Two concertos for string quartet and orchestra
mainA fascinating piece of London programming by the rising Juro:
Weds November 8
Life out of death
Czech music with the Borodin Quartet
Klein Partita for Strings
Schulhoff Concerto for String Quartet and Wind Orchestra*
Martinů Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra*
Janáček Sinfonietta
Vladimir Jurowski conductor
Borodin Quartet*
London Philharmonic Orchestra
There is another one that is equally amazing by Benjamin Lees. Truly worthwhile time spent if you can find it. And of course one by Schoenberg. Excellent programing for this concert.
I love the Lees piece. Liked the man, too.
Sony has a “freegal” site that is available free from many libraries; it contains a recording of the piece. https://www.freegalmusic.com/search-page/lees%2520concerto/albums/90438045124/2
Nice programming! On the more “classical side”, don’t forget Louis Spohr’s Opus 131; a true concerto for String Quartet and orchestra. Seldom heard.
I heard the Spohr Concerto performed in concert by the Milwaukee Symphony with the Fine Arts Quartet as soloists. Ingenious piece but not compelling listening, in my opinion. I believe it was part of the Milwaukee Symphony’s rather widely circulated broadcasts so I assume tapes are out there, somewhere.
And Elgar of course, and
The rave and the nightingale : a fantasy based on Schubert’s Quartet no. 15, Mvt 1, for string quartet and string orchestra by Matthew Hindson.
Julian Orbon (1925-1991) wrote an impressive Concerto grosso for string quartet and orchestra (ca. 1960-1961). It is at 28 mins. a substantial work in three movements. The Lento is outstanding..
and Morton Feldman “String Quartet and orchestra”
Amazing programming. Wish to get some of it here in Israel
Let’s work on it!
Well, Jurowski did conduct the Israel Philharmonic. But does he do it on a regular basis or just rarely on occasion?
Fantastic program! (Now I need to dig up a score of the Martinu…)
Too bad they didn’t included the Schoenberg piece.
Also concerti for string quartet and orchestra by: Gunther Schuller; David Diamond; Richard Danielpour (aka “Voices of Remembrance”); James Yannatos; Stephen Paulus (aka “Three Places of Enlightenment”.); Jean Martinon (“Concerto Lyrique.”)
Lots of others, too!
The more important and general point in all this is the brave and illuminating programming which London has had from the LPO in recent years and which will be missed after Vlad’s departure in 2021 following the completion of his Ring Cycle.
Jurowski is already bringing his fresh ideas and programmes to Berlin and perhaps he’ll be able to develop them in Munich as well.
London may now have the shiny Rattles and Salonens of this world but aren’t they really just churning out their regular tried and tested repertoire?
Let’s hope the LPO appoint an equally adventurous, but different, successor to Vlad. Who’s do we think is the running for that plum job?
His successor will be a woman because the era of male conductors is coming to an end.
Salonen – tried-and-tested repertoire?
Not an accusation I’d throw at Salonen.
I don’t think Salonen is as adventurous as Jurowski. Salonen usually includes modern pieces in most of his concerts, but generally alongside better know repertoire. Examples from the NY Philharmonic archive:
February 2007:
Ravel / Le Tombeau de Couperin
Salonen / Piano Concerto
Musorgsky / Pictures at an Exhibition (Ravel, Maurice)
April 2017:
Stravinsky / Funeral Song, Op. 5
Davies / Forest: A concerto for four horns
Strauss / Also sprach Zarathustra (Thus Spoke Zarathustra), Tone Poem (freely after Friedrich Nietzsche) for Large Orchestra, Op. 30
Isn’t November 8 is a Thursday this year?