Category Archives: Music and musicology

Divergent objectives from TSO

Posted on June 12, 2016 by barczablog

For awhile now the Toronto Symphony has been offering a series of concerts organized around ten-year periods of history, in other words, their Decades Project. Some have been more illuminating than others, but for me tonight’s pairing was especially powerful, … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews | Leave a comment

Good-time Fledermaus from Opera 5

Posted on June 10, 2016 by barczablog

Let’s set aside the yard-sticks of excellence that critics use.  I went to see Die Fledermaus tonight in its new immersive Opera 5 Production. Although I was the designated driver I was totally immersed. It was fun even though I … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews | 1 Comment

Popular genius: John Williams as seen by Steven Reineke

Posted on May 18, 2016 by barczablog

It shouldn’t surprise anyone to hear that tonight’s season-concluding Toronto Symphony Pops Concert, featuring the film music of John Williams conducted by Steven Reineke, played to a full house clamoring for more. And yet I was surprised.  Film music is … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Music and musicology, Reviews | 1 Comment

Questions for Steven Reineke: the film music of John Williams at the TSO

Posted on May 15, 2016 by barczablog

Steven Reineke is a pops conductor, an arranger, a composer, and very busy all over North America, as Music Director of The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, Principal Pops Conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Interviews, Music and musicology | 1 Comment

Lisiecki’s pianism: Chopin plays Schumann

Posted on May 10, 2016 by barczablog

In the film Impromptu we get interesting close-up looks at the personal lives of Chopin, Georges Sand, Liszt, Delacroix and a host of others.  At one point we see Liszt & Chopin playing a Beethoven transcription together, a fascinating thought … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews | 1 Comment

Pisani: putting the “melos” in Melodrama

Posted on May 9, 2016 by barczablog

Everyone uses the word, yet few really know what it means. “Melodrama” is a label often attached to human behaviour, but the usage is a metaphor for something else. And I suspect that those who have studied drama or theatre … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Popular music & culture | 2 Comments

Braid or CASP at RBA

Posted on May 5, 2016 by barczablog

Art-song?  The concept didn’t immediately blow me away as a child growing up in the same house with an opera singer, craving the full-out commitment of opera.  The pleasures on record were sometimes esoteric and fleeting.  I think I grew … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews | Leave a comment

Ambitious TSO program

Posted on May 5, 2016 by barczablog

It wasn’t at all what I expected, this Toronto Symphony program of Beethoven, Brahms and Adams, to be taken on a Canadian tour this weekend (Ottawa Saturday and Montreal Sunday). Peter Oundjian did tell us that it’s unusual to program … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews | Leave a comment

A Carmen that ends differently

Posted on April 18, 2016 by barczablog

When I’ve missed opening night I try desperately to avoid reading other reviews, a sort of anxiety of influence. Social media makes it tough when you see headlines proclaiming the brilliance of that show: as I saw on Facebook concerning Joel … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera | 1 Comment

Famous tunes at the TSO

Posted on April 11, 2016 by barczablog

And the beat goes on. While there may have been a change of leadership, the Toronto Symphony hot streak continues, with bold performances onstage & at the box office. Sunday afternoon I attended the second of a pair of concerts … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera | Leave a comment