Classical Music Agenda
Last week's battle of the orchestras may be eclipsed by this week's. Besides the local symphonic ensembles, there are some visitors in the ring, too. The common theme is the piano concerti of Johannes Brahms, both of them disarmingly beautiful pieces, and here is how we call it.
THE ORCHESTRAS
>> The week starts strong with the Cleveland Orchestra on Monday (October 15, 8 p.m.) in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Washington Performing Arts Society once again brings this top-ranking orchestra to the city, just before the group heads to Carnegie Hall for a series of three concerts. The program sandwiches another piece by American composer John Adams, Guide to Strange Places, between Mozart's 28th symphony and Tchaikovsky's 6th.
>> The second visiting ensemble this week is the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, performing with pianist Yefim Bronfman in the Music Center at Strathmore (October 18, 8 p.m.) on Thursday. The program combines Brahms, including the first piano concerto, with Schoenberg's Kammersymphonie.
>> The re-release of Emanuel Ax's recordings of the Brahms piano concerti coincides with his appearance this week with the National Symphony Orchestra, playing the second Brahms concerto, an archetypal example of the Romantic style. There are three performances of this concert, also featuring the Vaughan Williams sixth symphony, on October 18, 19, and 20.
>> Is it a coincidence that Brian Ganz will also be playing the Brahms second concerto this weekend? Would most pianists set themselves up for comparison with Emanuel Ax? This concert is with the National Philharmonic, paired with Holst's The Planets (October 20, 8 p.m.), in the Music Center at Strathmore.
>> The Eclipse Chamber Orchestra presents music by Adamo, Harris, and Mozart on Sunday (October 21, 3 p.m.) at Alexandria's George Washington Masonic Memorial.
WORTH MENTION:
>> Bass-baritone François Loup and pianist Santiago Rodriguez will perform an unusual, multimedia version of Schubert's lonely song cycle Die Winterreise at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. The German songs will be accompanied by projected images of the paintings of the German Romantic painter Caspar David Friedrich. There are two performances, on Friday and Sunday (October 19 and 21).
>> A trip to Baltimore's alternative music venue An die Musik LIVE! may be in order for fans of contemporary music on Sunday (October 21, 3 p.m.) for the concert by William Jenken (clarinet), Peter Minkler (viola), and Sylvie Beaudoin (piano), which includes a performance of Messaien's Abyss of the Birds. The rest of the program is interesting, too.
THE FREE KIND:
>> Eclatante, made up of Sharon Pabon (flute) and Melissa Dvorak (harp), will give a free concert on the lunchtime series at the Church of the Epiphany (1317 G St. NW). October 16, 12:10 p.m.
>> Spend a lazy Saturday afternoon listening to the radio broadcast (WETA, 90.9 FM) of Wagner's Die Walküre, from last spring's performance by Washington National Opera. Read my review for more information. October 20, 1:30 p.m.
>> Also on Saturday, pianist Elizabeth Borowsky will give a free concert at An die Musik LIVE! in Baltimore. October 20, 2 p.m.
>> The Verdehr Trio (violin, clarinet, piano) will play on the free concert series at the Phillips Collection. Entrance to the museum will still cost you. October 21, 4 p.m.
>> The free concert series at the National Gallery of Art will feature Amanda Pitt (soprano) and David Owen Norris (piano) on Sunday. Note that this concert will be presented in the West Building Lecture Hall. October 21, 6:30 p.m.
>> For more concert information, go to Ionarts.