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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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Saturday, November 03, 2007

Electrifying Eroica -- and acoustics issues

Here's the symphony review.

One thing I noticed last night was the positioning of the orchestra in front of the proscenium for the Beethoven. Moving the orchestra farther out into the hall is something they are considering in the proposed renovation. But last night, I was surprised that I had a hard time hearing the horns, and someone else complained that the brass sound wasn't as prominent. Perhaps it was because there was a big space behind them and all that sound was lost to the back, rather than reflected into the hall.

What did you think?


9 Comments:

at 11/03/2007 03:45:00 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

Its the same setup as during the may festival, but with the addition of the accoustic "clouds" over the orchestra.

 
at 11/03/2007 04:26:00 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

As the previous poster mentioned, the setup is necessary to avoid having the chorus sing from somewhere out on Central Parkway. Perhaps the chorus could sing from in front of the orchestra, as in Haydn's time? Some creative staging should be attempted, perhaps with the orchestra on raised platforms and the chorus down front in a slightly lowered pit -- with the conductor closer to the main floor level.

 
at 11/03/2007 04:37:00 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

From the stage there are always severe acoustic problems regardless of the position of the orchestra. Hearing front to back and side to side is impossibly difficult. I was thinking about your comments regarding the other CSO. Having a dry hall can sometimes help an orchestra to hear better enabling better ensemble. That's not a silver bullet by any means but can help.

 
at 11/03/2007 10:25:00 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

Those plastic shields directly in front of the brass may protect the woodwinds, but they also block a good bit of resonant sound from reaching the audience. Clarity is important, supposedly from lowered cloud panels, but so too is a warm resonant sonority.

 
at 11/04/2007 09:26:00 AM Blogger Janelle Gelfand said...

These are all excellent observations. I think it's a warning that the powers must be exceedingly careful in any changes they make. It's funny; when the May Festival Chorus is physically there, I have never noticed a problem hearing the brass. I was sitting in "the best seat in the house" -- balcony front. I think the sound varies quite a bit depending upon where you sit.

 
at 11/04/2007 02:53:00 PM Blogger Joel Hoffman said...

I had no trouble with acoustics (also front of the balcony). This was one of the most memorable CSO concerts I've heard in years!

 
at 11/04/2007 06:47:00 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

I've found the balcony the best also but it's got to be only the first 2 or 3 rows--out from under the overhang.Also the house left balcony is the pits oddly enough.

 
at 11/05/2007 11:53:00 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

As usual your review of the Friday performance was quite accurate. However from where I sat - row 15 in the middle - the acoustics sounded fine. There were some balance differences from the usual position, but on balance it sounded to me a bit more immediate and with a wider spread of sound. The Beeethoven on Friday was indeed electrifying, much in line with Paavo's recording with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen. However the Saturday performances of all the works were really spectacular. The orchestra especially sounded much more comfortable and relaxed in the Stravinsky pieces, with no hint of the tentative about them. But the Beethoven was truly a performance for the ages. Every phrase, every gesture, every note counted, as if it were freshly minted yesterday, fulfilling what seemed in retrospect merely hinted at in the Friday performance. No on who attended will ever be able to listen to the Eroica again in the same way.

 
at 11/06/2007 01:26:00 AM Anonymous Anonymous said...

It is extremely gratifying to read all of your positive comments about our playing...thank you very much! I just wish that there were a thousand more of you each night that would come to check us out.

 
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