Tuesday, October 05, 2010

Review: French Classics at SFS

Reviewing San Francisco Symphony's French Classics program. Really, the hard-copy headline of Joshua Kosman's review said it all: "Next Time, More Berlioz."

I've said this before, and I'll say it again (and again and again and again): could SFS schedule Carey Bell in a clarinet concerto other than the Mozart? Great piece, yeah, but I've heard it approximately five thousands times, and it's so popular it's a KDFC staple.

I'd love to hear the Lindberg concerto again, but if not that, how about the concertos by Aho, Carter (I make myself laugh), Corigliano, Hindemith, Maconchy, Martino (triple concerto!), Musgrave, Nielsen, Penderecki, Piston, Rautavaara, Stravinsky, Takemitsu, or Tower? Yes, I did get those names from Wikipedia.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

It was SFCO rather than SFS, but I once got to review a concert with clarinet concertos by Copland and Richard Festinger.

Lisa Hirsch said...

I see that there were bells in that concert...but not Carey Bell!

Anonymous said...

The LA Phil is doing the complete R&J Symphony over the weekend of October 22-24, Charles Dutoit conducting.

Should be great, come on down!

Lisa Hirsch said...

SOB.

Sadly, I cannot.

Joe Barron said...

You actually expect creative programing?

But thanks, Lisa: I never knew Piston had written a clarinet concerto. I'd like to hear that one.

Lisa Hirsch said...

I hope for creative programming!

Anonymous said...

Adams ... "Gnarly Buttons"

Joshua Kosman said...

You see your wish is about to be granted, right?

Lisa Hirsch said...

Unusually, I have a ticket for the Thursday afternoon performance!

Lisa Hirsch said...

P. S. How'd you happen to dig up this three-year-old posting? Web search or a very long memory?