"Embracing the Orchestra as Alive"
The New York Times, September 27, 2009
An article about Magnus Lindberg, recently appointed the composer in residence at the New York Philharmonic. It's nearly always impossible to summarize the entirety of an interview in a print article, no matter how ample the allotted space (and this was indeed spacious, by newspaper standards). But in this case, there was just no way I could do much more than scratch the surface of the extraordinarily generous interview Lindberg granted. To snatch a notion from the example he cites of an early attempt at writing a hyper-complex woodwind quintet, I think we could very easily still be sitting there talking now and we'd still not have exhausted the subject -- or diminished Lindberg's good cheer.
The article is timed to provide advance notice that EXPO, the 10-minute curtain raiser Lindberg wrote for the orchestra's opening-night gala, will return in a series of concerts starting this Wednesday (September 30). For anyone interested in hearing all the Lindberg the Philharmonic has to offer this season, here's a summary (all conducted by Alan Gilbert, and everything at Avery Fisher Hall except where noted):
Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 7:30pm
Thursday, Oct. 1 at 7:30pm
Saturday, Oct. 3 at 8pm
Magnus Lindberg: EXPO
Charles Ives: Symphony No. 2
Charles Ives: The Unanswered Question
Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 (Emanuel Ax)
(details)
Saturday, February 13 at 8pm
Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall
Richard Wagner: Rienzi Overture
Magnus Lindberg: Clarinet Concerto (Kari Kriikku)
Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 2
(details)
Saturday, March 6 at 2pm
Young People's Concert
Daniel Boico, conductor
Theodore Wiprud, narrator
Magnus Lindberg: Feria
(details)
Thursday, June 10 at 7:30pm
Friday, June 11 at 2pm
Saturday, June 12 at 8pm
Tuesday, June 15 at 7:30pm
Magnus Lindberg: Arena
Jean Sibelius: Violin Concerto (Lisa Batiashvili)
Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 2
(details)
Wednesday, June 23 at 7:30pm
Thursday, June 24 at 7:30pm
Saturday, June 26 at 8pm
Magnus Lindberg: new work (world premiere)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Missa solemnis
(details)
Apart from performances of his own music, Lindberg will be involved with two programs to be presented by Contact, the orchestra's newly established contemporary series. In the first, Lindberg will conduct premieres by Marc-André Dalbavie, Lei Liang, Arlene Sierra and Arthur Kampela at Symphony Space on Thursday, December 17, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Saturday, December 19. The second concert, at Symphony Space on Friday, April 16 and the Met Museum on Saturday, April 17, Alan Gilbert will conduct new pieces by Sean Shepherd, Nico Muhly and Matthias Pintscher -- the last a vocal work featuring Thomas Hampson, the orchestra's artist in residence.
But the New York Philharmonic isn't keeping Lindberg entirely to itself during his inaugural season; Axiom, a sharp young new-music ensemble based at the Juilliard School, will also include his music on two concerts directed by Jeffrey Milarsky:
Monday, February 15 at 8pm
Peter Jay Sharp Theater at the Juilliard School
Kaija Saariaho: Lichtbogen
Magnus Lindberg: Clarinet Quintet
Kaija Saariaho: Serenatas
Magnus Lindberg: Engine
(details)
Wednesday, February 17 at 7pm
(Le) Poisson Rouge
pre-concert conversation with Alex Ross and Magnus Lindberg
Esa-Pekka Salonen: YTA III
Esa-Pekka Salonen: Dichotomie
Kaija Saariaho: Je sens un deuxième coeur
Magnus Lindberg: Steamboat Bill Jr.
Magnus Lindberg: UR
(details)
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center is claiming a piece of the action as well, offering works by Lindberg on two Finn-centric concerts in March, both featuring the brilliant clarinetist Kari Kriikku.
March 16 at 7:30pm
Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center
pre-concert symposium with Wu Han in the Rose Studio at 6:30pm
Toivo Kuula: selected songs
Jean Sibelius: selected songs
Jukka Tiensuu: new work (CMS commission, U.S. premiere)
Jean Sibelius: String Quartet in D minor, "Voces Intimae"
Esa-Pekka Salonen: Floof
Magnus Lindberg: ...de Tartuffe, je crois
Olli Mustonen: Nonet II
(details)
March 18 at 7:30pm
Rose Studio at Lincoln Center
Kaija Saariaho: NoaNoa
Magnus Lindberg: Steamboat Bill Jr.
Jukka Tiensuu: Tango lunaire
Einojuhani Rautavaara: Sonetto
Uljas Voitto Pulkkis: Piano Trio
Jouni Kaipainen: String Quartet No. 5
(sold out)
Readers who don't live in or near New York City are encouraged to check the concert listings on Lindberg's pages at Boosey & Hawkes and ChesterNovello to find performances near you. And since Alex Ross credited me with inspiring his blog salute to clarinet marvel Kari Kriikku, it's only proper that I send you forth to read his appreciation -- and to hear two examples of Lindberg's burliest clank in the process.
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