I don't know exactly where everyone was last Saturday night - Candide, maybe? - because the ZOFO concert at SFCM was seriously underattended, despite the known greatness of the piano duet and despite their world premiere performance of a suite of miniatures written for them as a sort of latter-day Pictures at an Exhibition. It was, in a word, great, and I reviewed it for SFCV.
I only wish I'd been able to say something about each of the works, and it was unfortunately only after I'd filed that I realized that a review consisting of a tiny miniature commentary on every one of them would have been entirely appropriate. Read my review here, and consider looking up the paintings in question, most of which can be seen on the web.
Menahem Pressler and the NCCO at Herbst. Otherwise, I would have been there in a second. February 25th is also shaping up to be one of those, "why did everyone schedule their fabulous concert against each other unintentionally?"
ReplyDeleteI saw your review of NCCO. I've heard a couple of older pianists in my time, thought neither was in his 90s, and, well. I usually pass on them.
ReplyDeleteFeb. 25: yeah. I have an excuse for missing it all, which is that I will be in NYC for a week starting on the 24th. Must say that it's Feb. 3 and I have already missed multiple concerts I wanted to see this month. Must try to get a ticket to Monday's Messiaen program, well, that's not all that's on it, true.
Lovely review at SFCV, and will be sure to catch the work the next time it's done in the Bay Area (which it surely will be).
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about older performers, ever since I was a young thing hearing Isaac Stern playing a Mozart violin concerto with the SF Symphony and seemingly missing half the notes. However, there are some freakish outliers, and Menahem Pressler is definitely one of them. I'm glad I went.
for those of us not in the know, what is happening on Feb 25th?
ReplyDeletein years past, Mark Rudio did an excellent job previewing upcoming concerts and many of his recommendations made their way onto my calendar. i know it was a ton or work and risky putting your neck out. who in SF is doing that now in the classical music world?
post concerts reviews are great but a few more heads up recommendations would be appreciated by those of us who don't know what is really good and coming up.
Take a look at fun stuff I may or may not get to: February 2018 on Patrick Vaz's blog. He lists just about everything of interest to me that's happening and makes some recommendations. That date includes West Edge's Snapshot, American Bach Soloists, a program at SFCM, Hot Air Music Festival, Sunday with the Divas (I have a note up about this too), and other stuff.
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