Symphony Review: An inspiring Mahler "Resurrection" from the SLSO

A good Mahler's Symphony No. 2 ("Resurrection") should deliver the "three Ts": tragedy, terror, and triumph. The performance last Friday night (September 27, 2009) by Stéphane Denève and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) and Chorus did all that and more. It was a brilliant piece of work.

[Find out more about the music with my symphony preview.]

The SLSO assembles for the Mahler 2nd

The "Resurrection" Symphony has long been a favorite of mine, going back to my first encounter with the classic Otto Klemperer recording from the early 1960s. A kind of Mahler multivitamin, the "Resurrection" contains all the key elements of the Viennese master's work: moments of chamber-music delicacy alternating with massive orchestral outbursts; vulgar marches; lilting Ländler; a darkly comic scherzo; and passages of sublime beauty; and, of course, that overwhelming final movement. And yet, in the musical equivalent of alchemy, Mahler's sense of architecture somehow transmutes it all into a single, unified work that brilliantly encompasses the themes of death, rebirth, and transcendence.

I loved everything about this performance, with certain moments standing out as emblematic of Mr. Denève's masterful command of the work.

Tamara Mumford

A tone of dramatic urgency was set from the start. There was anxiety in the string tremolos, and the rising first theme in the lower strings crackled with energy and menace. Mr. Denève used Mahler's silences very effectively, giving the final massive statement of the "death march" theme overwhelming power. That theme builds to a massive, dissonant series of chords in the brasses that resolves in a massive orchestral crash. Friday night it felt like the crack of doom.

There were many other wonderful details to be heard, all attesting to Mr. Denève's deep understanding of this music, right down to the most polished details. The Ländler theme of the second movement radiated wistful charm and the later pizzicato repetition by the strings was sheer gossamer. The sharp tympani attack that opened the third movement was striking and the orchestral "death shriek" at the end of that movement was hair raising. A writer for the BBC Symphony once described this as "the whole orchestra blowing/hammering/playing the heck out of their instruments," which about sums it up.

And then there was the calming fourth movement, with mezzo soloist Tamara Mumford both acting and singing the role of the small child insisting on admission to heaven with impressive conviction. She was a last-minute substitute for an ailing Kelley O'Connor, but you wouldn't have known that from the quality of her work. Principal Oboe Jelena Dirks blended with her lovingly in the first verse.

Joélle Harvey

The big challenge, of course, is the fifth and final movement, which begins with apocalypse--including offstage horns and even a brass band--and ends with the massive celebration of rebirth. Mahler wrote his own lyrics for this section, and they take the Christian concept of resurrection and expand it to a pantheistic celebration of life renewed. "At the end of the Second Symphony," observes Mr. Denève in the program notes, "the god that offers the possibility to arise, to be immortal, is a god that does not judge."

That's a lot of baggage for one movement and it can feel episodic, but it all worked perfectly Friday night. Soprano Joélle Harvey sang the "O glaube, mein Herz, o glaube" ("O believe, my heart, believe") verses with feeling, and the chorus sang with irresistible clarity and force. That final, full volume statement by the chorus and orchestra of Mahler's belief in the redemptive power of love was a glorious thing to behold.

This was, in short, a "Resurrection" that grabbed me from the start and didn't let go until that ecstatic finale.

Best of all, the SLSO musicians were all at the top of their game. The principals in every section played their solo moments perfectly. I was especially taken with Principal Flute Mark Sparks and Ann Choomack on piccolo in their fifth movement "birdsong" solo, but everyone covered themselves with glory. The horns and brasses, in particular, have never sounded better. All things considered, I'd rank that "Resurrection" up there with my all-time favorite, the one Leonard Slatkin conducted with the SLSO back in 1983. It was recorded digitally for Teldec back then. It's out of print, but you can still find it on Amazon.

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra season continues this Friday at 10:30 am and Saturday at 8 pm with a pair of Romantic blockbusters: Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 and Elgar's Symphony No. 1. Edo de Waart will be at the podium and Joyce Yang at the keyboard. Performances take place in Powell Symphony Hall in Grand Center.

Review: Gourmet musical comfort food from Nathalie Stutzmann and the SLSO

For the complete review, visit 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

Nathalie Stutzmann

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If you didn't know the music, you might think last weekend's St. Louis Symphony Orchestra program (March 9 and 10, 2019), consisting of Stravinsky's "Funeral Song" and the Brahms "German Requiem," might be a dreary business. You would, however be (ahem) dead wrong.

[Find out more about the music with my symphony preview.]

That's because the Brahms work is by no means a typical requiem, filled with fiery depictions of doomsday and noisy lamentation for the deceased. Indeed, as Amy Kaiser observed when the SLSO last performed the "German Requiem" back in 2014, this particular requiem is "all about comfort for the living. People consider it a healing piece. There's no Dies irae. There is the sound of the last trumpet, but it's joyful, not fearful. A victory over death."

Soprano Siobhan Stagg
Photo: Todd Rosenberg

You could hear that warm, loving core of Brahms's music in every bar of conductor Nathalie Stutzmann's interpretation of the work when we heard it Saturday night. Yes, there was ominous power in the steady orchestral tread at the beginning of the second movement that leads up to the first big chorus entrance on "Denn alles Fleisch es ist wie Gras" ("For all flesh is as grass"), with its warning of the impermanence of earthly life. And she didn't neglect the high drama of the sixth movement, with that evocation of "der Zeit der letzten Posaune" ("the time of the last trumpet") Ms. Kaiser mentioned. But, yes, most of this music is about solace, and that was beautifully conveyed.

I heard that prominently in the fifth movement, for example, in the warmth and sympathy of soprano soloist Siobhan Stagg's voice as she sang of comforting the mourner "wie Einen seine Mutter tröstet" ("as one whom his mother comforteth")--a line which must have had profound meaning to Brahms, who was moved to complete the "Requiem," at least in part, by the death of his mother. It was also evident in the way Ms. Stutzmann brought out what program annotator Tim Munro calls the "dance-like quality" of the fourth movement, with its imagery of the tabernacles of the Lord. It's music about coming home, and it felt warm and welcoming.

The baritone soloist gets the more stern overtly dramatic music, with a heartfelt lamentation in the third movement and the description of the dead "raised incorruptible" in the sixth. Singing from memory, Stephen Powell delivered those moments with great authority. Both he and Ms. Stagg were placed among the orchestra--she stage right in front of the harps, he stage left in front of the brasses. That seemed to work quite well in terms of separating them sonically from the chorus.

Baritone Stephen Powell
Photo: Christian Pollard

Speaking of the chorus, Saturday night was my first chance to hear them working with their new, slightly taller risers, and I have to say it did make an audible difference. The individual lines in the many contrapuntal passages were very clear and the articulation of the singers (which has always been very good) was excellent.

A chorus master himself, Brahms had a deep understanding of how to write for the human voice. Add in the fact that Ms. Stutzmann is a professional contralto herself, and you have an ideal combination at work. She clearly connected with the emotional core of this music and communicated it to the audience. This was gourmet musical comfort food, with superlative singing and fine playing by the orchestra. I got the sense, as well, that the orchestra and chorus truly loved working with Ms. Stutzmann, which is always a plus.

Although composed in 1909, the Stravinsky "Funeral Song" that opened the concert was believed to be lost in the 1917 Russian revolutions, and only came to light again in 2015. This was its first performance by the SLSO and probably the first chance for the majority of the audience to hear it.

This short (around 12 minutes), dramatic piece feels only a little bit like the work of the man who would astonish the world with his ballet "The Firebird" only a year later. You can hear a "pre echo" of that ballet's opening in the growling first measures from the low strings and brasses and the music overall is colorful and appealing, but otherwise it could be the work of almost any early 20th-century Russian. It got a virtuoso performance from the orchestra in any case, and made for a perfect prelude to the evening.

The night we saw the concert, there was a group of high school students in the audience who apparently hadn't been given any briefing on concert etiquette. They applauded after each movement, despite repeated "shushing" gestures from Ms. Stutzmann and even a Death Glare after the fifth movement. There's no doubt that the intricacies of concert hall manners can be confusing and that they have changed significantly during the last century, but even so an adult somewhere should have taken the opportunity to explain things in advance. As it was, there were some uncomfortable moments for the rest of the audience and, I expect, for them as well.

Next at Powell Hall: Anthony Marwood conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and plays the violin solo in Beethoven's Violin Concerto and "Romance No. 2 for Violin and Orchestra" Friday and Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 3 pm, March 15-17. The program also includes Haydn's Symphony No. 44. The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center.

Review: Going for Baroque, with with a Romantic sensibility

Matthew Halls
Photo by Christopher Meyers,
Oregon Bach Festival

Even though it was originally written for an Easter season performance, Handel's 1741 oratorio "Messiah" has become a Christmas tradition. That tradition was upheld in fine style last weekend (December 7-9) as guest conductor Matthew Halls and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus presented a performance of Handel's Greatest Hit that combined Baroque orchestration with a Romantic sensibility.

[Find out more about the music with my symphony preview articles: Part 1 and Part 2.]

There was a time not so very long ago when the philosophy behind presentations of "Messiah" was "bigger is better." Throughout the 19th century and most of the 20th, massive orchestras and gigantic choirs were the rule. George Bernard Shaw, in his role of music critic, want to far as to lament the "multitudinous dullness" of the big band "Messiah" that had become the rule in Britain. That began to change in the late 1960s, especially after the success of recordings by Colin Davis and Charles Mackerras that used the smaller orchestras and choruses of Handel's own day.

Krisztina Szabó
Photo by Bo Huang

Conducting without a score or baton, Mr. Halls gave us a "Messiah" Sunday afternoon that was very much in that more historically informed tradition. The chorus was, perhaps, a bit on the large side, but with fewer than 30 musicians the orchestra was one that would have been familiar to late 18th-century audiences, right down to the use of harpsichord and positif organ (a small portable organ that went out of fashion after the 18th century) as continuo instruments. The balance between singers and orchestra could hardly have been better.

Working from the 1965 Bärenreiter edition of the score (there are around a dozen editions available), Mr. Halls assembled his own version of "Messiah," as many conductors do. I'm no "Messiah" expert, but the changes and cuts he made felt relatively minor to me. In any case, the performance worked very well, both as drama and music, and that's ultimately the real test.

Karina Gauvin
Photo by Julien Faugère

The four soloists were very well matched in terms of vocal power and style. Making her SLSO debut, mezzo Krisztina Szabó sang the alto role with authority and impressive precision. Her "But who may abide" conveyed the stern authority of the text very well, while there was real joy in "Oh thou that tellest good tidings to Zion." Her "He was despised" conveyed apparent grief at the sufferings of Christ.

With a light, clear voice, soprano Karina Gauvin convincingly conveyed the good cheer of "Rejoice greatly" and the simple grace of "How beautiful are the feet of them." Tenor Nicholas Phan, who did such a remarkable job with Britten's "Les Illuminations" back in 2014, brought great tenderness to "Comfort ye," followed by a bracing "Ev'ry valley."

Nicholas Phan

Baritone William Berger, also making his local debut, was an imposing "voice of God" in "Thus saith the Lord" and displayed both impressive virtuosity and dramatic commitment to "The trumpet shall sound." It's Handel's oddly celebratory invocation of judgment day, featuring a spectacular duet for the solo singer and trumpet. Associate Principal trumpet Tom Drake executed that solo line flawlessly. Indeed, the whole orchestra was in fine form.

Mr. Halls's interpretation, while not neglecting the festive aspects of Handel's score, included moments of compelling drama as well. You could see that in, to pick just one example, the progression from darkness to light that starts with "The people that walked in darkness" and ends with "For unto us a Child is born." His decision to have the chorus close their books and sing the famous "Hallelujah" chorus from memory was a neat theatrical touch, as was the placement of trumpeters Tom Drake and Mike Walk on the chorus platform for "Glory to God" in Part I. It allowed their bright, clear tones to project that much more effectively.

William Berger
Photo by Paul Foster Williams

Amy Kaiser's chorus never fails to elicit admiration on my part. They invariably sing with a gratifying power and precision. Every bit of the text came through clearly Sunday afternoon, as did the many polyphonic passages.

There have been some fine performances of Handel's "Messiah" at Powell Hall over the years, and while Bernard Labadie's 2015 version is still my favorite, this latest entry was a strong one and I'm glad I had the opportunity to see it.

The regular SLSO season pauses for the rest of December as Powell Hall fills with special holiday programming. This weekend (December 14-16) Joshua Gersen conducts the orchestra and Webster University Chorale in a showing of the film comedy Home Alone, with the score played live by the orchestra and chorus; only limited view tickets are available. Next week brings the sold-out "Gospel Christmas" with the IN UNISON chorus conducted by Kevin McBeth and special guests Take 6 on Thursday, December 20, followed by the annual Mercy Holiday Celebration Friday through Sunday with Gemma New on the podium.

The month concludes with "Walt Disney Animation Studios: A Decade in Concert" Friday and Saturday, December 28 and 29, followed by the popular "BMO Private Bank New Year's Eve Celebration" on Monday, December 31, with former Resident Conductor Ward Stare conducting. All concerts take place at Powell Hall in Grand Center.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of November 26, 2018

Concerts this week include a big Bruckner symphony at Powell Hall and a Muny tribute at the History Museum.

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The Chamber Music Society of St. Louis presents Elegance and Romance on Saturday, December 1, at 4 pm. "Mozart composed some of the most elegant music ever written. Tchaikovsky wrote some of the most passionate and romantic. Savor one of the most beloved compositions from each." The concert takes place at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information: chambermusicstl.org.

CHARIS

CHARIS, the St. Louis Women's Chorus, presents Meet Me at the Muny on Friday and Saturday, November 30 and December 1, at 8 pm. "In addition to featuring numbers from the many Broadway shows that have made their way to the Muny stage including 42nd Street, Les Miserable, Aida, and Spamalot, the concert will celebrate musical theater's recognized history as a venue of safety and affirmation for members of the LGBTQ community, as exemplified in shows like Rent, Fun Home, and others. " The performances take place in the auditorium at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park. For more information: charischorus.org.

Eliot Unitarian Chapel presents a Friends of Music concert featuring the Arianna String Quartet on Sunday, December 2, at 3 pm. The concert takes place at Eliot Unitarian Chapel is at 100 South Argonne in Kirkwood. For more information: fomcstl.org.

The New Music Circle presents composer and keyboard player Lonnie Holley in concert on Saturday, December 1, at 7 pm. "For four decades, Lonnie Holley has devoted his life to the practice of improvisational creativity. His art and music, born out of struggle, hardship, but perhaps more importantly, out of furious curiosity and biological necessity, has manifested itself in drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, and more recently performance and recordings. The layers of sound are the result of years of evolving experimentation; improvised on the spot, Holley’s sounds and lyrics morph with every event, concert, and recording." The performance takes place at Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp. For more information: newmusiccircle.org.

St. Louis Cathedral Concerts presents Christmas at the Cathedral on Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 2:30 pm, December 1 and 2. "Celebrate the joy of the music of Advent and Christmas at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. The St. Louis Archdiocesan Choirs & Orchestra will fill the Cathedral with the sounds of the season, featuring Vivaldi's Gloria." The performance takes place at The Cathedral Basilica on Lindell in the Central West End. For more information: cathedralconcerts.org.

The St. Louis Civic Orchestra presents a Holiday Concert on Sunday, December 2, at 3 pm. "The St. Louis Civic Orchestra has invited the talented and entertaining quartet Vocal Spectrum to be guest performers on December 2nd. Choir students from Parkway Northeast Middle School will also take the stage for this fun, family-centered holiday concert." The concert takes place at the Purser Center at Logan University, 1851 Schoettler Rd in Chesterfield, MO. For more information: stlco.org.

John Storgårds

John Storgårds conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and pianist Ingrid Fliter Friday at 10:30 am and Saturday at 8 pm, November 30 and December 1. The program consists of Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto No. 1 and Bruckner's Symphony No. 9 Performances take place at Powell Hall in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Kevin McBeth conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in An Evening with Leslie Odom, Jr., on Sunday, December 2, at 7 pm. "The one, the only Leslie Odom, Jr. returns to perform with the SLSO this holiday season. Enjoy an extraordinary evening of melodies from his Simply Christmas album featuring jazz renditions of classic Christmas songs and hits from his debut solo album that quickly rose to number one on the Billboard and iTunes Jazz charts. Share the holiday cheer with family and friends, while watching the talented Leslie Odom, Jr." The performance takes place at Powell Hall in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Touhill Performing Arts Center presents soprano Stella Markou in Love is Where You Find It on Tuesday, November 27, at 7:30 p.m. Performing with her are guest artists Alla Voskoboynikova, piano; Benedetta Orsi, mezzo-soprano; and Vincent Varvel, guitar. The program includes music by Debussy, Satie, Menotti, Delibes, and others. The Touhill Center is on the campus of the University of Missouri at St. Louis. For more information: touhill.org.

The Washington University Department of Music presents Solisti STL on Sunday, December 2, at 3 pm. The concert includes music Griffes, Beethoven, and Zhou Long and takes place in the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of May 21, 2018

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The Community Music School of Webster University presents the Webster University Singers Reunion Concert on Sunday, May 27, at 3 pm. "Forty alumni reunite for a weekend of singing to celebrate Webster University's nationally recognized choral music program. Join us for a concert program of the singers' favorite selections, including music from the Western European choral tradition, a Cuban rumba, and African American spirituals." The Community Music School is at 535 Garden Avenue on the Webster University campus. For more information: webster.edu/cms.

Hamid Drake

New Music Circle presents a first-time collaborative performance by Hamid Drake, Cooper-Moore, and Joshua Abrams on Saturday, May 26, at 8 pm. "As a composer, performer, instrument builder/designer, storyteller, teacher, mentor, and organizer, Cooper-Moore has been a major, if somewhat behind-the-scenes, catalyst in the world of creative music for over 40 years. As a composer, performer, instrument builder/designer, storyteller, teacher, mentor, and organizer Joshua Abrams is a composer, bassist, and improviser. His early formative musical experiences include performing in a chamber group conducted by Earle Brown, and busking on the streets of Philadelphia as an original member of The Roots. Since the mid-1990s, Abrams has been a key figure in Chicago's creative music communities. Hamid Drake is an American jazz drummer and percussionist, living in Chicago, but spending a great deal of his time touring worldwide. Drake is widely regarded as one of the great percussionists in jazz and improvised music, with a uniquely poetic approach to drumming; he draws from Afro-Cuban, Indian and African percussion instruments and influences." The performance takes place at Off Broadway, 3511 Lemp. For more information: newmusiccircle.org.

The St. Louis Chamber Chorus presents Memorial Dances on Sunday, May 27, at 3 pm. "MUSIC conveys those emotions which words alone cannot contain. In her latest piece for the Chorus, Composer-in-Residence Melissa Dunphy celebrates our memories but captures our grief at the passing of those we love. This naturally leads us to one of the most personal and poignant of all Requiems, that written for his son by the British composer, Herbert Howells." The concert takes place at Kirkwood Presyterian Church, 100 E. Adams in Kirkwood, MO. For more information: www.chamberchorus.org.

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra presents The Strings of Arda performing a concert of music from countries around the world, inlcuding Somalia, Syria, Bosnia, Congo, and Cuba, on Wednesday, May 23, at 11 am. The Strings of Arda consists of SLSO musicians Asako Kuboki and Becky Boyer Hall, violins; Christian Woehr, viola; Alvin McCall, cello; Christopher Carson, bass; and Thomas Stubbs, percussion. The free concert takes place at The International Institute of St. Louis, 3401 Arsenal. For more information: slso.org.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of April 23, 2018

Erin Bode

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The Bach Society of St. Louis presents Bach and Jazz on Tuesday, April 24, at 6 pm. "One part Bach and one part jazz, shaken-not stirred. The ultimate composer's most familiar melodies presented in a unique jazz style! Featuring guitarist Steve Schenkel, pianist Kim Portnoy and vocalist Erin Bode. Presented by Centene Charitable Foundation as part of the 2018 St. Louis Bach Festival." The concert takes place at Jazz at the Bistro, 3536 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: bachsociety.org.

The Bach Society of St. Louis presents Bach's St. Matthew Passion on Saturday, April 28, at 2 pm. "Bach's St. Matthew Passion first moved audiences nearly three centuries ago in Liepzig, Germany. As the climax to our 2018 Bach Festival, experience the power and intimacy of this masterpiece through Bach's engaging account of the Gospel story. Guest soloists include: Steven Soph as the Evangelist, Stephen Morscheck as Jesus, soprano Mary Wilson, mezzo-soprano Kim Leeds, tenor Kyle Stegall and baritone Elijah Blaisdell. Presented in collaboration with Missouri Baptist University as part of the 2018 St. Louis Bach Festival, presented by Centene Charitable Foundation." The concert takes place at at the Pillsbury Chapel at Missouri Baptist University. For more information: bachsociety.org.

The Missouri Women's Chorus presents For All The Saints, "a concert featuring music by women saints, about women saints, and based on the texts of women saints," on Sunday, April 29, at 3 pm. The performance takes place at St. Gabriel the Archangel, 6303 Nottingham in St. Louis For more information: missouriwomenschorus.org.

Christian Tatzlaff

David Robertson conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra with violin soloist Christian Tetzlaff on Friday at 10:30 am and and Saturday at 8 pm, April 27 and 28. The program consists of the 2007 Violin Concerto by Jörg Widmann and Bruckner's Symphony No. 4, "Romantic." The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Seldon Concert Hall presents the Perseid Quartet on Tuesday, April 24, at 7:30 pm. "Formed in 2013, the St. Louis based Perseid String Quartet has already generated acclaim for its polished, energetic performances and engagement with audiences. Members of the quartet serve as faculty members at colleges and community music schools, and their collective performing experience includes positions in regional orchestras and opera productions, historically informed performances on Baroque instruments, and playing in a rock band." The Sheldon is at 3648 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: thesheldon.org.

The Touhill Performing Arts Center presents the Equinox Chamber Players on Tuesday, April 24, at 7:30 pm. "Of all standard chamber music ensembles, the woodwind quintet gives composers the richest variety of tonal color with which to experiment. The Equinox Chamber Players will showcase this palette in works by Mary Jane Leach, Phillip Bimstein, Justinian Tamasuza, Frank Bridge and Zachary Cairns that explore the sonic and rhythmic worlds of the Kaibab Plateau, Uganda, St. Louis and the physicality of sound itself. The finale of the program will add the rich woodiness of the marimba to the ensemble in an exciting work by Zachary Cairns featuring Equinox friend Jeffrey Barudin." The Touhill Center is on the campus of the University of Missouri at St. Louis. For more information: touhill.org.

The Washington University Department of Music presents a Guitar Gala on Wednesday, April 25 at 8 pm. The concert takes place in Graham Chapel on the Washington University campus in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu/events.

The Washington University Department of Music presents a Wind Ensemble Concert on Thursday, April 26, at 7:30 pm. The event takes place in the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall at the 560 Music Center at 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu/events.

Cortango

The Washington University Department of Music presents Celebrate Five Years of Cortango on Friday, April 27, at 7:30 pm. "Please join us for a very special evening to celebrate five years of Cortango. This show will share the story of Cortango from the very beginning until now, featuring the great dance and concert music of Tango, and with bonus selections by Joplin, Gershwin - and Prince! Cortango is a Tango, Classical and Jazz fusion concert and dance band featuring members of the Saint Louis Symphony. Founded and led by Cally Banham, a trained social Tango dancer, the band is named for her instrument, the 'Cor anglais', or 'English horn' - the atypical instrument in this otherwise orquesta tipica! Cortango's songbook comes entirely from original arrangements made by members of the ensemble, and by Argentine bandoneon player and Tango arranger, Julian Hasse." The event takes place in the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall at the 560 Music Center at 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu/events.

The Washington University Department of Music presents a concert by the Washington University Symphony Orchestra on Sunday, April 29, at 7 pm. The event includes music by Borodin and Glinka and takes place in the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall at the 560 Music Center at 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu/events.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of April 16, 2018

The Bach Society at Powell Hall

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The Bach Society of St. Louis presents From Bach to Bernstein on Sunday, April 22, at 3 pm. "American soprano Marlissa Hudson has been described as a “superb lyric coloratura” by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Ms. Hudson recently made her Carnegie Hall debut and returns to her hometown of St. Louis to present a thrilling program spanning 250 years of music! Accompanied by Alla Voskoboynikova. Presented by Centene Charitable Foundation as part of the 2018 St. Louis Bach Festival." The concert takes place at The Ethical Society 9001 Clayton Road. For more information: bachsociety.org.

The Chamber Project St. Louis presents Eco on Friday, April 20 at 8 PM. "On Earth Day weekend we rejoice in the beauty of the natural world. Music by Ravel, Mahler and Schubert are inspired by Mother Nature and we commission a new work for soprano and small ensemble." The concert takes place at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information: www.chamberprojectstl.org.

The St. Louis Brass Band presents Blazing Brass on Sunday, April 22, at 2:30 p.m. "This concert will also feature the Saint Louis Youth Brass Band, an ensemble of high school and college students selected through auditions earlier in the season. The Youth Brass Band will perform several selections led by their two conductors. They will be followed by the adult band who will feature a wide variety of selections, from serious to light, sure to delight all those in attendance. The two bands will join forces for a big finale, bringing the concert season to “Blazin' Brass” ending!" The concert takes place at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drive in Clayton, MO. For more information: stlbb.org.

Hannu Lintu

Hannu Lintu conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus Friday and Saturday at 8 pm, April 20 and 21. The program Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain, Rachmaninoff's The Bells, and Tchaiovsky's Variations on a Roccoco Theme with cello soloist Narek Hakhnazaryan. The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org. Read my preview!

Gemma New conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in A World of Make-Believe on Sunday, April 22, at 3 pm. "Music sparks the imagination! It transports us to faraway lands and leads us on thrilling adventures. Discover how music and imagination work hand in hand as your St. Louis Symphony Orchestra takes you on a journey through make-believe. Hear beloved selections from Prokofiev's Cinderella, Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty plus family favorites by the legendary John Williams including Superman, E.T. and more." The concert takes place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Washington University Department of Music presents a Department of Music Honors Recital on Saturday, April 21 at 3 pm. The program takes place in the Pillsbury Theatre at the 560 Music Center at 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu/events.

The Washington University Department of Music presents the Calidore String Quartet, on Sunday, April 22 at 7 pm. The program, which consists of music by Mendelssohn, Shostakovich, and Beethoven, takes place in the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall at the 560 Music Center at 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu/events.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of April 2, 2018

The Metropolitan Orchestra a Union Avenue Church

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The Metropolitan Orchestra performs on Sunday, April 8, at 7 p.m. "On this concert we hear from Dvorak, Father in Law to Suk. Unlike Dvorák's other symphonic poems, “A Hero's Song” is not based upon a specific text, and it may have been intended to be autobiographical. One of Suk's most famous teachers was Antonín Dvorák, who was not just a source of musical instruction and inspiration for the teenage composer, but the man who would eventually become his father-in-law. When dismissing his Prague Conservatory composition class for the summer at the end of the 1891-1892 school year, Antonín Dvorák bade 18-year-old Josef Suk, “It's summertime now, so go and make something lively for a change, to compensate for all those pomposities in minor.” Suk took that advice and that summer created what is still his best-known work, a sunny and uncomplicated Serenade of substantial dimensions." The concert takes place at First Presbyterian Church in Kirkwood. For more information: metro-orch.org.

The St. Louis Chamber Chorus presents The Time of Our LIves on Sunday, April 8, at 3 pm. "Continuing with our season's theme, Dance to the Music of Time, we present A Pageant of Human Life by the British composer, Sir Granville Bantock. The piece explores the full cycle of human life from childhood through death. The sections of the piece written to represent youth will be sung by students from the Women's Choir at University City High School. We are also proud to premier a new piece commissioned from the Haitian-American composer, Sydney Guillaume, entitled Hallelujah Amen. And in a reprise of an earlier commission for the SLCC from Judith Bingham, The Shepheardes Calendar, examines sin and forgiveness through the backdrop of the changing seasons." The concert takes place at Our Lad of Sorrows Catholic Church, 5020 Rhodes Avenue in south St. Louis. For more information: www.chamberchorus.org.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

The St. Louis Sympony Orchestra presents a showing of the film Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, with the score played live by the orchestra under the baton of Justin Freer, Thursday at 7 pm and Saturday at 11 am, April 5 and 7. "In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets™, cars fly, trees fight back and a mysterious house-elf comes to warn Harry Potter at the start of the second year of his amazing journey into the world of wizardry. Relive the magic of the film in high-definition on a giant screen as the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra performs John Williams' unforgettable score." For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The St. Louis Sympony Orchestra presents a showing of the film Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, with the score played live by the orchestra and chorus under the baton of Justin Freer, Friday and Saturday at 7 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, April 6 - 8. "Relive the magic of your favorite wizard in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ - in Concert. Based on the third installment of J.K. Rowling's classic saga, fans of all ages can now experience the thrilling tale accompanied by the music of a live symphony orchestra as Harry soars across the big screen." For more information: stlsymphony.org.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of April 3, 2017

The Chamber Project St. Louis

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The Chamber Project St. Louis presents Popular on Friday, April 7, at 7 PM. The concert features Beethoven's Septet in Eb major Op. 20, Dead Elvis by Michael Daugherty, and a new work by Stephanie Berg. The concert takes place at the Schlafly Tap Room, 2100 Locust. For more information: www.chamberprojectstl.org.

The Chamber Project St. Louis presents Popular on Sunday, April 9, at 8 PM. The concert features Beethoven's Septet in Eb major Op. 20, Dead Elvis by Michael Daugherty, and a new work by Stephanie Berg. The concert takes place at at The Chapel Venue, 6238 Alexander Drive. For more information: www.chamberprojectstl.org.

Eliot Unitarian Chapel presents a Friends of Music concert by The Kurtzman Family on Sunday, April 9, at 3 PM. Kathi Kurtzman (piano), Jeffrey Kurtzman (piano), Kenny Kurtzman (piano), Julie Kurtzman (violin), Camille Reno (baritone) and Anaïs Reno (alto) will be performing the Mozart Fantasy in D minor, movements from the J.S. Bach Violin Sonata #4, the Brahms Violin Sonata #1, and the Ravel Violin Sonata, as well as the Chopin Ballade #1, arias from Mozart's Marriage of Figaro and Verdi's La Traviata, and songs by George Gershwin, Harold Arlen and others. The concert takes place at Eliot Unitarian Chapel is at 100 South Argonne in Kirkwood. For more information: fomcstl.org.

The St. Louis Chamber Chorus

The St. Louis Chamber Chorus presents Concert Five: Repentance and Regret on Sunday, April 9, at 3 p.m. "The emotionally charged season of Lent inspires motets by Francis Poulenc, Anton Bruckner, and Vaughan Williams. The despair of Rudolf Mauersberger's lament for his bombed home of Dresden is mitigated with several triumphal hymns for Palm Sunday by Palestrina and Randall Thompson." The concert takes place at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 3519 North 14th Street. For more information: www.chamberchorus.org.

David Robertson conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and pianist Kirill Gerstein in Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and Concerto in F, along with Milhaud's La Création du Monde ballet and three dances episodes from Bernstein's ballet Fancy Free. Performances are Friday at 10:30 a.m. and 8 p.m., Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m., April 7-9, at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Sheldon Concert Hall presents St. Louis Symphony concertmaster David Halen and members of the St. Louis Symphony performing beloved serenades, including Brahms' Serenade in D Major for winds and strings, on Wednesay, April 5, at 8 PM. The Sheldon is at 3648 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: thesheldon.org.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of November 14, 2016

The Chamber Project

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The Chamber Project St. Louis presents an open recording session on Tuesday, November 16, at 7 PM. In completely new take on a recording session, hang out in the lounge and enjoy a cocktail and tacos from ChaCha Chow, while you see and hear the performers record behind the glass. The event takes place at the Gaslight Studio and Lounge on the Hill. For more information: www.chamberprojectstl.org.

The St. Louis Classical Guitar Society presents Flamenco guitarist Grisha Goryachev in concert on Saturday, November 19, at 7:30 p.m. "Grisha Goryachev has been recognized the world over not only for his extraordinary virtuosity and musical breadth but for the classical sensitivity underlying all he does. Grisha will present the flamenco music of Vicente Amigo, Ernesto Lecuona, Mario Escudero, Manolo Sanlucar, Rafael Riqueni, and Paco de Lucia, all of which he learns from the original recordings!" The performance takes place at the Ethical Society, 9001 Clayton Road. For more information: www.guitarstlouis.net.

The St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra presents a concert of music by Beethoven, Haydn, Charbrier, and Dvorak on Friday, November 18, at 8 p.m. The program includes Dvorak's Symphony No. 9, "From the New World", and Haydn's "Clock" symphony. The concert takes place in Purser Auditorium on the campus of Logan University, 1851 Shoettler Road in Chesterfield, MO. For more information: stlphilharmonic.org.

David Robertson

David Robertson conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus with soloists Caitlin Lynch, soprano; Michelle DeYoung, mezzo-soprano; Nicholas Phan, tenor; and Kevin Thompson, bass in Mozart's Requiem and John Adam's On the Transmigration of Souls, along with The Unanswered Question by Charles Ives. Performances are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m., November 18 - 20, at Powell Hall in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Washington University Concert Choir performs on Sunday, November 20, at 7:30 p.m. The concert includes Vivaldi's beloved Gloria along with music from Latvia and Lithuania and takes place in the Goldberg Formal Lounge at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City.

The Washington University Department of Music presents concert of new music by HereNowHear on Friday, November 18, at 7:30 p.m. "Compelling and dedicated performers of new works, the ensemble regards itself as a laboratory for compositional experimentation. Its core mission is to reinvigorate the repertoire for two pianists through commissioning and educational projects involving close, committed collaborations with composers, using traditional instruments to activate new sonic paradigms." The performance takes place in the Goldberg Formal Lounge at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, call 314-935-5566.

The Washington University Wind Ensemble presents a free concert on Thursday, November 17, at 7:30 p.m. The program includes works by Holst, Shostakovich, and