Don Juan
Evening Music | May 6, 2010
Was Don Juan just a womanizing cad, or was he an archetypal romantic, doomed by a personality flaw? Richard Strauss’s tone poem portrays him in all his attractive complexity.
Who wouldn’t fall in love with the Don Juan of Richard Strauss’s richly yearning oboe theme? The legendary Otto Klemperer leads the Philharmonia Orchestra, as they bring this benighted anti-hero to life (and death).
Joacquin Rodrigo based his “Concierto madrigal” on an anonymous Renaissance madrigal, “Felices ojos mios” (Happy eyes of mine). This delightful theme is treated to ten Spanish dance episodes or variations, each with its special character. The Romero brothers, Angel and Pepe, are the featured guitarists, joined by the Academhy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields under Neville Marriner. The composer heard this recording, and gave it his enthusiatic imprimateur.
The “Simple Symphony” was based on music Benjamin Britten had written when he was but 8 to 12 years old. At the much older age of 20, Britten bound together the ‘Boisterous Bourre,’ the ‘Playful Pizzicato,’ the ‘Sentimental Saraband,’ and the ‘Frolicsome Finale,’ producing a charming orchestral work, which the Guildhall String Ensemble thoroughly enjoys performing under the happy hands of Robert Salter.
Who wouldn’t fall in love with the Don Juan of Richard Strauss’s richly yearning oboe theme? The legendary Otto Klemperer leads the Philharmonia Orchestra, as they bring this benighted anti-hero to life (and death).
Joacquin Rodrigo based his “Concierto madrigal” on an anonymous Renaissance madrigal, “Felices ojos mios” (Happy eyes of mine). This delightful theme is treated to ten Spanish dance episodes or variations, each with its special character. The Romero brothers, Angel and Pepe, are the featured guitarists, joined by the Academhy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields under Neville Marriner. The composer heard this recording, and gave it his enthusiatic imprimateur.
The “Simple Symphony” was based on music Benjamin Britten had written when he was but 8 to 12 years old. At the much older age of 20, Britten bound together the ‘Boisterous Bourre,’ the ‘Playful Pizzicato,’ the ‘Sentimental Saraband,’ and the ‘Frolicsome Finale,’ producing a charming orchestral work, which the Guildhall String Ensemble thoroughly enjoys performing under the happy hands of Robert Salter.
