This relates to a somewhat heated discussion on Twitter, following the publication of Anne Midgette's excellent article about what people really want with classical music institutions. There was a challenge from one of the participants to create some programs of your own.
You might consider these the equivalent of my long-ago Fantasy Opera series.
Concert 1
Salonen, Wing on Wing
Lindberg, Clarinet Concerto
Salonen, Violin Concerto
I presume I don't have to tell you who would conduct that concert.
Concert 2
Carter, Flute Concerto
Stravinsky, L'histoire du soldat
Boulez, sur Incises
Concert 3
Vaughan Williams, Symphony No. 4
Britten, Violin Concerto
Concert 4
Janacek, Sinfonietta
Debussy, Nocturnes
Martinu, Any of the symphonies
Concert 5
Saariaho, Graal Theatre (either version)
Aho, Insect Symphony
Concert 6
Ginastera, Harp Concerto
Berwald, Sinfonie naive
I'd go to #3, 4, or 6 like a shot.
ReplyDeleteI'd avoid #2 at all costs.
sur Incises is beautiful by almost any standard - sounds more like free jazz than serialism. Worth listening to a few minutes of:
ReplyDeletesur Incises
I suspect you'd like 1 and 5, also. Ever heard the Lindberg? Wonderful piece!
ReplyDeleteHmm, just 6. Well, here's one possible set:
ReplyDelete(1)
Schoenberg: Variations for Orchestra
Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Respighi: Metamorphosen Modi XII
Ravel: Bolero
(2; this one's for Philly, to state the obvious)
Barber: Overture to The School for Scandal
Jennifer Higdon: Concerto for Orchestra
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3
(3)
Sibelius: Symphony No. 6
Sally Beamish: The Singing
Dvorak: Slavonic Dances, Book II
(4)
Charlotte Bray: At the Speed of Stillness
Britten: Piano Concerto
Vaughan Williams: A London Symphony
(5)
Haydn: Symphony No. 31
Poulenc: Concert champetre
Stenhammar: Serenade for Orchestra
(6)
Ravel: L'heure espagnole
de Falla: The Three-Cornered Hat (complete)
I could come up with a lot more, of course. But those programs would bankrupt any orchestra.
I have, and I enjoyed it, and I wouldn't mind hearing it again. It's just not on my "must hear" list.
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