Tag Archives: Beethoven

Orpheus in the underworld: Lisiecki’s romance

Posted on January 9, 2016 by barczablog

From the headline you might never guess that this is an analysis of musical performance.  Friday I had my second listen to Jan Lisiecki playing Beethoven’s 4th piano concerto with the Toronto Symphony conducted by Peter Oundjian. Listening to JL and … Continue reading →

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Questions for Brahm Goldhamer: playing Schubert

Posted on January 2, 2016 by barczablog

I know Brahm Goldhamer as a collaborative pianist of exceptional sensitivity. Of all the Toronto pianists I’ve heard in the concert-opera mode—where piano must stand in for all the instruments of the orchestra—his performance in Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande in … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Music and musicology, Opera | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Tafelmusik’s Beethoven: the romance continues

Posted on January 26, 2015 by barczablog

Let’s begin by saying I’m not your typical Tafelmusik fan.  Yes I love their work with Opera Atelier under David Fallis & at Messiah time with Ivars Taurins (aka Herr Handel), but I am often frustrated by them.  Tafelmusik could … Continue reading →

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Richard Wagner: A Life in Music

Posted on June 14, 2014 by barczablog

I just finished Martin Geck’s Richard Wagner: A Life in Music in Stewart Spencer’s 2013 translation. Published only in 2012 as Richard Wagner: Biografie you can judge for yourself how good this book must be, that its translation was pushed … Continue reading →

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Tafelmusik Beethoven 1 & 2

Posted on September 20, 2013 by barczablog

Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra could drop the word “baroque” if they wanted.  Tonight I heard more evidence that they can play just about anything. Their program was all Beethoven, namely the first and second symphonies, plus the overture to Creatures of … Continue reading →

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Perpetual motion and minimalism

Posted on August 1, 2013 by barczablog

It’s time. Recently I wrote about minimalist music in anticipation of Katia et Marielle Labèque playing Toronto Summer Music’s August 1st concert: The Minimalist Dream House project.  While I titled that piece The Geneology (sic) of Minimalism I was not … Continue reading →

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The Birth of an Opera

Posted on June 22, 2013 by barczablog

I’m enjoying The Birth of an Opera, a fascinating book by Michael Rose. My jaw dropped at the simplicity of the concept of the work, and now I’m thoroughly hooked by the smoothness of Rose’s execution. Rose combines two very … Continue reading →

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Duo Concertante: Beethoven Violin Sonatas

Posted on April 17, 2013 by barczablog

When one thinks of Beethoven cycles, the mind immediately thinks of symphonies, piano sonatas and string quartets, forms in which we see the complete range of the composer’s voice.  The early ones remind us of Beethoven’s influences, such as Mozart … Continue reading →

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10 Questions for Rufus Müller

Posted on April 15, 2013 by barczablog

Rufus Müller was acclaimed by The New York Times following a performance in Carnegie Hall as “…easily the best tenor I have heard in a live Messiah.”  The British/German tenor is celebrated as the Evangelist in Bach’s Passions,  and his … Continue reading →

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Late Mozart 2: caveats

Posted on April 4, 2013 by barczablog

Mozart censored? Operas did sometimes have to clear hurdles in the century of their creation, but actually I was thinking about the censure of a modern audience. And so I continue to ramble about late Mozart, inspired by a happy … Continue reading →

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