2 replies to this topic

[puppytreats]

Has anyone reviewed the music from Saturday? I am interested in reading reviews or hearing comments.

[California]

puppytreats, on 23 January 2013 - 12:38 PM, said:

Has anyone reviewed the music from Saturday? I am interested in reading reviews or hearing comments.

Macaulay has a lot to say about the music today:
http://www.nytimes.c...ation.html?_r=0

He points out wrong notes at one performance (I heard them at others, but consider that routine in so many performances), but he mainly focuses on rearrangements and omissions from the original scores. He doesn't have much to say about the quality of the musical performances otherwise (tempo, expressiveness, etc.)

I think that we should judge the music as part of the overall package Balanchine designed, not by concert hall standards. The company members talk a lot about the integrity of the musical scores, first and foremost, but Balanchine himself is the one who made all those changes.

[kfw]

California, on 25 January 2013 - 05:43 PM, said:

puppytreats, on 23 January 2013 - 12:38 PM, said:

Has anyone reviewed the music from Saturday? I am interested in reading reviews or hearing comments.

Macaulay has a lot to say about the music today:
http://www.nytimes.c...ation.html?_r=0

He points out wrong notes at one performance (I heard them at others, but consider that routine in so many performances), but he mainly focuses on rearrangements and omissions from the original scores. He doesn't have much to say about the quality of the musical performances otherwise (tempo, expressiveness, etc.)

I think that we should judge the music as part of the overall package Balanchine designed, not by concert hall standards. The company members talk a lot about the integrity of the musical scores, first and foremost, but Balanchine himself is the one who made all those changes.

Macaulay praised the conducting and the orchestra's sound in his review ("Letting Dance Carry the Music") on the 16th. I don't think he's complaining about Balanchine's cuts and rearrangements here, but just noting that they provide food for thought. Every one of his reviews gives me food for thought.