The 1953 musical “Kismet” used the melodies of Russian composer Alexander Borodin (1833-1887), adapted and given different words by Robert Wright and George Forrest. One of the tunes, from the “Polovtsian Dances,” became a popular song called “Stranger in Paradise.”
Pacific Symphony tubist releases new recording
Longtime Pacific Symphony tubist Jim Self has released a new recording. Like several others of Self’s recordings, this one is jazz. It’s called “Floating in Winter,” and it features both originals and standards. With John Chiding on guitars, Self plays tuba
The making of a Bruckner 8
Coming up Nov. 9-11, Carl St.Clair will lead Pacific Symphony in its first ever performances of Anton Bruckner’s colossal Symphony No. 8. The performances will include a design element, which Carl talks about above, on a recent visit to the
Playlist: Great moments in Bruckner (scherzos) from YouTube
Carl St.Clair and Pacific Symphony give the orchestra’s first performances of Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 8 on Nov. 9-11. To help you prepare, we’ve selected four wonderful examples of Bruckner’s music (all of them scherzos) from YouTube.
Video: Toscanini conducts ‘Pines”
An oldie but a goodie, Toscanini conducting the end of Respighi’s “The Pines of Rome,” orchestra and maestro about to jump out of their collective skin. How could you not play for this guy?
Audio: Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 9
https://youtu.be/GdXj0nR6VF8 One of the earlier of Mozart’s masterpieces, the Piano Concerto No. 9, K. 271, completed when he was 21. Here’s an exceptional performance from the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields conducted by Neville Marriner, with Alfred Brendel
Audio: Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 7
I won’t categorize this as a “neglected symphony,” but it doesn’t turn up on concert programs that often, especially when you consider how good it is. The piece is in a single movement; it’s the last symphony Sibelius wrote (in
Video: Overture to ‘Die Fledermaus’
Pacific Symphony opens its Pops season tonight and tomorrow with a program headlined by David Foster. But conductor Albert-George Schram and the orchestra begin the program with the Overture to “Die Fledermaus” by Johann Strauss, Jr., which for my money
Great moments in film music: ‘The Big Store’
For the fun of it, another in an occasional series … Chico and Harpo Marx play piano four hands in “The Big Store.”
Top six posts on Pacific Symphony Blog
Catch up on the ones you missed or enjoy the thrill of reading them again. Concert etiquette for beginners. June 13, 2017. A swan song and a ‘Resurrection’: John Alexander takes the next step in a long career. June 5,