Marc Blitzstein's Hundredth
Evening Music | May 6, 2010
This is one of those really important birth datesMarc Blitzstein’s hundredth, so we hear Dawn Upshaw sing his “I Wish It So,” as well as the proverbial more . . .
It’s Kurt Weill’s birthday as well (1900), so we must pay him tribute first, since he’s the oldest. “Threepenny Opera” comes immediately to mind, with ‘Mac the Knife’ the obvious choice, but this time it’s an arrangement for and by the Windscape quintet. Then, a “Threepenny” suite with David Atherton conducting the London Sinfonietta.
Mark O’Connor’s “Appalachia Waltz” gets a great performance from Mark himself on violin, Yo-Yo Ma on cello, and Edgar Meyer on double bass. O’Connor’s latest project, the Appalachia Waltz Trio, gets live exposure at the 92nd St. Y on March 5th.
During our second hour, we’ll really concentrate on Mark Blitzstein, hearing excerpts from the film, “The Cradle Will Rock,” originally a theater piece blending blues, pop, speech patter, parody, and satire. Later on we also listen to Leonard Bernstein conduct the Columbia Symphony Orchestra in his his 1944-46 “Airborne Symphony,” which was commissioned by the air force and features Orson Welles as the narrator.
Yet another birthday must be noted. Bedrich Smetana’s birth on this day in 1824 is honored by a Beauz Arts Trio performance of his Piano Trio in G Minor.
It’s Kurt Weill’s birthday as well (1900), so we must pay him tribute first, since he’s the oldest. “Threepenny Opera” comes immediately to mind, with ‘Mac the Knife’ the obvious choice, but this time it’s an arrangement for and by the Windscape quintet. Then, a “Threepenny” suite with David Atherton conducting the London Sinfonietta.
Mark O’Connor’s “Appalachia Waltz” gets a great performance from Mark himself on violin, Yo-Yo Ma on cello, and Edgar Meyer on double bass. O’Connor’s latest project, the Appalachia Waltz Trio, gets live exposure at the 92nd St. Y on March 5th.
During our second hour, we’ll really concentrate on Mark Blitzstein, hearing excerpts from the film, “The Cradle Will Rock,” originally a theater piece blending blues, pop, speech patter, parody, and satire. Later on we also listen to Leonard Bernstein conduct the Columbia Symphony Orchestra in his his 1944-46 “Airborne Symphony,” which was commissioned by the air force and features Orson Welles as the narrator.
Yet another birthday must be noted. Bedrich Smetana’s birth on this day in 1824 is honored by a Beauz Arts Trio performance of his Piano Trio in G Minor.
