Tomorrow I will hand-deliver two manuscripts by the Dutch composer Sim Gokkes to the Netherlands Music Institute in The Hague. We found these manuscripts a few years ago in some archives my grandfather had left in Italy when he emigrated to the US.
In 1936, Gokkes asked Mario to write a Lecha Dodi for the Portuguese Synagogue of Amsterdam, where Gokkes was choirmaster. He wrote: “I will be very happy if you can dedicate some time to be able to help me. It’s very necessary that important Jewish composers give their attention to this art.”
Gokkes sent Mario several of his own compositions as a guideline. This was Mario’s first work for synagogue, and he went to it with his usual enthusiasm. As far as I know Mario’s Lecha Dodi was performed at the Synagogue in 1936.
A few years later, Gokkes and his family perished at Auschwitz. Much of this composer’s music has been lost. It brings me great joy and emotion to be able to return these manuscripts to the composer’s archive where, I hope, they will begin a new life.
The orchestra has unrolled its first Semyon Bychkov season.
The season will open and close with Mahler – 2nd and 9th symphonies – with Berio’s Mahlerian Sinfonia in between.
The Czech Phil has long shed the Mahler reputation it acquired under Ancerl and Neumann in the 1960s. This season marks a return.
The diva booked three tickets for the Disney musical Aladdin for a little over £500 – or thought she did.
But five minutes before the show, she was told to vacate the seats for herself, Yusif and Tiago as they had been double-booked.
‘He had a complicated rider, a list of requirements – as most celebrities do – because these things progress as they get through their levels of fame….’
Doug Schwalbe has prepared a rundown of works played by the two orchestras over four seasons. Here’s what they programmed:
17th-century composers: LA Phil 5.07% NY Phil 3.17%
18th century composers: LA Phil 20.36% NY Phil 17.97%
19th century composers: LA Phil 51.05% NY Phil 60.80%
Modern composers: LA Phil 12.43% NY Phil 8.75%
Post-Modern composers: LA Phil 11.09% NY Phil 9.31%
In every department except mainstream 19th century, Dudamel’s LA Phil outplayed Alan Gilbert’s New York Philharmonic for breadth and adventure.
More detail?
Both orchestras played Mozart more than any other composer, with Beethoven in second place.
Mahler came sixth in LA and 10th in New York.
Dvorak is 4th in NY, 14th in LA.
Lucio Rossetti, a violinist in the Pittsburgh Orchestra, has died at 106.
As a young man in Lucca, he was made to play the Giovinezza for Il Duce.
‘Give that man a medal!’ cried Mussolini, himself a capable violinist.
Lucio joined the Pittsburgh Symphony inn 1934 and played for 43 years.
