Synaphaï: Gene Gaudette's Blog

I've been a wee bit sidetracked. Blogging resumes the first week of April, and will include at least a new/recent release roundup.

I hope the Cleveland Orchestra and New York Philharmonic look into this, not only for the potential savings but a solution to numerous troubling aesthetic and interpretive issues (although I'd advise the management of the NYPhil to avoid trying that last setting for both liability reasons and high repair costs). Hat tip: David Atkins.

Saturday night listening: Hans Werner Henze's too-rarely-performed opera "Elegy for Young Lovers". I know, it's light listening as usual. An old college friend reminded me earlier today that I would often assert that "music should be rigorous"; that sentiment has changed little in 30-plus years.

The Henze recording features Lisa Saffer (she can sing anything, and I mean anything), Roderick Kennedy, a stunningly good supporting cast, and the Schoenberg Ensemble conducted by the much-underrated Reinbert de Leeuw. It's part of a 27-disc set documenting Schoenberg Ensemble recordings of 20th century music issued about five years ago by Dutch indie Et'Cetera. The performances are consistently excellent.

I've just returned from a sensational concert at the Salle Pleyel. I cannot recall the Orcehstre de Paris ever sounding anything close to as formidable as they were this evening. Lorin Maazel, who returned to the OdP after a decade of absence, led a colorful and characterful performance (with more than a few daring nuances of tempo and phrasing) of works by Ravel and Dukas - Ma mère l'oye, Tzigane (with OdP principal violinist Phillipe Aiche), L'Apprenti Sorcier, Rhapsodie espagnole, and La Valse, with the Farandole from Bizet's L'Arlesienne as an encore.

The audience was wildly enthusiastic, and (knowing full well that this is probably going to ruffle the feathers of a couple of my friends who are frequent critics of Maazel) so was I. Under Maazel, The New York Philharmonic was never less than engaging and more often than not thrilling; this concert, easily the most enjoyable I've seen this season, makes me miss the level of playing he got from the Philharmonic.

Urlicht AudioVisual has been launched. The full details can be found here. The first release is out for download or purchase.

Amidst all of the meeting, pitching, hustling, and hump-busting that generally accompanies a label launch (in this case, mine) at MIDEM in Cannes, :there has been more than enough tome to socialize, schmooze, and (as is required in the music industry) pub crawl with colleagues from around the world. And the consensus among my compatriots in the classical biz...