Symphony Preview: Celebrity soloists glitter at the Red Velvet Ball on Saturday, October 18

Lang Lang
stlsymphony.org

As I wrote in a previous post, it's a musical doubleheader at the St. Louis Symphony this weekend: the regular series concerts on Friday and Sunday with Leonard Slatkin, the orchestra, and violin soloists Celeste Golden Boyer and David Halen; and the annual "Red Velvet Ball" fundraiser concert on Saturday night with David Robertson conducting and international celebrity pianist Lang Lang in the solo spot. Here's a preview of the latter.

The Red Velvet Ball concert is only part of a formal fundraising event that includes premium seating, pre-concert cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, dinner and post-concert cocktails, dessert, and dancing. It's a dressy (and pricey) affair in which the orchestra and a fair percentage of the audience are decked out in their best formal attire. It always features a big name soloist, and superstar pianist Lang Lang is all that beyond a doubt.

Described as "the hottest artist on the classical music planet" by the New York Times, the 32-year-old Chinese pianist says he was inspired to learn the piano when he saw the classic Tom and Jerry cartoon "The Cat Concerto" at the age of two. By the age of five he was already appearing public recitals. He won the Xing Hai Cup Piano Competition in Beijing in 1994 and the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Pianists in Japan the following year. Since then his unique mix of technical proficiency, artistic taste, and charismatic performance style have made him an international, genre-crossing superstar—the "the J. Lo of the piano," in the words of the great keyboard virtuoso Earl Wild.

Tchaikovsky in 1906
en.wikipedia.org

Mr. Lang will be playing Tchaikovsky's "Piano Concerto No. 1," an enduring chestnut that always gets a warm response. The lively melodies (some appropriated from Ukrainian folk sources) and flashy piano part never fail to appeal. It has had plenty of exposure at Powell over the last few years, with splendid (and very different) performances by Kirill Gerstein (September 2013) and Yefim Bronfman (April 2011). What will Mr. Lang do with it? I don’t know, but based on his work to date it's likely to be compelling.

The concert will open with J.S. Bach's "Suite No. 2 in B-minor," BWV 1067, which features a prominent role for the flute. It was, like many of Bach's works, written for the government—specifically, for the court of Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen, where Bach was the resident composer and music director from 1717 to 1723.

The prince was fond of what symphony program annotator Paul Schiavo (in his notes for a performance of the Bach "Suite No. 1" in October 2012) described as "lively secular instrumental music", and Bach filled the bill nicely with an appealing site of six dances preceded by a short "French overture" (the name possibly refers to the fact that the form first appears in the operas of Jean Baptiste Lully) with its characteristic majestic opening followed by a main section.

Mark Sparks
stlsymphony.org

If some of the recordings of the Bach suites in my collection are any indication, it’s easy to treat this music as weighty stuff. Even in his "light" music, after all, Bach couldn’t stop being a genius at counterpoint. Still, I would expect Mr. Robertson to deliver a performance that remains true to the suite’s terpsichorean origins.

The solo flute role will be taken by SLSO Principal Flute Mark Sparks. It's not the first time he has been in the spotlight. As recently as last March he performed the Christopher Rouse "Flute Concerto" with the symphony and has appeared as a soloist with orchestras all over the world. Great as it is to have an international celebrity like Lang Lang playing with the orchestra, it's at least as gratifying to see a member of the orchestra take center stage.

The essentials: David Robertson conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and soloists Lang Lang, piano, and Mark Sparks, flute, in Bach's "Orchestra Suite No. 2" and Tchaikovsky's "Piano Concerto No. 1" Saturday, October 19, at 8:30 p.m. The concert is part of the annual Red Velvet Ball formal fundraising event and takes place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, visit the web site.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of October 13, 2014

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Leonard Slatkin conducts the Detroit Symphony
leonardslatkin.com / Donald Dietz

The Chamber Music Society of St. Louis presents St. Louis, America, featuring on Monday and Tuesday, October 13 and 14, at 7:30 PM. "Chamber Music Society of St. Louis opens our 2014-15 Season with a concert, to be performed twice, saluting St. Louis and our City’s 250th birthday. As a part of the American Arts Experience – St. Louis, we will showcase music written in honor of America. Recognized as a top interpreter of American music, and having deep-rooted St. Louis ties, Leonard Slatkin, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Conductor Laureate, is the perfect choice as our Guest Artist for this program. Leonard will share the stage with CMSSL musicians in performances of Variations On Yankee Doodle by Henri Vieuxtemps, works by Aaron Copland, Scott Joplin, and our CMSSL version of Leroy Anderson’s The Typewriter, and the always delightful Variations on America by Charles Ives." The concert takes place at The Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington. For more information: chambermusicstl.org.

Conductor laureate Leonard Slatkin conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and soloist David Halen, violin, in Bruch's "Violin Concerto No. 1," Berlioz's "Symphonie Fastastique," and Slatkin's own composition "Endgames" Friday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m., October 17 and 19. "Leonard Slatkin makes his annual return to Powell Hall to conduct Berlioz’s epic and autobiographical Symphonie fantastique which tells the story of an artist's self-destructive passion for a beautiful woman. David Halen celebrates his 20th season as concertmaster performing Bruch’s warm-hearted Violin Concerto with the former Music Director who appointed him to his post with the STL Symphony." The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Lang at the
international Chopin Year 2010

David Robertson conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and soloists Lang Lang, piano, and Mark Sparks, flute, in Bach's "Orchestra Suite No. 2" and Tchaikovsky's "Piano Concerto No. 1" Saturday, October 18, at 8:30 p.m. The concert is part of the annual Red Velvet Ball formal fundraising event. "We are thrilled to welcome internationally-acclaimed piano sensation, Lang Lang, to Powell Hall for this annual fundraising concert benefiting the STL Symphony. Declared by The New York Times as "the hottest artist on the classical music planet," Lang Lang will perform Tchaikovsky’s triumphant Piano Concerto No. 1 with David Robertson and the STL Symphony." The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The St. Louis Symphony’s Crescendo Circle presents Sips and Symphonies on Thursday, October 16, at 7:30 PM. "What is Sips and Symphonies? It is a great way to learn about music in a fun, casual environment. On the third Thursday of each month, we get together at Tavern of Fine Arts to listen to and discuss a piece of music being performed at an upcoming concert at Powell Hall. We will have a different guest moderator each month who will help lead an informal conversation about the music." A special cocktail is created for each event to accompany the music. This month, there will be a lively and informal discussion/presentation of Berlioz's "Symphonie fantastique" and Tchaikovsky's "Piano Concerto No. 1." The event takes place at The Tavern of Fine Arts, 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents a classical open stage night on Monday, October 13, from 7:30 – 9 PM. "Come by yourself or bring your quartet. Sight read through a Beethoven quartet or use this as an opportunity to put the finishing touches on that Hindemith Viola Sonata you have been working on. All ages and skill levels are welcome. We have a 6' grand piano and an accompanist." The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

Kirk Hanser

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents Kirk Hanser and Friends on Friday, October 17, at 6 PM. "Guitarist Kirk Hanser will be joined by several musical friends for an early evening's performance featuring the guitar! Music of American composers including Andy York, Michael Chapdelaine, Michael Hedges and many others." The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

Third Baptist Church presents an organ concert by Craig Datz, Organist at Missouri United Methodist Church, Columbia, Missouri, on Friday, October 17, at 12:30 PM as part of its free Friday Pipes series. "Join us on Fridays at Third Baptist Church for Friday Pipes, the free organ recital series celebrating the restoration of the church's 72-rank Kilgen/Möller pipe organ. Each week a different performer will be presenting a program of classical, church, and theatre organ music in the beautiful sanctuary of Third Baptist. This season's performers come from across the USA, and even from around the world. Free parking is available in the church lots on Washington Avenue." Third Baptist Church is at 620 N Grand. For more information: www.third-baptist.org

The Washington University Symphony presents a free concert featuring bassoonist Andrew Gott on Monday, October 13, at 7:30 p.m. The program will include Beethoven’s Overture to Fidelio and Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suites, ending with the popular "In the Hall of the Mountain King". The performance takes place at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City, MO. For more information: music.wustl.edu