Besides having the World's Greatest Beaches Sarasota is the Cultural Capital of Florida. The Concert Hall is a block from our Hotel and when I saw the Programme we got tickets.
First up was Brahms Tragic Overture. It was well played but the main reason for inclusion was that the Second Piece, Stennhammer's First Piano Concerto, plagiarizes it extensively, so much so that the Composer withdrew it and it wasn't played until 1990. It's in 4 movements like Brahms 2nd PC with a Scerzo in Ii that sounded like Mendelssohn's MSN Dream, and the finale also smacked of Felix PCs. There was a long horn solo to open III much like the opening of the Brahms Second PC. Still, the piece was pretty enjoyable despite all the borrowings.
Jaarvi and the Orchestra really shined in Also Sprach Zarathustra. The 2001 bit was played to the hilt but the rest of the piece had more structural coherence than is frequently the case. Sometimes Jaarvi's brusque conducting can be fatal, as in the Tchaikovsky Symphonies, but frankly Also Sprach benefits from a swift kick to the backside. The Orchestra really shined. If not quite the CSO, not to far behind.
Encore was Sibelius Andante Festivo. What a great piece.
We have Theater tickets tomorrow. There are 4 active troupes here. Improv show Sunday. Who says Florida is only for Old Farts?
First up was Brahms Tragic Overture. It was well played but the main reason for inclusion was that the Second Piece, Stennhammer's First Piano Concerto, plagiarizes it extensively, so much so that the Composer withdrew it and it wasn't played until 1990. It's in 4 movements like Brahms 2nd PC with a Scerzo in Ii that sounded like Mendelssohn's MSN Dream, and the finale also smacked of Felix PCs. There was a long horn solo to open III much like the opening of the Brahms Second PC. Still, the piece was pretty enjoyable despite all the borrowings.
Jaarvi and the Orchestra really shined in Also Sprach Zarathustra. The 2001 bit was played to the hilt but the rest of the piece had more structural coherence than is frequently the case. Sometimes Jaarvi's brusque conducting can be fatal, as in the Tchaikovsky Symphonies, but frankly Also Sprach benefits from a swift kick to the backside. The Orchestra really shined. If not quite the CSO, not to far behind.
Encore was Sibelius Andante Festivo. What a great piece.
We have Theater tickets tomorrow. There are 4 active troupes here. Improv show Sunday. Who says Florida is only for Old Farts?