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New World Symphony's "All-Brahms" program.


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Tonight I went to the New World Symphony at the Knight Concert Hall, and they played a beautiful program, an “All-Brahms” night. The program consisted in his Hungarian dances Nos. 1 and 10, his Piano Quartet No. 1 n G minor Op 25 in Schoenberg’s reverent, faithful orchestration and finally, after the intermezzo, his Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major for Piano and Orchestra, Op 83.

The first two pieces, the Hungarian Dances, were quick. The No. 1 is a textbook demonstration of an orchestra sonority contrast in between the bassoon/strings on one side and the woodwinds/triangle on the other. The No. 10 look like if it could belong to the last act of Raymonda…very reminiscent of a Csarda style.

About the Piano quartet brilliantly orchestrated by Schoenberg, this is what he had to say when asked the reasons for doing it.

1-I like the piece

2-It is seldom played

3-It is always very badly played, because the better the pianist, the louder he plays and then you hear nothing from the strings. I want to hear everything.

Finally, I had the pleasure to hear Polish-born pianist Emanuel Ax in a moving rendition of Brahms’ Concerto No. 2. One of my favorite parts of this concert comes in the third movement, the andante, in which the piano shares the spotlight with a solo cello playing a sweet and humble melody.

The Orchestra was directed by Mr. Michael Tilson, from which I have a little anecdote to tell about tonight’s performance.

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