Zubin Mehta

Friday December 2, 2005 - Concertgebouw Amsterdam

Bruckner: Symphony nr. 8

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Zubin Mehta (conductor)

This was the first time Zubin Mehta coducted the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Though not the best Bruckner ever, his performance was convincing, clean and beautiful.

Thielemann - München - Bruckner

Tuesday November 29, 2005 - Concertgebouw Amsterdam

R. Strauss: Metamorphosen

Bruckner: Symphony nr. 7

Münchner Philharmoniker, Christian Thielemann (conductor)

Some years ago I heard Thielemann for the first time in a concert with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. That was a very good one, with the Symphony Pathetique of Tschaikovsky. And now he conducted again a wonderful played concert with a great performance of Bruckners Seventh. Thielemann is conducting like a man who wanted to become the goal keeper of a soccer team, but weren't succesful and became conductor as second choice. But it is very effective! The orchestra does exactly what he wants, and he gave a very open, clear Bruckner with big differences between soft and loud. Every time I hear a Bruckner symphony life I think that he's the best composer of symphonies... More Bruckner will follow next month.
It didn't understand why Thielemann conducted the Metamorphosen with much more string players as the prescripted 23.

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra - Alan Gilbert

Saturday November 26, 2005 - Concertgebouw Amsterdam

Berwald: Ouverture Estrella de Soria

Schumann: Cello concerto

Dvorák: Symphony nr. 6

Gregor Horsch, cello
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Alan Gilbert (conductor)

Alan Gilbert is a young, talented conductor. Two years ago he made his debut with the orchestra and now he was asked back for only this one concert. But the rehearsals must be very effective; the playing was very good and inspired. The Schumann concerto isn't my favorite cello concerto, but a good idea to ask the leader of the cellists from the orchestra to be the soloist.

The New York Philharmonic

Friday November 11, 2005 - Concertgebouw Amsterdam

R. Strauss: Tod und Verklärung

Mahler: Symphony nr. 5

New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Lorin Maazel (conductor)

This concert gave exactly what I expected: a wonderful Strauss, and a disappointing Mahler. Maazel is a mannered conductor and that fits with Richard Strauss. Beautiful played and a very clear sound. It's a good piece also. The Mahler 5th was a little boring: playing the notes and that was it. Though: the New York Philharmonic sounded a better orchestra than I expected in advance. But this wasn't a very convincing concert.

iPod

Yesterday I purchased a 30GB iPod (5th generation). I still can't believe: I have only used 5% of disk space, and on this small thing I already take with me the complete symphonies of Mahler and Sibelius, the three last symphonies of Bruckner, the Suites for cello of Bach and some other stuff...

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Amsterdam, Jan Anton

Elias

Thursday November 10, 2005 - Concertgebouw Amsterdam

Mendelssohn: Elias

Camilla Tilling (soprano)
Elise Caluwarts (soprano)
Ann Hallenberg (alto)
Rainer Trost (tenor)
Christian Gerhaher (bariton - Elias)
Choir of the Dutch Radio, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Philippe Herreweghe (conductor)

The last time this orchestra performed this huge oratorio of Mendelssohn was in 1930! Concerts in the Netherlands always start at 8.15 pm, and normally end around 10.15 pm, but tonight we were out after 11 pm. A long evening with a lot of beautiful and sweetish music, played and sung at the highest level. With Herreweghe as conductor there's always a special atmosphere of real music making. He is one of my favourite conductors and every year he conduct at least one programme with the RCO, and these concerts are always inspired. Ann Hallenberg was the best singer: her voice confluenced wonderful with the orchestra. But there were no weak points in this performance. Nice to have heard this special work at a live performance.

Sibelius

Friday November 4, 2005 - Concertgebouw Amsterdam

Lindberg: Feria

Bartók: Piano Concerto no. 2

Sibelius: Symphony no. 5

Peter Donohoe, piano
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Sakari Oramo (conductor)

I have two subscription series for the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. One series offers the more iron repertoire, the other 20th and 21th century music. This concert was in that modern series, though the programme was relative conventional. The piece by Magnus Lindberg gave a lot of noise; a bad orchestral work but a good physical training for the conductor. The Bartók and Sibelius are masterpieces of course, and were performed very well. I think chief conductor Mariss Jansons would do a more exciting Sibelius, but as a real lover of Sibelius I'm glad with every performance of his works by this great orchestra.

Alcina

Tuesday October 25, 2005 - Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam

Händel: Alcina

Christine Schäfer - Alcina
Silvia Tro Santafé - Ruggiero
Marijana Mijanovic - Bradamante
Ingela Bohlin - Morgana
Jeremy Ovenden - Oronte
Choir of the Dutch Opera, Les Talens Lyriques, Christophe Rousset (conductor)

The Dutch Opera started some years ago with a 'Händel-cycle' in the small but intimate City Theatre, and after a wonderful Giulio Cesare they now offer two opera's alternately: Alcina and Tamerlano. I went to Alcina, which was a very beautiful performance by the great singing of the female singers. Mijanovic is one of the most talented alto's, and with Schäfer in the title role nothing could go wrong. The orchestra however sounded weak. There are a lot of good orchestras on period instruments, but Les Talens Lyriques played unstable. For that reason I decided not to buy a ticket for Tamerlano, allthough the singing and staging were first class. But listening for four hours to a bad orchestra...