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Classical Music
Janelle Gelfand on the classical music scene


Janelle's pen has taken her to Japan, China, Carnegie Hall, Europe (twice), East and West Coasts, and Florida. In fact, Janelle was the first Enquirer reporter to report from Europe via e-mail -- in 1995.

Janelle began writing for the Cincinnati Enquirer as a stringer in 1991 while writing a Ph.D. dissertation in musicology at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. She joined the Enquirer staff in 1993.

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she graduated from Stanford University, Janelle has lived in Cincinnati for more than 30 years. In her free time, this pianist plays chamber music with her circle of musical friends in Cincinnati.

She covers the Cincinnati Symphony, May Festival and Cincinnati Opera, the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, chamber music ensembles, and as many recitals and events at CCM and NKU as possible.

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Thursday, November 30, 2006

Thom Mariner, composer, gets a gig


In the shameless self-promotion category, I got an e-mail from Thom Mariner today (remember VoiceBox??) who says he is now a composer and his first composition is a Christmas spiritual. Spiritual?

"Man, that's scary for a nice Presbyterian boy like me," says Thom. The text is Langston Hughes' "Shepherd's Song at Christmas." The title is "What Shall I Bring?"

Thom writes that he actually got someone to perform it -- the Vocal Arts Ensemble of Cincinnati, no less. "And to top it off, I'm conducting the thing! Can you believe it? I'm going to chew off every fingernail I have left..."

Sounds like this is something we don't want to miss. Earl Rivers conducts the other music on this Holiday Concert, 8 p.m. Friday, at St. Timothy's in Anderson Township; 8 p.m. Saturday at St. Boniface Church in Northside and 3 p.m. Dec. 10, St. Peter in Chains Cathedral, downtown. For info and tickets, go here.


Monday, November 27, 2006

Keillor hails Clooney, Music Hall -- and there's a wedding proposal


Garrison Keillor paid tribute to Rosemary Clooney with an audience sing-along of "White Christmas" and praised Music Hall, "the grandest hall we've ever done our show in," during his first live broadcast of "A Prairie Home Companion" from Cincinnati on Saturday.

There wasn't an empty seat in Music Hall, which probably seated 3,500 including the extra seats up front, for the 6 p.m. show. Keillor, dressed in dark suit, red tie, matching red socks and (could they be?) red PF Flyers, warmed up the crowd at 5:45 p.m. with the National Anthem, strode out to the center of the hall, looked up at the "painted dome of naked ladies" and pronounced Music Hall a gem, with good acoustics, too.

"When I look at this dome, I feel so small," he said, praising Cincinnati for saving the 1878 landmark.

With his six-piece The Guy's All-Star Shoe Band on Music Hall's stage in front of a Lake Wobegon-style frame house, Keillor spun his yarns, pitched Powdermilk Biscuits, crooned and wove local lore into his two-hour show.

The crowd hung onto every word and honky-tonk note, and cheered at all the right moments. Keillor, in turn, had done his homework. Cincinnati, he informed as his bangs fell into his glasses, had the world's first night baseball game, played right here. He talked about how WLW, the "nation's station," had 500,000 watts, and you could pick it up in your back fillings. Keillor once strolled the Cincinnati streets with Chet Atkins, whose first gig was at WLW, and saw the Y where Atkins stayed ... And with King Records here, Cincinnati "almost became the capital of rock 'n' roll." Doris Day, Roy Rogers and other local stars got a mention, but Rosie got the biggest hand, along with a nostalgic sing-along of her signature song.

About that proposal -- it was during the messages read on the air, we heard, "Mr. Rankin, how do you feel about another son-in-law? From Jeff."

That was Jeff Syroney's way of asking for Katie Rankin's hand in marriage (Jeff is Inktank exec director and Katie is PR director at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.)

"I was very surprised," says Katie, who was there with her dad Richard Rankin, of Lakeside Park, Ky. "I guess if you're going to go big, you might as well go that way."

The rest of the show was Keillor's unique radio formula of fun music and quirky skits -- and it was fun to see how it's done behind the on-air sign.

There were twangy country songs with a terrific mandolin player named Sam Bush, and some incredible picking by Wayne Henderson, with his wife, Helen White. The crowd clapped and howled, especially when he pitched "Rubarb Pie." Of course, Guy Noir surfaced in a corny skit. Keillor signed off with a sing-along of "Happy Trails."

About that wedding, Katie said yes, but there's no date set yet. "I'm still in a haze," says she.

To hear the show, click here.


Friday, November 24, 2006

Around town this weekend



If you didn't get tickets to the sold-out "Prairie Home Companion" show at 6 p.m. Saturday, you can tune in to 91.7 WVXU-FM to hear the first-ever live broadcast of the show from Music Hall in the Queen City. The show sold out in about 20 minutes a couple of months ago. Garrison Keillor will be there; not sure about Meryl Streep or Lindsay Lohan... The broadcast repeats at noon on Sunday. I'll give you a full report on Monday!

Or, enjoy jazz in the smoke-free and vibrant atmosphere of the First Unitarian Church, 536 Linton Street, Avondale, with the Phil DeGreg Trio and Rusty Burge on vibraphone. The 3 p.m. Sunday show includes a complimentary reception. The new "Acoustic Chamber Jazz" series single tickets are $15; $7 students at the door, or $40 for a series pass. Next shows are Jan. 7 and March 11.


Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Poll results

Of 316 voters in 24 hours, here are the results of the Music Hall poll:

In terms of what's most important to you, 27.5 percent said they'd like a new restaurant or bar, 28 percent said a smaller auditorium with more comfortable seating; just 9.8 percent said more restrooms, and the winner: 34.5 percent said a parking garage with a direct entrance into Music Hall's lobby.

Two/thirds (67.7 percent) said Springer Auditorium's size should remain the same; one/third (32.3 percent) said it should be reduced.

As for placing the orchestra out into the hall on a platform, two/thirds (62.7 percent) said no, and one/third (37.3 percent) said yes.

Thanks for voting!


Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Music Hall poll



The poll about changes you want to see in Music Hall have some interesting results. Take a look!


Monday, November 20, 2006

Music Hall makeover


The Music Hall Working Group officially unveiled its wish list for Music Hall, and announced Monday that "Phase One" of its planning study is complete. Here's the list:

Better patron amenities
Artistic modifications to help the symphony, May Festival and opera achieve their artistic goals
Better workplace conditions for musicians, visiting artists, and staff
Backstage improvements for productions and operations
Maintenance improvements necessary to keep the facility in top shape

The consultants on the project are Jaffe Holden Acoustics, Inc., Norwalk, Conn.
Fisher Dachs Associates Theatre Planning and Design, New York and GBBN Architects, Cincinnati

And here's the Music Hall Working Group: Steven Monder, president, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and executive director, Cincinnati May Festival; Patricia Beggs, CEO and general director, Cincinnati Opera; Steve Loftin, president and executive director, Cincinnati Arts Assoc.; and Paul Kaine, executive director, Cincinnati Ballet.

Let us know your ideas. And watch for more about the consultants and the Music Hall plans on Sunday.


Friday, November 17, 2006

Despite great skiing, Lockhart to leave Utah


Here's a music director search to add to a growing list around the country: Keith Lockhart has decided to leave the Utah Symphony at the end of the 2008-09 season, the Utah Symphony and Opera announced this week. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, Lockhart says he wants to pursue more guest conducting in the United States and Europe and spend more time with his family.

Lockhart is better known as conductor of the Boston Pops since 1995. But the 47-year-old conductor who got his start in Cincinnati has often stated his desire to conduct serious classical music, as well.

The Utah Symphony has struggled recently, including a period of accusations of financial mismanagement. It merged with Utah Opera in 2002, and the organization soon posted deficits of $3.4 million. It is now in a time of belt-tightening and restructuring.

Lockhart declined interviews, the Tribune said, but said in a statement, "Though the job of music director is richly rewarding, it is also extremely time-consuming and emotionally draining when done well."

His most recent local appearance was in April, when he led a tribute concert to Erich Kunzel at the Cincinnati Pops.

Lockhart's 3-year-old son, Aaron, lives in Boston with his former wife, violinist Lucia Lin.

Check out Keith's new Web site, where you can order cool stuff with his signature logo and read about Bare Naked Ladies coming to the Pops (that's Boston) soon!


Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Forget everything you've ever learned



There's a lot of buzz about a newly released study called "The Magic of Music" done by the Knight Foundation about how to save orchestras, noted in the Wall Street Journal last week. The 10-year study cost $13 million (yes, it's true) and came to the revolutionary conclusion that things like outreach, free concerts, dressing the musicians in P&G business casual, designing educational programs, mounting video screens and offering free food are wrong, wrong, wrong.

Here's something I could have told you for free 20 years ago: The study found that 74 percent of ticket buyers had played a musical instrument or sung in a chorus.

And here's another finding that's no surprise: People don't want to pay big bucks to sit through long concerts in huge concert halls.

That's interesting, given the construction boom of glitzy new concert halls around the country, that will undoubtedly be partly paid for with higher ticket prices...

To read the full 59-page report, click here.

And here's another interesting tidbit: The study was done by Dr. Thomas Wolf, who turned out the famous Wolf Report on orchestras in the early 90s.

Photos: CSO musicians Steve Pride, Charles Bell, Peter Link, Pete Norton and Chris Kiradjieff meet with Mount Washington Elementary School kids; and the CSO performs a Classical Roots: Spiritual Heights concert at Quinn Chapel in Forest Park, with Daniel Greene, soloist, and John Morris Russell conducting.


Monday, November 13, 2006

The rest of the review

To the reader who e-mailed, "It looks like your review got cut off at the end," complaining that there was nothing about the Messiaen that was performed first on last week's program: yes. We write to fit the space and I have about an hour to do it in. The concert Friday night ran quite late -- I got to the office after 10:30 p.m. So, one has to make choices...

So, just for you, here are some of my thoughts on Messiaen's "L'Ascension: quatre meditations symphoniques":

I was interested to see that it had been performed at least twice in CSO history. Max Rudolf did it first, in 1960, and the most recent performance was in 1987 led by Erich Bergel. (Incidentally, Mahler's Ninth, also programmed, was premiered here in 1976 by -- Carmon DeLeone!!)

Messiaen was a deeply religious Catholic, and he wrote these four meditations on Christ's ascension into heaven shortly after being appointed organist at the Church of La Sainte Trinite in Paris. I always find his music extraordinarily spiritual, colorful and evocative of organ sonorities.

This piece was incandescent -- musically and visually. Since Messiaen is believed to have had "synesthesia" -- the ability to envision colors when hearing music -- Paavo Jarvi decided to have subtle lighting to accompany the music. (Apparently, he and assistant conductor Eric Dudley designed the lighting themselves -- it was not indicated in the score by the composer.) I liked the effect, which featured barely discernible changes on a screen behind the acoustical "towers" from movement to movement.

Messiaen's music was bright, mildly dissonant and of course, had lots of ascending motives. The first meditation, "Majesty of Christ Asking Glory from His Father," was an exquisite brass chorale, in which all the brass moved in parallel motion around a narrow theme. Their sound was legato, extremely controlled, light and almost chant-like. (Kramer's notes say that the trumpet theme recalls the Magnificat Antiphon for the First Vespers of the Ascension.) Kudos to Doug Lindsay, who carried the high theme beautifully. The effect was like floating, and it ended with a wonderful ascending progression.

The second, "Serene Hallelujahs of a Soul Desiring Heaven," was again atmospheric, with a freely expressive theme given to the English horn (Chris Philpotts). In contrast, "Hallelujah on the Trumpet, Hallelujah on the Cymbal" was celebratory, with massive, organ-like sonorities in the large orchestra.

The finale, "Christ's Prayer Rising to His Father," painted an exquisite mood with expansive, flowing blocks of sound and close parallel harmonies in the strings. The final moments, an ever-ascending motive with the strings, had a shimmering effect.

Though the ensemble could have been more precise at times, I thought it was a radiant performance.


Sunday, November 12, 2006

Symphonies of heavenly length

For the second week in a row, Paavo Jarvi has programmed a monument that, however spectacularly played, required the audience to sit for 80 to 85 minutes. Last week it was Shostakovich's Symphony No. 7, "Leningrad," and this weekend it was Mahler's Ninth.

Cristina Egbert of Milford writes that she would love go to the symphony but doesn't because, even though she studied piano for six years, attended CSO concerts growing up and listens to WGUC -- "I don't know enough to evaluate a program as to whether I'd want to see it or not."

Are you willing to sit through an 80-minute or longer symphony? And part II: If you are unfamiliar with the program, will that keep you from attending?


Wednesday, November 08, 2006

White House honor for Cincinnati Pops King


Erich Kunzel, shown here last season with Dave Brubeck, received a huge honor today. Click here to read the news!


Jazzing things up in China


Tim Berens, guitarist and banjo player with the Cincinnati Pops, is on the road in Shenzhen, China with Pops drummer Marc Wolfley and maestro Erich Kunzel. Kunzel recruited the two players for concerts with the Hong Kong Philharmonic and the Shenzhen Philharmonic for most of November because, says Tim, "it is difficult to find Chinese rhythm section musicians who can play convincing 'feels' for American music, so he is bringing us along to provide the grooves that will drive the orchestra."

Here's today's mail:

"We are in Shenzhen, China right now, in the midst of rehearsals with the Shenzhen Philharmonic for a concert this Saturday night. "We" is Maestro Kunzel, Mrs. Kunzel, Marc Wolfley, Elin Chu (Erich's Asia Manager) and myself.

We arrived in Hong Kong last Thursday and played a rehearsal and a concert with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra on Friday. Hong Kong is a spectacular city -- I have never seen anything quite like it. The orchestra there is quite good and the concert went beautifully.

Shenzhen is only an hour away from Hong Kong, but as soon as we arrived, I knew we weren't in Kansas anymore. There is very little English spoken here, which makes Elin (a native Chinese speaker) invaluable. I am not sure how a tour like this could be done without a person who speaks the language and understands the culture fluently.

Shenzhen is filled with brand new, magnificent skyscrapers whose angles and colors dazzle, much like Shanghai, but only 20 years ago it was a small fishing village. The people here seem to be mostly transplants from other parts of China -- people who came here for work. Shenzhen is further evidence that capitalism is thriving in China. Ever since the CPO's trip last year, I have been telling every young person I know to learn to speak Chinese, and after this trip, I will continue. The growth here is astonishing.

I hope all is well back home. I do love travelling, but it will be nice to get back to the place where I understand the language and eat with a fork."


Monday, November 06, 2006

Development in Over-the-Rhine: SCPA


While we're on the subject of garages, concert hall renovations and other developments planned for OTR, Covington reader JT Spence reminds me that the new School for Creative and Performing Arts is in the works and he's concerned about its architecture. Spence, a Xavier University prof who trained as a community planner sends these thoughts about design and preserving old buildings instead of tearing them down:

"Supporters of the new school appear to make reference to a 'lack of space' and problems with 'leaking ceilings' as the primary motivations behind supporting the new school. While a lack of space seems legitimate, there would appear to be a large amount of open space on the existing site to create opportunities for expanding the facility - and the leaking ceilings and sheets being used for window dressing would seem to say more about a lack of investment. When the SCPA is sold for new condo development, there will most likely be an article talking about the wonderful architecture and upgraded facilites.

"As to the new school; what an injustice the drawings do for trying to capture a building that is billed as the new home for Cincinnati's Arts School; blank walls along the streetfront, immense vacant space in the interior, protruding support beams limiting access to wall space all add to the picture of a structure more oriented to use as a transportation justice center than an arts center. The whole feel of the building seems to say 'don't care, don't get close... there is no warmth here.' It is another modern industrialized building with no character related to the region or history. One can only imagine what the building will do for the sight lines of the existing neighborhood. It looks cheap and built for the moment.

"It is a shame our society seems constantly steered toward the momentary lust for the new and sparkling at the cost of the old and established. Although I understand that the arts push the envelope for what is good design, the new SCPA building doesn't appear to meet any of the standards that are typical of good design."

JT Spence, PhD, AICP

Comments?


I brake for Chamber Music


So, catching up with the music scene, last week I took in a free concert of chamber music at CCM, featuring piano faculty member Elizabeth Pridonoff with CSO concertmaster Tim Lees, CSO cellist Ted Nelson and CCM faculty member Catharine Carroll, viola. Werner Recital Hall was absolutely packed with students, faculty and music lovers for this free concert.

The program opened with Beethoven's Piano Trio in B-flat, "Archduke." It was wonderful to hear this trio again, though I felt the string players were too restrained compared to Pridonoff's exuberant playing. After intermission, though, the entire group wowed with a high-voltage reading of Brahms' Piano Quartet in G Minor, the one with the "gypsy rondo" finale. It's an automatic crowd-pleaser, and the musicians played with genuine spontaneity and warmth.

It reminded me of the last time I played that quartet, with CSO musicians Marna Street (who was in the audience), Sylvia Samis and Geraldine Sutyak (now deceased). In the audience that night was then-principal guest maestro Ivan Fischer.

I decided to find out what Fischer is up to these days. A lot, it turns out. His latest record of Mahler's "Resurrection" Symphony with the Budapest Festival Orchestra was Gramophone magazine's Recording of the Month (Oct.). Later this month, he begins his tenure as principal guest conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C.

Be sure to check out CCM faculty recitals, virtually every night of the week, at www.ccm.uc.edu.


Thursday, November 02, 2006

Music Hall Garage -- a sticking point?

A standing-room-only crowd was on hand Thursday night to view the "conceptual design" of a new, $20 million garage that is proposed to be built between Music Hall and Memorial Hall, in a public meeting called by 3CDC.

After architects from Glaserworks (hired by 3CDC) delivered their PowerPoint, during a Q&A, a hand went up and an audience member asked how these plans could be made -- when the property had not been purchased. The Plumbers and Pipefitters Union Local 392, which owns the historic building on Central Parkway behind Memorial Hall, also owns the property under discussion, they said. According to their lawyers in an e-mail sent to me today, 3CDC has not approached the union, and they have no plans to sell the property.

I sure hope the parties work out this issue, which is hardly a minor detail!

3CDC's Darrick Dansby said that groundbreaking for the new garage would be in the first quarter of 2007, with completion in 9 to 12 months. He said 3CDC would hope to coordinate construction with renovation planned (but not yet announced) at Music Hall.

Audience members applauded when the presenters said patrons would never have to step outside, as they zoomed into the garage from either Central Parkway or Grant St., and took a passageway straight into Music Hall's foyer. But OTR Foundation's Marge Hammelrath was not thrilled with that, because people would just drive in and drive back to their suburbs, just as they now do for ball games downtown, she noted.

Other points about the design: It has a tall glass elevator, not only so people would feel safe getting on, said the architects, but so you can see the downtown skyline.

A glass foyer on the Elm St. side would have a giant screen that could project events, such as symphony concerts, that were happening inside. The screen would be similar to one at UC's Athletic Center, that is five floors high by 20 feet. At night, "the whole place would light up," said architect Michael Moose. This would face a public plaza.

Materials include a brick base to match Music Hall's brick, woven stainless steel for the higher portion of the garage, glass and granite.

The eight-level, 632-space garage will empty in 20 minutes.

There is room for a restaurant but the architects said they are "not sure that a restaurant would survive." Another option, posed by the symphony, they said, would be to put a restaurant in Memorial Hall.

The symphony is also discussing new offices, and the architects stated that Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra offices could go ON TOP of the garage, and showed a sketch of an addition looming on top.

Several attendees, including CSO violinist Stacey Woolley, were concerned that the modern design of the garage is not harmonious with the historic architecture of Music Hall and Memorial Hall. "I don't like it," says Woolley. "If the city's memory is in the structures the German immigrants erected, that's what has to be celebrated."

CSO violist Bob Howes, who is also Music Hall historian, agreed.

"The big screen will make it look like Times Square, and the plaza is a bad version of Lincoln Center. They need to rethink the Elm St. facade," he says.

Dansby explained that the garage would be financed by a combination of new market tax credits, tax incremental financing and private donations.

Incidentally, Gloria Keith reminded me at a music club meeting yesterday that this is the site of the old College of Music (1870-1960), now razed, which merged in 1962 with the Conservatory to make CCM.

By the way, the Ladies of the Club applauded enthusiastically when I told them about the garage.

View the sketches at: www.3cdc.org/otr/musichallsquare



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