It’s getting grimmer:

 

CHICAGO –The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association has announced that CSOA-presented programs scheduled to take place at Symphony Center from Tuesday, March 26 through Tuesday, April 2 are canceled or postponed due to the ongoing strike by musicians of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

CSOA-presented concerts to be canceled include:

Symphony Center Presents Orchestras concert featuring the San Francisco Symphony with Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas and violinist Christian Tetzlaff on Tuesday, March 26, at 7:30 p.m.

CSO subscription concerts on Thursday, March 28, at 8:00 p.m., Friday, March 29, at 8:00 p.m., Saturday, March 30, at 8:00 p.m. and Tuesday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m. The program, which was to have been led by guest conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen, featured Strauss’ Also sprach Zarathustra and Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle with soloists Michelle DeYoung (mezzo-soprano) and John Relyea (bass).

The school performances on Friday, March 29 and family matinee performances on Saturday, March 30 of Flash Back, Flash Forward featuring Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. This program was to have been led by guest conductor Scott Speck. It was created in part to celebrate the 100th season of the CSO’s series of concerts for children, and was set to feature pianist Yerin Yang, winner of the 2018 Crain-Maling CSO Young Artists Competition as soloist in Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. More than 3,500 Chicago Public School (CPS) students were confirmed to attend the March 29 school concerts, with complimentary tickets and bus transportation provided by the CSOA, as part of the Negaunee Music Institute at the CSO’s 2018/19 season-long free ticket initiative for CPS.

Symphony Center Presents Piano concert featuring Maurizio Pollini in a program of works by Brahms, Schumann and Chopin on Sunday, March 31, at 3:00 p.m.

All associated pre-concert special events from March 26 through April 2 are also canceled.
 

Nathalie Stutzmann was due to lead the Royal Scottish National Orchestra on a Beethoven Five tour through Perth, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

But Stutzmann has just dropped out ‘for personal reasons’, whatever that may mean.

Instead of hiring another conductor, the musicians proposed that the tour should be directed by RSNO Leader Sharon Roffman. Music director Thomas Søndergård liked the idea.

Our ear on the inside says: ‘What it provides is an opportunity for large ensemble to be directed from the first chair, which can only really be done with a band in solid, confident shape. We’ll be doing more of this next season too.’

Ms Roffman says: ‘One of the fun things about playing with different conductors every week is that we, the musicians, get to be like musical chameleons, changing styles and interpretations according to each conductor’s taste and ideas. The great part about playing without a conductor in a collective spirit, is that each musician no matter which chair or instrument, has a voice and is part of the process of creating a unique interpretation, unmistakably our own. I’m looking forward to embarking on this journey with my colleagues!’

 

UPDATE: The RNSO has issued a coda: ‘The RSNO would like to clarify that Nathalie did not withdraw from this engagement unilaterally. This was a mutual decision, taken eight months ago, due to a combination of unexpected repertoire and scheduling difficulties on both sides of the equation. The RSNO regrets any implication otherwise and we very much look forward to working with Nathalie in the future.’

The Berlin-based baroque conductor Joolz Gale has taken to the Spectator’s blog to tell us how all this is going down in the Merkel-Bunker:

The Germans have been very good to me as a musician in Berlin over the past decade. But on Brexit, I am reminded that I am still deeply British. In recent weeks I have had a series of informal meetings and discussions with parliamentarians and officials on all political sides in Berlin. From those conversations, what’s clear is that the Germans think the British people want to remain in the EU but they just do not realise it yet. This explains the messy negotiations, the chaos of which (the Germans hope) will persuade the UK to change its mind. There is zero respect for the British position right now (although Theresa May’s embarrassing antics are not exactly helping) and zero understanding of why Brits might vote to leave.

But we have to see where this approach comes from. First, the culture of discourse and debate in Germany is not like in the UK (which is why people here view the mess of the House of Commons with contempt rather than with admiration for a healthy democracy). Germans fear that the forceful expression of opinion can be deemed dangerously persuasive, especially when charismatic rhetoric can so easily manipulate the emotions of listeners….

Read on here.

The Staatsoper unter den Linden has just rolled out seven new productions.

‘We will try to keep in touch with you – the public – and bring you more details as the season progresses,’ says Barenboim.

Brochure here.

 

 

The Latvian conductor is to be awarded the EUR 50,000 Herbert von Karajan Prize at the 2019 Salzburg Easter Festival, it has been announced today.

For what earthly purpose? Why do classical organisers think that shifting irrelevant sums among rich maestros enhances in any way the state of our universe? Might Mariss be tempted to share the money among musicians who suffered in Karajan’s 30-year musical Reich?

photo: Christodoulou/BBC

 

It’s a Decca claim, hard to disprove:

Ludovico Einaudi today hits the top spot of the UK Classical Chart with his new album ‘Seven Days Walking: Day One’ which has become the fastest-streamed classical album of all time in its first week of release. Out last Friday on Decca Records, his 14th studio album exceeded 2 million streams on release day alone, and continued to stream at a record-breaking rate for the next seven days, dominating classical charts across the globe.

The release of this album has caused a dramatic uplift in classical streaming as a whole. Gennaro Castaldo at the BPI explains ‘The Einaudi Effect’:

“Streaming of classical repertoire is growing at a rapid pace – faster than any other music genre, last year up by 42 per cent. Ludovico Einaudi is in the vanguard of this exciting shift as its most streamed artist, and in the process he is not only seeing a huge leap in his own considerable fanbase around the world, he is also helping to draw many more people of all backgrounds into the wonderful world of classical music.”

Decca President Rebecca Allen says, “Einaudi is a true pioneer, an innovator and a disrupter. His music cuts through in ways no other artist can. This is just day one of our campaign, so I am beyond thrilled that around the world the beauty of this music is resonating!”

We thought you should know.

 

Message received:

Los Angeles (March 22, 2019) – World-renowned violinist Ray Chen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic have announced the “Play with Ray” competition. The international skills-based talent search aims to find a violinist to perform Bach’s Double Concerto with Ray and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, led by Ben Gernon, at the iconic Hollywood Bowl, Thursday, August 8, 2019.

The idea for “Play with Ray” is one the recently turned 30-year-old has dreamed of for years.

“I want to provide people around the world a fun, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Chen. “People who have a dream to perform on stage, this project is for you. I couldn’t think of a better partnership to help realize everyone’s passion for music than the LA Phil at the Hollywood Bowl.”
Entrants can play alongside a video of Ray and the orchestra from the comfort of their own living room, then record and submit along with an essay. The top three finalists will be flown to Los Angeles to play violin with Ray in person on rare violins provided by Tarisio, the leading international establishment of fine instruments and bows. The finalists will also attend masterclasses and concerts in the days leading up to the concert. The grand-prize winner will join Ray and the LA Phil on stage at the Hollywood Bowl, performing the first movement of Bach’s Double Violin Concerto at the nearly-18,000-seat venue. The concert will be livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube.

Entry is open to non-professional violinists of all ages and is free.

For further information and to submit an application, please visit hollywoodbowl.com/playwithray.

 

The record producer Ute Fesquet is leaving the Big Yellow.

The official version says it’s mutual. As ever, nothing in the record world is perfectly balanced or quite what it seems.

Here’s what they say:

Deutsche Grammophon and Ute Fesquet, Vice President Artist & Repertoire, have redefined their relationship for the future. From 1 October 2019, the successful music manager will advise the classical label as a freelance consultant and will act as producer on specially selected projects. This will enable her to focus more on her greatest passion, the development and realisation of unique classical productions.

Ute Fesquet, Vice President Artist & Repertoire Deutsche Grammophon: “It is with a sense of pride and happiness that I look back on my journey so far – with so many brilliant artists and their amazing music. With wonderful colleagues around the globe that share my passion for music and are dedicated to their work. For all of these things I am deeply grateful; and for the fact that during the long time I was able to grow within the company, I was given many opportunities to open new chapters. Now I will do this in a different role and an expanded sphere of action, but always dedicated to one thing: extraordinary art, emotion and a small piece of eternity”.

Clemens Trautmann, President Deutsche Grammophon: “I am glad that Ute Fesquet will continue to have a close a relationship with Deutsche Grammophon, even though her professional life now takes her down a new route. For 22 years now, she has earned herself a reputation for her creative, strategic and highly dedicated work, around ten of those in a position of great responsibility for our artists and their repertoire. In this role, she has been instrumental in the long-term development of classical music and the artistic and economic success of Deutsche Grammophon. It is great news that our label will continue to benefit from her outstanding expertise. Both in her familiar and new areas of work, I wish Ute the greatest success”.

 

It’s the maestro’s birthday today (b. 1867).

He’s taking it easy at sea, en route to South America with the NBC orchestra.