Figaro at age 34. She made her Met debut as Giorgetta in Il Tabarro in 1976, but the most significant boost to her career was her being chosen by Herbert von Karajan as his Salome at the Salzburg Festival in 1977. She became a notable Sieglinde, Ariadne, Kaiserin, Leonore, Brunnhilde, Marie (Wozzeck), Elettra (Idomeneo), Elektra, and Isolde.  She also sang the occasional Italian roles such as Tosca, and operettas like Hanna Glawari,  Despite her successes in the heavier dramatic soprano roles such as Brunnhilde, Isolde and Elektra, Behrens was not considered to be a true hochdramatischer. She was a successful Brunnhilde and Elektra because of her well focused, gleaming sound, her dramatic intensity, and her sympathetic stage presence. She possessed something few singers have - a certain undefinable spiritual quality that made her a moving actress. To remember her, here is the complete Met telecast of Elektra in 1994. At age 57, her voice was still in good shape, and her dramatic expression and intensity are well captured, under the supportive baton of James Levine. Behrens is also surrounded by very fine colleagues - Deborah Voigt (Chrysothemis), Brigitte Fassbaender (Klytemnestra), Donald McIntyre (Orest) and James King (Aegisth)

Joseph K. So

Semyon Bychkov Takes Over the BBC Symphony

It was recently announced that Semyon Bychkov will be the next conductor of the BBC Symphony. Bychkov was born in Russia but has lived most of his career in the United States and Europe. He has been highly-acclaimed for his work both in the concert hall and in the opera house. He conducts regularly at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and at the Met. In this recent video he leads the BBC Symphony in an excerpt from the Verdi Requiem.

 Paul E. Robinson

Ruggiero Ricci In Memoriam

Ruggiero Ricci passed away this week at the age of 94 (1918-2012). For many decades he was renowned as a virtuoso violinist. He specialized in the showpiece repertoire - he premiered numerous works by Paganini in concert and on recordings - but he had virtually the entire violin repertoire comitted to memory. One of my favourite Ricci recordings was the Brahms Violin Concerto. The CD also included dozens of cadenzas of the piece - not just the usual Kreisler or Joachim - all played by Ricci.

Ricci was the son of Italian immigrants but he was born in San Bruno, California. He was a child prodigy and studied with Louis Persinger who also taught Menuhin and Stern. Ricci gave his last public concerts in 2003 and lived in retirement in Palm Springs, California. For more on Ricci visit his website at www.ruggieroricci.com.

Paul E. Robinson

The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra at the Proms 2012

Daniel Barenboim is not only a phenomenal musician, he is also an international humanitarian in both word and deed. He helped create an orchestra which put young Israeli musicians alongside Arab players. Barenboim's idea was that young musicians could surely work together successfully and perhaps that would be an example to their elders who have so often failed to not only achieve peace but to even respect each other.

The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra is a fine ensemble and makes regular international appearances. At the Proms in London this summer Barenboim and the orchestra have been performing all nine Beethoven symphonies. Here they are beginning the Eroica.

Paul E. Robinson

Robert Spano Opens the Aspen Festival

Aspen, Colorado is well-known as a place to go for great skiing in the winter. It is also a wonderful place to find clean air and moderate temperatures in the summer, and provides all kinds of opportunities for energetic recreational activities. But it is known for other things too. The Aspen Institute regularly brings in leading experts in politics, economics, law, the environment, etc. for seminars and forums. For the music-lover the Aspen Music Festival is internationally renowned for the quality of its music-making. Almost every day there is a chamber music or orchestral concert in which leading soloists and orchestral musicians combine with gifted young artists. It is a place to learn, inspire and be inspired. If you go for the music you will also discover the other things that make Aspen special. In our video Aspen's music director Robert Spano - during the winter he heads the Atlanta Symphony - gives the 2012 convocation address which traditionally opens the season in Aspen.

Paul E. Robinson