by Jarrett Hoffman

TODAY ON THE WEB:

Tonight at 7:30 pm, as part of its SalonEra series, Les Délices will explore “The Orpheus Myth” through different artistic interpretations of that story over the centuries, including music by Monteverdi, Charpentier, and Rameau, as well as Marcel Camus’ 1959 film Black Orpheus. Joining host Debra Nagy are soprano Michele Kennedy, tenor Jason McStoots, and musicologist Susan McClary. Click here at start time, or watch on-demand for 48 hours. It’s free, but a $10 donation is suggested.

Speaking of Les Délices, today is also the last day to watch “Machaut’s Lai of the Fountain” on their ticketed Concert Series. Read Daniel Hathaway’s review, and watch the concert here.

And Carnegie Hall delves into Shostakovich’s opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk today through two events. Learn about the opera at 5:00 through a presentation titled “The Tragedy of Katerina Ismailov,” then watch a rebroadcast of a 2006 Dutch National Opera production at 8:00 pm.

More details in our Concert Listings.

TODAY’S ALMANAC:

Three particularly notable birthday anniversaries to celebrate today. Two of these figures were born in New York City: Kay Swift (b. 1897, the first woman to write the complete score to a Broadway musical) and Murray Perahia (b. 1947, considered one of the greatest living pianists).

And third, an underrecognized Parisian composer on whom we’ll train our focus today. Born on this date in 1892 in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, southeast of the City of Light, Germaine Tailleferre was the only female member of the post-World War I group of composers known as Les Six. Her varied output included operas, ballets, film music, concertos, songs, and orchestral and chamber music.

One of the best ways to celebrate her career is by listening to her Le marchand d’oiseaux. Full of fresh-flavored neoclassicism, it’s no wonder that it was the Ballet Suédois’ most frequently performed ballet in the 1920s. A performance led by Perry So (with perhaps the BBC Welsh National Orchestra, as one commenter suggests) is available on YouTube.

Another highlight is her impressionistic and deeply atmospheric Ballade for piano and orchestra, heard here in a recording by the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern, led by Pablo González and featuring Florian Uhlig as soloist.

It’s also important to understand how sexism obstructed Tailleferre’s career and legacy, a topic that Timothy Diovanni (now an arts writer for Dallas Morning News) explored in two articles written for Women’s Philharmonic Advocacy in 2017.

In the first essay, Diovanni delves into the men in her personal life who impeded her artistic progress: her discouraging, hostile, and verbally abusive father, as well as her two husbands, whose behavior ranged from jealous to controlling, threatening, and violent.

The second covers the ways that critics and historians have described her work — often dismissively, using gender-coded language, and training their focus on her appearance rather than her music.

In history, it’s very easy to oversimplify the lives of the characters who appear along the way, so that they barely seem like real people at all. Indeed, many well-regarded encyclopedias do just that with their short and useful summaries that, in the end, leave out so much about a person’s life. On that note, Diovanni makes an important point near the conclusion of his first article:

Tailleferre is not just an eleven-letter name in a music history textbook, but rather she was a real, living woman who had to negotiate social pressures and overcome tremendous injustices.

by Jarrett Hoffman

TODAY ON THE WEB:

At noon, Trinity Cathedral presents a Virtual Brownbag Concert by one of the premier arts and disabilities organizations in the U.S. — Dancing Wheels, a professional, physically integrated dance company uniting the talents of dancers both with and without disabilities. Freewill offering.

And at 7 pm, multi-instrumentalist and composer (and 2017 MacArthur “Genius” Fellow) Tyshawn Sorey performs on Youngstown State’s Pipino Performing Arts Series, in addition to giving a master class at 5:30 pm — both online, both free.

Details in our Concert Listings.

TODAY’S ALMANAC:

What was the last performance that George Frideric Handel attended, eight days before his death on this date in 1759? Somewhat fittingly, that would be his own Messiah, our focus today. Of course, there are a number of ways to delve into such an extensive and beloved work, let alone one that comes with a complex interpretive history.

We can start with some listening. One pair of contrasting options: an intimate performance here by Boston Baroque led by Thomas Pearlman (a video which also comes with a poignant message from one listener in the comments, posted during the pandemic), and a larger-scale take on the piece here from the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir. Heard side by side, those recordings almost sound like two different pieces at the beginning, thanks to differences in the number of instruments, in the key, and even more so in tempo.

It’s also interesting to hear from a Messiah master such as conductor Jane Glover, who celebrated her 100th performance of the work during a slate of appearances with The Cleveland Orchestra in 2018. Before those dates, ClevelandClassical.com’s Daniel Hathaway spoke to Glover about an array of topics surrounding the piece:

The range of performing forces she’s led, from choirs of 24 up to 450? (“Whatever you do with this remarkable piece, it comes up fresh as paint.”)

Condensing the work just slightly, as she prefers? (“I love every number, but I know that it becomes a very long evening if one is doing every golden note of it, so we have to make the odd nip and tuck.”)

Her preparation as a conductor? (She brings her own set of marked parts to every Messiah gig, which works out wonderfully — except for the one time they all got lost in the mail and never turned up.) 

What Handel might think of the piece’s popularity these days? (“Even for someone as confident and outgoing as he was, he would be astonished to learn what it has meant to every single generation of music lovers ever since.”)

It might also be fun to touch on one strange fact about the premiere, and one strange, possible myth about the piece. First the fact: a crowd of 700 people watched the first performance, on April 13, 1742 in Dublin, and to create space for seating, men were asked to remove their swords, while women were requested to wear dresses without hoops. I think it’s safe to say those aren’t such common problems today, but in their place, we have the phenomenon of manspreading. (“Hallelujah.”)

And now to that possible myth: that the custom of standing for the “Hallelujah” chorus dates back to Messiah’s London premiere in 1743, when King George II supposedly and suddenly stood up, and the rest of the audience followed suit to avoid offending him. The first mention of that occurrence doesn’t come until thirteen years later, raising doubts about whether that’s true at all.

But supposing it is true, it’s fun to run through the different reasons the king might have had for doing that. All sorts of theories have popped up. Was he simply moved by the music, more so there than at any other moment in the piece? Was he coming down with a bothersome case of pins and needles — relatable — or could it have been an attack of gout? Might he have just wanted to stretch his limbs after sitting for a couple hours? Had he been sleeping and startled awake by the chorus? Was he acknowledging what he somehow thought to be a tribute to him — the words “And He shall reign for ever and ever”?

Whatever the case, enjoy this performance of the “Hallelujah” Chorus by the Royal Choral Society and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and although we can’t see the audience stand up, you’ll hear it about fifteen seconds in. It’s accompanied by plenty of rustling, and at least one big cough — that joy of in-person concerts we’ll someday be reacquainted with.

by Jarrett Hoffman

BLOSSOM 2021:

Following a year’s hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, The Cleveland Orchestra has announced the return of Blossom Music Festival for 2021. The lineup currently includes eleven concerts running from July 3 to September 5 at Blossom Music Center, presented in accordance with local, state, and federal health guidelines. Subscriptions are now on sale, and individual tickets will be available beginning on May 3.

Read the press release for details about health and safety protocols, subscription options, the Under 18s Free program, and the cancellation of two previously announced movie concerts. And find the festival calendar below — but note that additional repertoire and guest artists will be announced in May.

AN AMERICAN CELEBRATION
Saturday, July 3, 2021 at 8:00 p.m.*
*with fireworks

The Cleveland Orchestra
Brett Mitchell, conductor

Program to include:
Copland, Suite from Appalachian Spring
Tchaikovksy, 1812 Overture
Sousa, Stars and Stripes Forever

MOZART IN THE MEADOWS
Sunday, July 11, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.

The Cleveland Orchestra
Dame Jane Glover, conductor (Blossom Music Festival debut)

Program to include:
Mozart, Symphony No. 40

THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK: Gershwin and Ellington
Sunday, July 18, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.

The Cleveland Orchestra
Lucas Waldin, conductor
Capathia Jenkins, vocalist

Program to include:
Gershwin, Fascinating Rhythm
Ellington, Satin Doll
Kern, All the Things You Are
Gershwin, The Man I Love
Gershwin, Summertime

FROM THE NEW WORLD
Sunday, July 25, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.

The Cleveland Orchestra
Rafael Payare, conductor (Cleveland Orchestra debut)

Program to include:
Dvořák, Symphony No. 9 (“From the New World”)

BEETHOVEN’S SEVENTH SYMPHONY
Sunday, August 1, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.

The Cleveland Orchestra
Herbert Blomstedt, conductor

Program to include:
Beethoven, Symphony No. 7

CLASSICAL MYSTERY TOUR: A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES
Sunday, August 8, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.

The Cleveland Orchestra
Martin Herman, conductor (Cleveland Orchestra debut)
with Classical Mystery Tour

TCHAIKOVSKY’S FOURTH
Sunday, August 15, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.

The Cleveland Orchestra
Karina Canellakis, conductor (Cleveland Orchestra debut)

Program to include:
Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 4

ROMANTIC BRAHMS
Sunday, August 22, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.

The Cleveland Orchestra
Jahja Ling, conductor

Program to include:
Brahms, Symphony No. 3

ENIGMA VARIATIONS
Saturday, August 28, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.

The Cleveland Orchestra
Elim Chan, conductor (Cleveland Orchestra debut)

Program to include:
Elgar, Enigma Variations

HOLLYWOOD UNDER THE STARS
Saturday, September 4, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, September 5, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.

The Cleveland Orchestra
Richard Kaufman, conductor

TODAY ON THE WEB:

Off to London and New York today. Wigmore Hall kicked off the morning — at least over here in Eastern Time — with a concert by Benjamin Appl and pianist James Baillieu, and will follow up this afternoon with pianist Imogen Cooper (both will be available on demand for 30 days). NYC brings us the Met Opera’s nightly stream (Massenet’s Cendrillon), CMS Lincoln Center’s exploration of Ravel’s Sonata for Violin and Piano, and a program focusing on “The Art of the 21st Century Trombone” from Cutting Edge Concerts. Details in Musical America’s streaming guide.

TODAY’S ALMANAC:

The Amati are one of the most important families of luthiers in the history of the violin, and on this date in 1684, the greatest instrument maker in that family, Nicola Amati, died in Cremona, Italy. Some say that his instruments, particularly the larger and wider “Grand Pattern” ones, were known for producing more power in their tone. On the other hand, the Smithsonian Institution describes the instruments as beautiful and penetrating in their sound, though not powerful. Have a look at one of the instruments in the possession of the National Museum of American History here, and watch a short demonstration of both an Amati and a copy on YouTube.

And Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballé was born on this date in 1933. A beautiful summary of her life and career can be found in her 2018 obituary by Margalit Fox in The New York Times, in which Fox describes her as “among the last of the old-time prima donnas for the transcendent purity of her voice, the sweeping breadth of her repertory and the delirious adulation of her fans…” Here’s a pairing to show off her beautiful voice in two very different contexts: “O mio babbino caro” from Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, and the single “Barcelona” from the album of the same name, a collaboration with Freddie Mercury.

Blossom photo by Roger Mastroianni

by Jarrett Hoffman

TODAY’S ALMANAC:

Louis Spohr (1784) and Herbert von Karajan (1908) might be the biggest birthdays to celebrate today. But another historical figure — French instrument maker Sébastien Érard, born on this date in 1752 in Strasbourg — offers up the possibility of a tantalizing tangent, and who can say no to that?

First, the background, which is interesting in itself: Érard is famous for making several important innovations for the harp and the piano. Those included a double escapement mechanism allowing for faster repetition of notes on the piano, and a double-action pedal harp which made it easier to change keys. In the first year following that popular advancement — a mechanism still used by modern harp manufacturers — he reportedly made £25,000 (in one conversion, over two million dollars by today’s standards).

A few other interesting tidbits: Érard was the first instrument maker in Paris to fit pedals on the piano, and not just the usual pedals we have today. His instruments (like others in Europe) had several, including a bassoon pedal, which brought leather into contact with the strings to create a buzzing sound. Finally, among the musicians who owned Érard pianos were Beethoven, Chopin, Haydn, Mendelssohn, Wagner, Verdi, Ravel, and Liszt — who was for a time sponsored by Érard.

Now, onto that tasty tangent: the name Érard pops up in a very charming audio play, Elena’s Dream, in which the character of Elena travels back in time, meeting harpsichords — talking harpsichords — from various eras.

In the late 18th century, she encounters the eccentric Thomas Taskin (named after another instrument maker, Pascal Taskin). But moving into the 19th century, she finds that her harpsichord-friend Taskin has been left for dead, tossed into a storage closet at the Paris Conservatory. Harpsichords have been set aside for the new “88-keyed monster” (Thomas Taskin’s words), the piano.

That is, until 1892, when the closet door opens, and Taskin finds himself carried to a stage, cleaned, repaired, and set side by side with a grand piano — Érard. Bickering and name-calling ensue, back and forth between the two proud personalities.

A large audience arrives, and the keyboardist Louis Diémer steps onstage, explaining his “passion for historic instruments” before giving the world premiere of something rare: a “modern” piece for harpsichord, Francis Thomé’s Rigodon (recorded here by Elaine Funaro, like all the harpsichord pieces in the play).

Then Diémer switches over to the piano for Ravel’s Jeux d’eau (recorded by Randall Love). Taskin and Érard earn each other’s admiration and respect — and even get a little flirty in Eric Love’s hilarious writing and voice acting.

Listen to the whole play here (scroll to the very bottom), or watch a video reading of the children’s book which the play evolved into, The Harpsichord Diaries, which adds in beautiful illustrations (Andrea Love) and haiku (Funaro). You can also learn more about both of these projects in a story from Early Music America focusing on the talented family trio of Funaro, Eric, and Andrea.

TODAY ON THE WEB:

Several virtual options across the globe today: a Holy Week Festival from St. John’s Smith Square and Tenebrae, Bach’s St. Matthew Passion from Tokyo via Virtual Circle, 92nd St. Y’s celebration of Mimouna, and CMS Lincoln Center’s exploration of Pablo Casals. See our Concert Listings for details.