When the NYPHIL asked Stanley who he would like to write a concerto for him to be premiered the following season he answered, Bernstein, who declined because, with his schedule, he woudn’t’ have enough time to have it ready. Corigliano, who grew up around the orchestra (his father was concertmaster) took the commission. Great piece & Stanley’s performance (of what one reviewer described as "a fiendishly difficult work) "is unmatched.
“The soloist, Stanley Drucker, was first clarinetist of the Philharmonic in my youth. Knowing his special gifts enabled me to write music of unprecedented difficulty for the solo instrument, and gave me the idea that generates the first movement; the opening cadenza.”
“When I showed Stanley the first movement of the concerto, it was the only time I’ve ever seen him in his life look terrified. But I showed him his part, and his eyes got very big. And he said, ‘How am I gonna play this?’ And then he started playing it and, of course, in no time at all, he found that he could not only play it, but that it sounded like a million dollars when he did.”
Treatment was easy, they give me Benadryl to prevent reactions and i go to sleep like I was put into an induced coma. Just got Immunoglobulin G today which my body just doesn’t seem to want to make since my transplant. I feel run down for 24-36hrs and then back to what’s normal for me these days. MSKCC is quiet on Sundays as only Chemo and Infusions are going on, no clinics. They check your temp and ask the COVID19 questions and then let you in. Only patients who need caregivers or are in hospice can have visitors or anyone with them. Drive to the city was weird, very little traffic, especially on York going in and 2nd on the way home. Some guy in front of me had the lights timed and as he would approach them he threw his hand (in green gloves) at the lights as they changed which was really funny, maybe he had children in the car but he did it for about 10 blocks which was cool, such a NYC thing. Wish I could have taken video!
Now I can chill for the rest of the day in the music room, can’t ask for more than that.
Travelling in Spain through Salamanca, Burgos, Careres, Seville, Granada, Cordoba and Toledo, it is hard to forget that the Spanish Renaissance was largely financed by the pillaging and destruction of South America. And now we just stare at beautiful cathedrals and paintings by El Greco.
These are actually played on Vihuela, as opposed to lute and viol above, various Spanish and Flemish composers of the first half of the 16th C. More sacred as opposed to the secular Tres Libros.
Rare case where I am going to say this sounds bad. I only listened to the Brahms which I like and know pretty well. The Violin is mixed across 2 mics, or so it appears, as it moves from center left to wide left in the soundstage in what seems an unnatural manner. The orchestra seems muffled? Like it’s not quite in focus. Maybe someone more experienced or with better equipment will have a different opinion.
Many fine performances of the Brahms to choose from (and I have several) but this is up there with the best of them. If you’re having more than one, the performances of Heifetz/Reiner (Analogue Productions SACD for top sound) has stood the test of time.
3 & 5 not that competitive, the 4th probably the best in the box. Inner detail beautifully rendered in these recordings. Channel Classics series with Ivan Fischer & the Budapest Festival Orchestra (which I’ve seen several times) are worth seeking out. Better than good across the board; the 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 6th knockouts. Sonics are as good as it gets.
While Brunello is a gifted player and this is nicely recorded I have to say it lacks the richness of the Cello. With all due respect to period instruments and pieces written for them of course.
Nice SQ and performance of great music. Only negative is the breaks between movements on the recording that were not in the performance. Still a great 45 minutes or so. Got the idea from Guttenberg’s video from this morning.
