Monthly Archives: December 2015

10 Questions for Chris Walroth

Posted on December 30, 2015 by barczablog

The Toronto Symphony’s new year begins on tour in Florida. It’s tough enough when a hundred well-rehearsed players take the stage at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto, where we all presumably eat & sleep; quite another to undertake playing Beethoven … Continue reading →

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Pollyanna looks back at 2015

Posted on December 28, 2015 by barczablog

The year isn’t quite over yet, but already we’re looking back at 2015 as 2016 draws closer.   When we remember Pollyanna’s credo –“if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all”—no wonder we look back.  As the dollar … Continue reading →

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Toronto Symphony goes to Florida

Posted on December 23, 2015 by barczablog

It’s a story with many players, and not just those who play musical instruments. If it were the first time it would be more dramatic. But by now it seems that they’ve figured out how to do it, after many … Continue reading →

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Donald Trump: crossover artist

Posted on December 22, 2015 by barczablog

What is the rationale behind crossover and why is it attractive? Sometimes it’s an escape, no longer being required to follow the rules of your old realm, as you visit a new one. Sometimes it’s the insight, the expertise in … Continue reading →

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Andrew Davis’ big beautiful Messiah

Posted on December 21, 2015 by barczablog

Today I was fortunate to attend the last of the Toronto Symphony’s annual performances of the Messiah with the Mendelssohn Choir, employing Andrew Davis’ new (2010) orchestration. I missed it when they offered it last time but hope that Jeff … Continue reading →

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Questions for Leanne Pepper @ University of Toronto Faculty Club    

Posted on December 20, 2015 by barczablog

At one time I used to regularly meet Leanne Pepper on the bus on the way home, when she lived a few block away from me in the east end of Toronto.   I’ve known Leanne for a decade or two, … Continue reading →

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Tafelmusik Messiah

Posted on December 17, 2015 by barczablog

There is a trinity of Messiahs this week in different venues running until the weekend. Although there are two others—Toronto Symphony in Andrew Davis’s re-orchestration employing the Mendelssohn Choir and Against the Grain’s choreographed version — I went to see … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews | 2 Comments

10 Questions for Joanne Lunn

Posted on December 14, 2015 by barczablog

Joanne Lunn is one of Britain’s leading Baroque sopranos, in great demand around the world.   Fortunately Toronto’s Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra is among the important ensembles with whom she collaborates.  Lunn rejoins Tafelmusik this week for Handel’s Messiah Dec 16-19 … Continue reading →

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2 Natural experiments with audience

Posted on December 12, 2015 by barczablog

Every performance is an experiment, or so said Joyce Wilkinson, a wonderful professor I encountered at OISE a number of years ago.  Performance is a kind of proposition (and you can take that both ways). When you think about that, … Continue reading →

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An Electric Messiah comes to Messiahville

Posted on December 9, 2015 by barczablog

We may as well be living in Messiahville. There are so many performances of this work in Toronto, it’s amazing that they don’t play excerpts on the organ at hockey games (but then again, there’s been so little cause for … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, Popular music & culture, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments