Glass Notes

Bruckner Orchester Linz plays Symphony No.4

The definitive performers of Philip Glass' orchestral music, performed Symphony No.4 "Heroes" on Friday night.  This year the city of Linz is the cultural capital of Europe.  The Bruckner Orchester, this year, performed Symphony No.7 "Toltec" on New Year's, the Timpani Concerto in March, Symphony No.4 last week, on its US tour in November they will do the Glass Violin Concerto in NY and in other cities and Toltec in North Carolina before heading back to NYC for the US premiere of Kepler. 
What an institutional commitment to a composer's music.  Mostly, I imagine, it's thanks to its remarkable Music Direktor, Dennis Russell Davies.

Kepler at BAM

Go to www.bam.org and access the link to the Next Wave Festival. When you find KEPLER, you'll be able to watch a 90 second preview video with a demo excerpt from the opera.

Planctus & Opening

Planctus with Natalie Merchant And "Opening" on VH1

Sono ritornato

I have returned from my break and plenty transpired in my absence. I will post a few updates at a time. The most noteworthy is the University of California's coverage of the US premiere of the Glass Cello Concerto in La Jolla winning an Emmy.
And this nice little video on Daily Motion from les Nuits de Fourviere.

Going Quiet...

I will be on hiatus until June 22 after my nuptials this weekend which will take place at the Methuen Memorial Music Hall with musical accompaniment on this lovely instrument, The Great Organ.  This is the old pipe organ of the Boston Symphony from before Symphony Hall was opened in 1900. The orchestra and organ resided in the old Boston Music Hall.  After they left, the organ went into storage until Edward Searles built a new hall in 1909 in Methuen Massachusetts specifically just to house the organ (bottom photo).  This is a great American treasure if you ever have a chance to go see it, don't miss it.

Old Building

  

New Building from 1909

Record Reviews: Upper Room and Juniper (New Zealand)

The New Zealand Herald's review.