Night After Night

All other sounds.

(Posted this morning on the TONY Blog.)

Last week, Time Out New York was privileged to host a unique Q&A between intrepid editor and blogger Molly Sheridan, a valued TONY contributor, and Corey Dargel, an imaginative singer-songwriter whose work mixes electro-pop style and new-music spirit. Among Dargel's many unique endeavors, one that has attracted special attention is his custom love-song service: You can hire him to write a tune specifically designed for (and about) that special someone in your life. Molly did just that when she got married last year; Corey responded with a twangy charmer, "All Other Sounds (For Brian from Molly)." Molly's song is on Corey's new CD, Other People's Love Songs, and you'll surely hear it if you head down to (Le) Poisson Rouge in Greenwich Village for Corey's set at 9:30pm tonight. But for those of you who can't make it, Corey's just made a video of "All Other Sounds," which you can check out right here.

Taking the fifth.

The Juilliard Orchestra at Carnegie Hall
The New York Times, October 29, 2008

Thanks to Pliable for the inspiration (hardly limited to this one post).

Shadow dancing.

Madama Butterfly at the Metropolitan Opera
The New York Times, October 27, 2008

A day late in posting this one, thanks to a nasty cold that kept me bed-bound most of the day yesterday. Said ailment also cost me my attendance at a luncheon with New York Philharmonic music director-designate Alan Gilbert, in which it was announced at long last that Magnus Lindberg is to be the orchestra's composer-in-residence for the next two seasons. Alex Ross broke the news yesterday; Dan Wakin has more exciting details today. My sole consolation, I suppose, is that I wasn't the source of any nasty bugs that might prevent Gilbert from finishing his tour of duty in Doctor Atomic at the Met.

First prize.

Narek Hakhnazaryan at Zankel Hall
The New York Times, October 24, 2008

Memory serves.

Isabel Bayrakdarian, Serouj Kradjian and the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra at Zankel Hall
The New York Times, October 22, 2008

Just back from a badly needed 10-day vacation in San Antonio and Houston, and evidently I left a chunk of my brain behind: There is a whale of an error in this concert review, and I have no one to blame but myself. For the record: Gomidas died in 1935, not 1919. Ouch. The newspaper will surely issue a correction shortly. Meanwhile, I'm enormously grateful to Sato Moughalian for the sympathy and generosity expressed in bringing so ridiculous a gaffe to my attention.

I raise this point for the sake of accuracy, but link to the review in its flawed state nonetheless, if only to draw attention to the exemplary work Bayrakdarian and Kradjian did in this concert, and on their corresponding Nonesuch CD, Gomidas Songs. [Oct. 23 addendum: The correction has been made.]

The sound of Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia Orchestra at Carnegie Hall
The New York Times, October 9, 2008

Breton beach memoirs.

American Symphony Orchestra Le Roi d'Ys at Avery Fisher Hall
The New York Times, October 7, 2008

A star is born.

Most readers of this blog are likely to be well aware of the multi-talented Caleb Burhans, subject of a wonderful, sprawling feature by Allan Kozinn in yesterday's New York Times Arts & Leisure section. Months in the making, the article provides a lively, informative and frequently funny portrait of a busy musician who hasn't seen much need to say no to any of his various impulses, and has become a crucial component of this city's musical life. Fantastic final line, too. A video by Matthew Orr on the Times website provides an extra dimension to the piece; don't miss it (and keep your eyes peeled for demure Molly and head-bobbing Darcy at around 2:03).

Curious New Yorkers who've not yet encountered Burhans, as well as longtime fans who want to shout their congratulations, can head down to the Cutting Room (19 West 24th Street near Broadway), where he'll be performing in ASCAP's Thru the Walls showcase at 6:30pm tonight (Oct. 6). This long-running series, hosted by Frank J. Oteri of NewMusicBox, is devoted to composers and performers whose work refuses to acknowledge genre boundaries; sharing tonight's bill are fellow composer-performers Svjetlana Bukvich-Nichols and Caroline Mallonée.

Talk about the passion.

John Scott "Six Saturdays with Messiaen" at St. Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue
The New York Times, October 6, 2008

For more information about this series, see the post immediately below this one.

Messiaenic.

Alex "Gene" Ross has kindly provided us with a nice overview of Messiaen centenary observances far and wide. Marcus Maroney has chipped in with details of an impressive Messiaen series that begins not quite two weeks from now in Houston; no surprise that the versatile and stylish Brian Connelly is in the thick of things, and how good to see Susanne Mentzer involved, as well.

(Psssst, Shepherd School of Music webmaster? It shouldn't have been as hard as it was to track down this page on your site with the complete details. Lucky thing Marcus listed the events on his blog.)

I'd like to nominate one more Messiaen event for consideration. John Scott, organist and director of music at St. Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, is presenting Messiaen's complete organ works in a six-concert series that started yesterday (Oct. 4). The concerts, presented on Saturday afternoons at 4pm, are presented free of charge, though donations are accepted to defray the costs of printing David Gammie's outstanding program notes (which you can view as a PDF here).

This kind of effort is nothing new for Scott: last year he played the complete organ music of Buxtehude in a 10-concert series, and dispatched the complete organ works by Gyorgy Ligeti and Jonathan Harvey in another 2007 concert, which I reviewed for the Times.

Having just filed my Times review of yesterday's recital (which included Prélude and La Nativité du Seigneur), I won't hesitate to give the remaining programs my highest possible recommendation. The St. Thomas website has all the details, but what the heck, I'll list them here, as well.

• October 11, 4-5:10pm: Diptyque; Les corps glorieux

• October 18, 4-5:10pm: L’ascension; Offrande au Saint Sacrement; Le banquet céleste; Messe de la Pentecôte

• November 8, 4-5:10pm: Apparition de l’église éternelle; Verset pour la fête de la dédicace; Monodie; Livre d’orgue

• November 15, 4-5:15pm: Méditations sur le mystère de la Sainte Trinité

• November 22, 4-5:45pm: Livre du Saint Sacrement

Addendum, Oct. 6: Eric Huebner, a bold and busy pianist, has reminded me of one more extremely worthwhile Messiaen event coming up here in Manhattan. On Wednesday, October 15 at 7:30pm in the cozy chapel at St. Bartholomew's Church (Park Avenue at 51st Street), Antares, one of the many groups in which Huebner is active, will play Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time, the piece that invented this ensemble's configuration (clarinet, violin, cello and piano). Also included on the program are two pieces for violin and piano, Fantasie and Thème et variations, plus the Petites esquisses d'oiseaux for solo piano. Tickets are $35, seniors and students $20.

Playlist:

The Residents - The Bunny Boy (Santa Dog/MVD)

Carl Craig and Moritz von Oswalt - Recomposed, Vol. 3 (Deutsche Grammophon, via Hypnotic Breaks; thanks to Ronen for the tip)

Phoenix Chorale - Spotless Rose: Hymns to the Virgin Mary (Chandos)

Grateful Dead - Rocking the Cradle: Egypt 1978 (Grateful Dead/Rhino)

Edouard Lalo - Le Roi d'Ys - Andrea Guiot, Jane Rhodes, Alain Vanzo, Robert Massard, Radio Lyrique Chorus and Orchestra/Pierre Dervaux (Gala)

Bob Dylan - Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 8 (Columbia/Legacy)

Reformed Faction - Vota (Klang Galerie) and The War Against… (Soleilmoon)

Rapoon - The Kirghiz Light, disc 2 (Staalplaat/eMusic), Tin of Drum (Staalplaat/eMusic) and Church Road (Tantric Harmonies/eMusic)

Hector Berlioz - Harold in Italy; La Mort de Cléopâtre - William Lincer, Jennie Tourel, New York Philharmonic/Leonard Bernstein (Sony Classical)