https://www.tahoesummerfestblog.com Welcome to the Tahoe SummerFest Chats Podcasts, where we provide you with previews of the upcoming concerts of the season. episodic Tahoe SummerFest Chats hosted by Tahoe SummerFest Chats Tahoe SummerFest Chats Welcome to the Tahoe SummerFest Chats Podcasts, where we provide you with previews of the upcoming concerts of the season. en-us Copyright 2018 Tahoe SummerFest Chats podcast@blubrry.com (Blubrry Podcasting) Tahoe SummerFest Chats podcast@blubrry.com https://www.tahoesummerfestblog.com https://assets.blubrry.com/coverart/orig/35365.jpg Concert previews Blubrry Podcasting: https://www.blubrry.com/ Mon, 22 Oct 2018 16:40:34 -0400 no http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Thu, 13 Aug 2015 11:30:53 -0400 http://www.tahoesummerfestblog.com/2015/08/13/podcast-9-sunday-august-16-final-concert-2015/ http://www.blubrry.com/tahoe_summerfest_chats/2816281/preconcert-podcast-9-sunday-august-16-final-concert-2015/ Tahoe SummerFest Chats Podcast Thu, 13 Aug 2015 11:30:53 -0400 “The Danube-Baltic Express” In this final concert of the SummerFest 2015 season, climb aboard for a whirlwind round-trip-express-tour, all the way from the musical touchstone city of Vienna, Austria to the Baltic gem of St. Petersburg, Russia and back again. … Continue reading → 0:12:11 no Tahoe SummerFest Chats “The Danube-Baltic Express” In this final concert of the SummerFest 2015 season, climb aboard for a whirlwind round-trip-express-tour, all the way from the musical touchstone city of Vienna, Austria to the Baltic gem of St. Petersburg, “The Danube-Baltic Express” In this final concert of the SummerFest 2015 season, climb aboard for a whirlwind round-trip-express-tour, all the way from the musical touchstone city of Vienna, Austria to the Baltic gem of St. Petersburg, Russia and back again. … Continue reading → http://www.tahoesummerfestblog.com/2015/08/11/preconcert-podcast-8-saturday-august-15-white-nights-golden-moons/ http://www.blubrry.com/tahoe_summerfest_chats/2812041/preconcert-podcast-8-saturday-august-15-white-nights-golden-moons/ Tahoe SummerFest Chats Podcast Tue, 11 Aug 2015 17:44:07 -0400 The mystical spirit of Baltic summer white nights shines brightly in this concert featuring two of the giants of Russian music. From Rimsky-Korsakov, composer of the delightful ‘Flight of the Bumblebee’ and ‘Scheherazade’, comes a Piano Quartet with twists and … Continue reading → 0:11:09 no Tahoe SummerFest Chats The mystical spirit of Baltic summer white nights shines brightly in this concert featuring two of the giants of Russian music. From Rimsky-Korsakov, composer of the delightful ‘Flight of the Bumblebee’ and ‘Scheherazade’, The mystical spirit of Baltic summer white nights shines brightly in this concert featuring two of the giants of Russian music. From Rimsky-Korsakov, composer of the delightful ‘Flight of the Bumblebee’ and ‘Scheherazade’, comes a Piano Quartet with twists and … Continue reading → http://www.tahoesummerfestblog.com/2015/08/11/preconcert-podcast-7-friday-august-14/ http://www.blubrry.com/tahoe_summerfest_chats/2812040/preconcert-podcast-7-friday-august-14-heros-passage/ Tahoe SummerFest Chats Podcast Tue, 11 Aug 2015 15:56:36 -0400 Join Lake Tahoe SummerFest in the final weekend of performances!  This Friday Orchestra concert, we welcome Guest Conductor Paul Watkins – who will also be the featured soloist on cello on the Sunday Orchestra concert! Celebrating the heroic journey, in … Continue reading → 0:12:47 no Tahoe SummerFest Chats Join Lake Tahoe SummerFest in the final weekend of performances!  This Friday Orchestra concert, we welcome Guest Conductor Paul Watkins – who will also be the featured soloist on cello on the Sunday Orchestra concert! Celebrating the heroic journey, Join Lake Tahoe SummerFest in the final weekend of performances!  This Friday Orchestra concert, we welcome Guest Conductor Paul Watkins – who will also be the featured soloist on cello on the Sunday Orchestra concert! Celebrating the heroic journey, in … Continue reading → http://www.tahoesummerfestblog.com/2015/08/04/preconcert-podcast-6-sunday-august-9-hollywood-in-tahoe/ http://www.blubrry.com/tahoe_summerfest_chats/2802193/preconcert-podcast-6-sunday-august-9-hollywood-in-tahoe/ Tahoe SummerFest Chats Podcast Tue, 04 Aug 2015 18:38:31 -0400 Thank you for joining us! Just click the arrow above to listen to this 10 minute preview of Friday’s concert.  Enjoy! Celebrate the unsung hero of movies – the film score!  Beginning with one of the most recognizable scores in television history, the Suite from Downton Abbey gives a dramatic start to the evening. Then Bernard Herrmann's 'Suite from Psycho' is a reminder of one of the most famous moments in movie music history. And if you loved the scores for Fellini's 'La dolce vita' and Visconti's 'The Leopard', you'll love Nino Rota's 'Concertante for Double Bass', featuring Metropolitan Opera Orchestra Assistant Principal Bass Jeremy McCoy.   With virtuoso fireworks, this concerto displays everything from a burlesque march to a sprightly finale where agility and the instrument's extreme range plays the starring role. Copland's 'Music for Movies' brings music from three films, at turns atmospheric and buoyant, and the concert ends with the bucolic beauty of Patrick Doyle's score for the 1995 film 'Sense and Sensibility', depicting the sweep of the English countryside and the torn emotions of the heroines. Get ready for the red carpet! 0:09:18 no Tahoe SummerFest Chats Thank you for joining us! Just click the arrow above to listen to this 10 minute preview of Friday’s concert.  Enjoy! Celebrate the unsung hero of movies – the film score!  Beginning with one of the most recognizable scores in television history, Thank you for joining us! Just click the arrow above to listen to this 10 minute preview of Friday’s concert.  Enjoy! Celebrate the unsung hero of movies – the film score!  Beginning with one of the most recognizable scores in television history, the Suite from Downton Abbey gives a dramatic start to the evening. Then Bernard Herrmann's 'Suite from Psycho' is a reminder of one of the most famous moments in movie music history. And if you loved the scores for Fellini's 'La dolce vita' and Visconti's 'The Leopard', you'll love Nino Rota's 'Concertante for Double Bass', featuring Metropolitan Opera Orchestra Assistant Principal Bass Jeremy McCoy.   With virtuoso fireworks, this concerto displays everything from a burlesque march to a sprightly finale where agility and the instrument's extreme range plays the starring role. Copland's 'Music for Movies' brings music from three films, at turns atmospheric and buoyant, and the concert ends with the bucolic beauty of Patrick Doyle's score for the 1995 film 'Sense and Sensibility', depicting the sweep of the English countryside and the torn emotions of the heroines. Get ready for the red carpet! http://www.tahoesummerfestblog.com/2015/08/04/preconcert-podcast-5-saturday-august-8-latin-embrace/ http://www.blubrry.com/tahoe_summerfest_chats/2802192/preconcert-podcast-5-saturday-august-8-latin-embrace/ Tahoe SummerFest Chats Podcast Tue, 04 Aug 2015 18:24:53 -0400 Thank you for joining us! Just click the arrow above to listen to this 8 minute preview of Friday’s concert.  Enjoy! The crisp Tahoe summer night warms up with dance music, matched with a bullfighterís bravery. Festive music comes from … Continue reading → 0:08:23 no Tahoe SummerFest Chats Thank you for joining us! Just click the arrow above to listen to this 8 minute preview of Friday’s concert.  Enjoy! The crisp Tahoe summer night warms up with dance music, matched with a bullfighterís bravery. Thank you for joining us! Just click the arrow above to listen to this 8 minute preview of Friday’s concert.  Enjoy! The crisp Tahoe summer night warms up with dance music, matched with a bullfighterís bravery. Festive music comes from … Continue reading → http://www.tahoesummerfestblog.com/2015/08/04/preconcert-podcast-4-friday-august-7/ http://www.blubrry.com/tahoe_summerfest_chats/2802191/preconcert-podcast-4-friday-august-7-spanish-fire/ Tahoe SummerFest Chats Podcast Tue, 04 Aug 2015 18:07:39 -0400 Thank you for joining us! Just click the arrow above to listen to this 12 minute preview of Friday’s concert.  Enjoy! The Tahoe summer night is infused with the scent of jasmine and the sounds of guitars. Warm up with … Continue reading → 0:13:24 no Tahoe SummerFest Chats Thank you for joining us! Just click the arrow above to listen to this 12 minute preview of Friday’s concert.  Enjoy! The Tahoe summer night is infused with the scent of jasmine and the sounds of guitars. Warm up with … Continue reading → Thank you for joining us! Just click the arrow above to listen to this 12 minute preview of Friday’s concert.  Enjoy! The Tahoe summer night is infused with the scent of jasmine and the sounds of guitars. Warm up with … Continue reading → http://www.tahoesummerfestblog.com/2015/07/26/preconcert-podcast-3-sunday-august-2/ http://www.blubrry.com/tahoe_summerfest_chats/2788103/preconcert-podcast-3-sunday-august-2/ Tahoe SummerFest Chats Podcast Sun, 26 Jul 2015 13:30:46 -0400 Passion for Dance! From the elegant courtly dances of Bach to the robust peasant dances of Brahms, this dance-rhythm inspired concert will set toes tapping.  J. S. Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 2 takes inspiration from a collection of French and … Continue reading → 0:15:25 no Tahoe SummerFest Chats Passion for Dance! From the elegant courtly dances of Bach to the robust peasant dances of Brahms, this dance-rhythm inspired concert will set toes tapping.  J. S. Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 2 takes inspiration from a collection of French and … C... Passion for Dance! From the elegant courtly dances of Bach to the robust peasant dances of Brahms, this dance-rhythm inspired concert will set toes tapping.  J. S. Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 2 takes inspiration from a collection of French and … Continue reading → http://www.tahoesummerfestblog.com/2015/07/26/preconcert-podcast-2-saturday-august-1-2015/ http://www.blubrry.com/tahoe_summerfest_chats/2788102/preconcert-podcast-2-saturday-august-1-2015/ Tahoe SummerFest Chats Podcast Sun, 26 Jul 2015 13:13:58 -0400 Meet the Musicians Chamber Music Concert – In a Vienna Café Viennese coffeehouses were the hotbed of creative excitement in the time of Mozart and Schubert. If you wanted to hear the latest music and more, the coffee house was … Continue reading → 0:09:59 no Tahoe SummerFest Chats Meet the Musicians Chamber Music Concert – In a Vienna Café Viennese coffeehouses were the hotbed of creative excitement in the time of Mozart and Schubert. If you wanted to hear the latest music and more, the coffee house was … Continue reading → Meet the Musicians Chamber Music Concert – In a Vienna Café Viennese coffeehouses were the hotbed of creative excitement in the time of Mozart and Schubert. If you wanted to hear the latest music and more, the coffee house was … Continue reading → http://www.tahoesummerfestblog.com/2015/07/23/preconcert-podcast-episode-1/ http://www.blubrry.com/tahoe_summerfest_chats/2788101/preconcert-podcast-1-friday-july-31-2015/ Tahoe SummerFest Chats Podcast Thu, 23 Jul 2015 16:31:49 -0400 Welcome! This Podcast is the concert preview for the opening Lake Tahoe SummerFest concert.  In just 12 minutes, we give you information and bits of music that will enrich your concert experience for "Destination Genius," July 31st, 2015 featuring Guest Artist Joseph Kalichstein. Hear the captivating music and stories of three genius composers.  Experience the dramatic dash of the 14 year-old prodigy Mendelssohn. Relive Mozart's writing of a symphony at break-neck speed, finishing in just 5 days. Add an agonized Beethoven, having lost most of his hearing but still composing, and unwilling to leave Vienna - though Napoleon's artillery was bursting around him. 0:12:26 no Tahoe SummerFest Chats Welcome! This Podcast is the concert preview for the opening Lake Tahoe SummerFest concert.  In just 12 minutes, we give you information and bits of music that will enrich your concert experience for "Destination Genius," July 31st, Welcome! This Podcast is the concert preview for the opening Lake Tahoe SummerFest concert.  In just 12 minutes, we give you information and bits of music that will enrich your concert experience for "Destination Genius," July 31st, 2015 featuring Guest Artist Joseph Kalichstein. Hear the captivating music and stories of three genius composers.  Experience the dramatic dash of the 14 year-old prodigy Mendelssohn. Relive Mozart's writing of a symphony at break-neck speed, finishing in just 5 days. Add an agonized Beethoven, having lost most of his hearing but still composing, and unwilling to leave Vienna - though Napoleon's artillery was bursting around him. http://www.tahoesummerfestblog.com/2014/08/13/friday-august-15-triple-soloists/ http://www.blubrry.com/tahoe_summerfest_chats/2788100/friday-august-15-triple-soloists/ Tahoe SummerFest Chats Podcast Wed, 13 Aug 2014 19:24:50 -0400 A Friday night concert with beautiful orchestra colors and great soloists: Elgar’s sweet and warm Serenade for Strings and Ravel’s emotional, heartfelt Le tombeau de Couperin, plus stellar soloists for Haydn’s famous Cello Concerto and Richard Strauss’ delightful Duett-Concertino. Elgar Serenade for Strings … Continue reading → no Tahoe SummerFest Chats A Friday night concert with beautiful orchestra colors and great soloists: Elgar’s sweet and warm Serenade for Strings and Ravel’s emotional, heartfelt Le tombeau de Couperin, plus stellar soloists for Haydn’s famous Cello Concerto and Richard... A Friday night concert with beautiful orchestra colors and great soloists: Elgar’s sweet and warm Serenade for Strings and Ravel’s emotional, heartfelt Le tombeau de Couperin, plus stellar soloists for Haydn’s famous Cello Concerto and Richard Strauss’ delightful Duett-Concertino. Elgar Serenade for Strings … Continue reading → http://www.tahoesummerfestblog.com/2014/08/07/saturday-august-9-energetic-bach-and-radiant-brahms/ http://www.blubrry.com/tahoe_summerfest_chats/2788099/saturday-august-9-energetic-bach-and-radiant-brahms/ Tahoe SummerFest Chats Podcast Thu, 07 Aug 2014 19:05:43 -0400 The SummerFest second weekend of concerts continues with masterpieces from Bach and Brahms - one a conversation with strings and piano, and the other a full-blown Serenade with romantic roots. J.S. Bach Concerto No. 1 in D minor Although we think of J. S. Bach as the towering figure of the Baroque era of music, in his own day little of his music was known outside of the towns in which he worked. The concerto featured in this performance was written in Leipzig, Germany - Bach had moved to Leipzig in 1723 to oversee music at the city's principal churches and to teach at the Saint Thomas School.  While there, he had the opportunity to lead the 'Collegium Musicum'; a society of university students, interested amateurs and a few professional musicians who met weekly to play music for their own pleasure. The chance to earn a supplemental income from the 'Collegium' would have been very appealing to a middle-aged musician with a large and ever-growing family. (Seven of his children- ages 1 to 21 - were living in 1729 when he began his Collegium job: six had already died and seven were yet to be born.)  Because he could now write secular music to be performed by his skilled elder sons and his wife (a talented singer), these years were undoubtedly the happiest of Bach's life.  Though this concerto may have started its life as a piece for violin, Bach himself transcribed it for keyboard, most probably for one of his sons to premiere.  Later composers and musicians loved the piece - both Mendelssohn and Brahms performed it, and Brahms composed a cadenza for it which is used by concert pianists even today. Allegro: dramatic wresting between the keyboard and the orchestra...   Adagio: the music unfolds like a touching aria, serious and deeply heartfelt...   Allegro: bristling with fierce and wonderful energy, the keyboard and orchestra trade independent ideas... --- Brahms Serenade No. 1 Jaunty dance rhythms and the feeling of fresh air Brahms is often thought of as the mature composer giving voice to the full-blown ideal of the Romantic era; it's easy to forget that Brahms was once a young composer, in search of his voice. As a child, Brahms began composing small works – though without any knowledge of formal musical notation – and consequently his piano and music studies were quickly begun. His first teacher was his father, followed by local teachers, and finally by one of the best piano teachers in Hamburg at no charge because of the boy’s immense natural talent and the family’s immense poverty. As this Serenade shows, the 25-year-old genius working in the independent court of Detmold in the year 1858 already had a distinctive voice. The court employed a permanent orchestra of no less than 45 players and a choir drawn from the princely household along with selected townsfolk. As well as gaining valuable experience as a choral conductor, Brahms was also able to expand his interest in chamber music; the D major Serenade, written for these local musicians, was originally conceived as a piece for nine players. But while working with famous composer and pianist Robert Schumann, Brahms was urged to compose for orchestra, and thus the original Nonet was recast as a piece for chamber orchestra, although it's full-throated Romanticism makes it sound like several orchestras put together!.  Below you'll find excerpts from 5 of the six movements of the Serenade. Allegro Molto: the timpani leads us into a joyful country dance Scherzo: sun-dappled, breezy and lilting Adagio: a nocturnal serenade Scherzo: like a rustic peasant dance Rondo: A bold racing hunt scene leaps to life Brahms moved to Vienna when he was 40, and he remained there until he died.  Though he became wealthy as a result of his compositions, he never lost the desire to be frugal. He was often teased for his long untrimmed beard, his shabby clothing, no Tahoe SummerFest Chats The SummerFest second weekend of concerts continues with masterpieces from Bach and Brahms - one a conversation with strings and piano, and the other a full-blown Serenade with romantic roots. J.S. Bach Concerto No. 1 in D minor Although we think of J. The SummerFest second weekend of concerts continues with masterpieces from Bach and Brahms - one a conversation with strings and piano, and the other a full-blown Serenade with romantic roots. J.S. Bach Concerto No. 1 in D minor Although we think of J. S. Bach as the towering figure of the Baroque era of music, in his own day little of his music was known outside of the towns in which he worked. The concerto featured in this performance was written in Leipzig, Germany - Bach had moved to Leipzig in 1723 to oversee music at the city's principal churches and to teach at the Saint Thomas School.  While there, he had the opportunity to lead the 'Collegium Musicum'; a society of university students, interested amateurs and a few professional musicians who met weekly to play music for their own pleasure. The chance to earn a supplemental income from the 'Collegium' would have been very appealing to a middle-aged musician with a large and ever-growing family. (Seven of his children- ages 1 to 21 - were living in 1729 when he began his Collegium job: six had already died and seven were yet to be born.)  Because he could now write secular music to be performed by his skilled elder sons and his wife (a talented singer), these years were undoubtedly the happiest of Bach's life.  Though this concerto may have started its life as a piece for violin, Bach himself transcribed it for keyboard, most probably for one of his sons to premiere.  Later composers and musicians loved the piece - both Mendelssohn and Brahms performed it, and Brahms composed a cadenza for it which is used by concert pianists even today. Allegro: dramatic wresting between the keyboard and the orchestra...   Adagio: the music unfolds like a touching aria, serious and deeply heartfelt...   Allegro: bristling with fierce and wonderful energy, the keyboard and orchestra trade independent ideas... --- Brahms Serenade No. 1 Jaunty dance rhythms and the feeling of fresh air Brahms is often thought of as the mature composer giving voice to the full-blown ideal of the Romantic era; it's easy to forget that Brahms was once a young composer, in search of his voice. As a child, Brahms began composing small works – though without any knowledge of formal musical notation – and consequently his piano and music studies were quickly begun. His first teacher was his father, followed by local teachers, and finally by one of the best piano teachers in Hamburg at no charge because of the boy’s immense natural talent and the family’s immense poverty. As this Serenade shows, the 25-year-old genius working in the independent court of Detmold in the year 1858 already had a distinctive voice. The court employed a permanent orchestra of no less than 45 players and a choir drawn from the princely household along with selected townsfolk. As well as gaining valuable experience as a choral conductor, Brahms was also able to expand his interest in chamber music; the D major Serenade, written for these local musicians, was originally conceived as a piece for nine players. But while working with famous composer and pianist Robert Schumann, Brahms was urged to compose for orchestra, and thus the original Nonet was recast as a piece for chamber orchestra, although it's full-throated Romanticism makes it sound like several orchestras put together!.  Below you'll find excerpts from 5 of the six movements of the Serenade. Allegro Molto: the timpani leads us into a joyful country dance Scherzo: sun-dappled, breezy and lilting Adagio: a nocturnal serenade Scherzo: like a rustic peasant dance Rondo: A bold racing hunt scene leaps to life Brahms moved to Vienna when he was 40, and he remained there until he died.  Though he became wealthy as a result of his compositions, he never lost the desire to be frugal. He was often teased for his long untrimmed beard, his shabby clothing, http://www.tahoesummerfestblog.com/2014/08/05/friday-august-8-beethovens-piano-mendelssohns-scotland/ http://www.blubrry.com/tahoe_summerfest_chats/2788098/friday-august-8-beethovens-piano-mendelssohns-scotland/ Tahoe SummerFest Chats Podcast Tue, 05 Aug 2014 18:20:34 -0400 The second weekend of SummerFest concerts brings a new dazzling soloist and more great classics for orchestra.  Internationally acclaimed concert pianist Simone Dinnerstein joins the orchestra in Beethoven's Concerto No. 2, plus you'll hear two favorit... no Tahoe SummerFest Chats The second weekend of SummerFest concerts brings a new dazzling soloist and more great classics for orchestra.  Internationally acclaimed concert pianist Simone Dinnerstein joins the orchestra in Beethoven's Concerto No. 2, The second weekend of SummerFest concerts brings a new dazzling soloist and more great classics for orchestra.  Internationally acclaimed concert pianist Simone Dinnerstein joins the orchestra in Beethoven's Concerto No. 2, plus you'll hear two favorit... http://www.tahoesummerfestblog.com/2014/07/28/sunday-august-3-meet-the-music-meet-the-musicians/ http://www.blubrry.com/tahoe_summerfest_chats/2788097/sunday-august-3-meet-the-music-meet-the-musicians/ Tahoe SummerFest Chats Podcast Mon, 28 Jul 2014 11:24:12 -0400 Travel to three artistic cities, all through the music of Lake Tahoe SummerFest. No need to pack your bags! In 3 Sunday concerts this season we are visiting Vienna, Paris and London with the star ensembles of SummerFest Orchestra. This is a chance to hear the superb SummerFest Orchestra musicians as they capture the essence of a musically famous city.  You’ll experience musical ‘conversations’ between splendid musicians plus have the chance to continue the conversation afterwards - each concert is followed by a reception that features food and beverages of that capital city, and the opportunity to talk with the musicians. Sunday, August 3, 4 PM They call it the City of Music, and that name is richly deserved.  Perhaps no other city attracted so many composers who changed the course of musical history: Vivaldi, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms are just a few of the famous composers that resided and worked in this beautiful city. The three composers that you’ll meet today lived and worked in Vienna within decades of each other, and each adored the culinary specialties that are Viennese specialties: Cafés, Chocolate, and Whipped cream... This afternoon you’ll also meet the SummerFest orchestra musicians who will bring you into the musical landscape of Vienna, and you’ll meet the composers whose music you’ll hear in the SummerFest tent. Just imagine yourself on a luxury train, headed to Vienna…all aboard!  --- Franz Schubert 1797 - 1828 Vienna’s favorite native son, Franz Schubert was astonishing composer. With a seemingly endless gift for melody he wrote symphonies, chamber music, and over 600 songs before his early death at age 31. When we think of the huge amount of music Schubert wrote by the time of his death - all while working other jobs and living under the stress of poverty - we realize what a remarkable legacy he left the world of music. In this concert you'll hear Matthew Polenzani, tenor and Maestro Joel Revzen at the piano as they bring the audience three of the most famous Schubert songs. You'll experience a snapshot of how the composer poured good humor, deep emotion, gratitude and beauty into every composition.  Below are some musical moments: An die Musik – an ode to Music: 'how often when in the depths of sadness, you have brought me to a better world... "   Fischerweise – the Fisherman: 'the fisherman's not worried by sorrow and by care; he sets sail in the morning, his heart light as air... "   Im Abendrot – in gratitude for the glories of sunset: "O how beautiful is your world, Father, when she shines with golden beams!" --- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 1756 - 1791 Mozart didn’t live in Vienna until he was 25, but he had been to the city previously. When he was 6 years old (and already a child prodigy,) he performed for the royal family at the Schönbrunn Palace, and caused quite a stir. 19 years later, when he left his full-time position in Salzburg, he set off on his own as a free-lance composer and chose to settle in Vienna. A friend from that time describes the young composer: ‘Mr. Mozart was an extremely eccentric and absent-minded young man, but not without a certain spirit of pride. He was very popular with the ladies, in spite of his small size; but he had a most unusual face, and he could cast a spell on any woman with his eyes.’ In the next heady decade, he married, had a family, became famous for his compositions and his lively self-assurance, made and lost tremendous sums of money, constantly scrambled for commissions and fees, and then died – sadly early - at age 35. Though Mozart’s love affair with Vienna was a sometimes rocky affair, the city and the world embraced his genius after his death. On Sunday, August 3 you will hear 5 exquisite players in a wonderful piece for french horn and strings: Mozart: Quintet for Horn and Strings In Salzburg, Mozart had met Joseph Leutgeb, a remarkable french horn player. no Tahoe SummerFest Chats Travel to three artistic cities, all through the music of Lake Tahoe SummerFest. No need to pack your bags! In 3 Sunday concerts this season we are visiting Vienna, Paris and London with the star ensembles of SummerFest Orchestra. Travel to three artistic cities, all through the music of Lake Tahoe SummerFest. No need to pack your bags! In 3 Sunday concerts this season we are visiting Vienna, Paris and London with the star ensembles of SummerFest Orchestra. This is a chance to hear the superb SummerFest Orchestra musicians as they capture the essence of a musically famous city.  You’ll experience musical ‘conversations’ between splendid musicians plus have the chance to continue the conversation afterwards - each concert is followed by a reception that features food and beverages of that capital city, and the opportunity to talk with the musicians. Sunday, August 3, 4 PM They call it the City of Music, and that name is richly deserved.  Perhaps no other city attracted so many composers who changed the course of musical history: Vivaldi, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms are just a few of the famous composers that resided and worked in this beautiful city. The three composers that you’ll meet today lived and worked in Vienna within decades of each other, and each adored the culinary specialties that are Viennese specialties: Cafés, Chocolate, and Whipped cream... This afternoon you’ll also meet the SummerFest orchestra musicians who will bring you into the musical landscape of Vienna, and you’ll meet the composers whose music you’ll hear in the SummerFest tent. Just imagine yourself on a luxury train, headed to Vienna…all aboard!  --- Franz Schubert 1797 - 1828 Vienna’s favorite native son, Franz Schubert was astonishing composer. With a seemingly endless gift for melody he wrote symphonies, chamber music, and over 600 songs before his early death at age 31. When we think of the huge amount of music Schubert wrote by the time of his death - all while working other jobs and living under the stress of poverty - we realize what a remarkable legacy he left the world of music. In this concert you'll hear Matthew Polenzani, tenor and Maestro Joel Revzen at the piano as they bring the audience three of the most famous Schubert songs. You'll experience a snapshot of how the composer poured good humor, deep emotion, gratitude and beauty into every composition.  Below are some musical moments: An die Musik – an ode to Music: 'how often when in the depths of sadness, you have brought me to a better world... "   Fischerweise – the Fisherman: 'the fisherman's not worried by sorrow and by care; he sets sail in the morning, his heart light as air... "   Im Abendrot – in gratitude for the glories of sunset: "O how beautiful is your world, Father, when she shines with golden beams!" --- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 1756 - 1791 Mozart didn’t live in Vienna until he was 25, but he had been to the city previously. When he was 6 years old (and already a child prodigy,) he performed for the royal family at the Schönbrunn Palace, and caused quite a stir. 19 years later, when he left his full-time position in Salzburg, he set off on his own as a free-lance composer and chose to settle in Vienna. A friend from that time describes the young composer: ‘Mr. Mozart was an extremely eccentric and absent-minded young man, but not without a certain spirit of pride. He was very popular with the ladies, in spite of his small size; but he had a most unusual face, and he could cast a spell on any woman with his eyes.’ In the next heady decade, he married, had a family, became famous for his compositions and his lively self-assurance, made and lost tremendous sums of money, constantly scrambled for commissions and fees, and then died – sadly early - at age 35. Though Mozart’s love affair with Vienna was a sometimes rocky affair, the city and the world embraced his genius after his death. On Sunday, August 3 you will hear 5 exquisite players in a wonderful piece for french horn and strings: Mozart: Quintet for Horn and Strings In Salzburg, Mozart had met Joseph Leutgeb, a remarkable french horn player. http://www.tahoesummerfestblog.com/2014/07/28/saturday-august-2-stunning-arias-music-ancient-and-modern/ http://www.blubrry.com/tahoe_summerfest_chats/2788096/saturday-august-2-stunning-arias-music-ancient-and-modern/ Tahoe SummerFest Chats Podcast Mon, 28 Jul 2014 11:22:48 -0400 SummerFest Opening weekend continues on Saturday evening August 2nd with the artistry of Matthew Polenzani, plus lilting music with 17th century roots, and a Symphony named for the city that loved Mozart. Respighi's Ancient Airs and Dances, Suite 3 captures the atmosphere of centuries past in elegant and colorful writing for the orchestra.  Ottorino Respighi was not only a composer, but also an antiquarian who loved and studied the music of centuries past.  His delight in the lute compositions of the 16th and 17th centuries led him to 're-create' the music by clothing them in modern musical garb.  He managed to preserve the elegance and emotion of the original lute music, while giving it wonderful orchestra colors that sound very modern, making these some of the most popular works of the 20th century.  Listen to how magically he achieved these transformations... 1. Italiana: gallant and refined, but with a spark 2. Arie di corte: warm and sensual lines turn to toe-tapping rhythms 3. Siciliana: a slow waltz swings between restraint and passion 4. Passacaglia: flying fingers of the orchestra - flying footwork of the court dancers   Arias with Matthew Polenzani, tenor SummerFest is honored to have Mr. Polenzani join the orchestra for this opening weekend.  Polenzani's talents have taken him to the great opera houses of the world: New York's Metropolitan Opera, London's Covent Garden, Berlin's Deutche Oper, Munich's Bayerische Staatsoper, Chicago's Lyric Opera, and many, many more. This evening he treats us to two signature performances; a heartbreaking aria from Massenet's opera Werther, and the world-famous 'Nessun Dorma' from Puccini's opera Turandot. Massenet        “Pourquoi me réveiller” Taken from a novella by the German author Goethe, The Sorrows of Young Werther, this opera depicts a tale of misguided passion. The character Werther is madly in love with Charlotte, his friends wife. To forget her, he has run away. But when he returns, he finds that he is more in love than ever. Then, in reciting a favorite poem for Charlotte, Werther realizes that though she returns his love, they can never be together. In desperation, he describes his emotions in this aria: "Why do you awaken me, sweetest breath of Spring?" (recording: Alfredo Kraus) The  Chicago Tribune had this to say about about Polenzani's portrayal of the tortured Werther: "The beauty of his sound, the musicality of his legato, the suppleness of his phrasing, the clarity of his French diction, the ringing ease of his high notes – all served a finely realized portrayal. His account of Werther’s ‘Pourquoi me reveiller’, ardent yet elegant, was a model of how that great aria should be sung.” — John von Rhein, Chicago Tribune Puccini                        “Nessun dorma” One of the most familiar arias in the world, it is also one of the most thrilling to hear in person. Remarkably, the aria’s setting in the opera Turandot involves life or death for an entire city: the character Calaf has correctly answered riddles in order to marry the princess Turandot, but she recoils.  He gives her the chance to guess his name and escape the marriage: accepting, she decrees death to all if the name is not given by morning, and therefore nessun dorma – ‘no one sleeps’. (recording: Mario del Monaco)   Stravinsky       Concerto in E flat “Dumbarton Oaks” Russian composer Igor Stravinsky was the most influential composer of the Russian expatriates, becoming an international superstar and sought-after in the United States. In 1937 he was commissioned by Robert Woods Bliss and Mildred Barnes Bliss, a prominent Washington couple. The composition’s premiere, for the couples' 30th wedding anniversary, occurred at their residence 'Dumbarton Oaks' in the lavish Music Room (a room which, incidentally, only a few years later would host the meeting of minds that eventually no Tahoe SummerFest Chats SummerFest Opening weekend continues on Saturday evening August 2nd with the artistry of Matthew Polenzani, plus lilting music with 17th century roots, and a Symphony named for the city that loved Mozart. Respighi's Ancient Airs and Dances, SummerFest Opening weekend continues on Saturday evening August 2nd with the artistry of Matthew Polenzani, plus lilting music with 17th century roots, and a Symphony named for the city that loved Mozart. Respighi's Ancient Airs and Dances, Suite 3 captures the atmosphere of centuries past in elegant and colorful writing for the orchestra.  Ottorino Respighi was not only a composer, but also an antiquarian who loved and studied the music of centuries past.  His delight in the lute compositions of the 16th and 17th centuries led him to 're-create' the music by clothing them in modern musical garb.  He managed to preserve the elegance and emotion of the original lute music, while giving it wonderful orchestra colors that sound very modern, making these some of the most popular works of the 20th century.  Listen to how magically he achieved these transformations... 1. Italiana: gallant and refined, but with a spark 2. Arie di corte: warm and sensual lines turn to toe-tapping rhythms 3. Siciliana: a slow waltz swings between restraint and passion 4. Passacaglia: flying fingers of the orchestra - flying footwork of the court dancers   Arias with Matthew Polenzani, tenor SummerFest is honored to have Mr. Polenzani join the orchestra for this opening weekend.  Polenzani's talents have taken him to the great opera houses of the world: New York's Metropolitan Opera, London's Covent Garden, Berlin's Deutche Oper, Munich's Bayerische Staatsoper, Chicago's Lyric Opera, and many, many more. This evening he treats us to two signature performances; a heartbreaking aria from Massenet's opera Werther, and the world-famous 'Nessun Dorma' from Puccini's opera Turandot. Massenet        “Pourquoi me réveiller” Taken from a novella by the German author Goethe, The Sorrows of Young Werther, this opera depicts a tale of misguided passion. The character Werther is madly in love with Charlotte, his friends wife. To forget her, he has run away. But when he returns, he finds that he is more in love than ever. Then, in reciting a favorite poem for Charlotte, Werther realizes that though she returns his love, they can never be together. In desperation, he describes his emotions in this aria: "Why do you awaken me, sweetest breath of Spring?" (recording: Alfredo Kraus) The  Chicago Tribune had this to say about about Polenzani's portrayal of the tortured Werther: "The beauty of his sound, the musicality of his legato, the suppleness of his phrasing, the clarity of his French diction, the ringing ease of his high notes – all served a finely realized portrayal. His account of Werther’s ‘Pourquoi me reveiller’, ardent yet elegant, was a model of how that great aria should be sung.” — John von Rhein, Chicago Tribune Puccini                        “Nessun dorma” One of the most familiar arias in the world, it is also one of the most thrilling to hear in person. Remarkably, the aria’s setting in the opera Turandot involves life or death for an entire city: the character Calaf has correctly answered riddles in order to marry the princess Turandot, but she recoils.  He gives her the chance to guess his name and escape the marriage: accepting, she decrees death to all if the name is not given by morning, and therefore nessun dorma – ‘no one sleeps’. (recording: Mario del Monaco)   Stravinsky       Concerto in E flat “Dumbarton Oaks” Russian composer Igor Stravinsky was the most influential composer of the Russian expatriates, becoming an international superstar and sought-after in the United States. In 1937 he was commissioned by Robert Woods Bliss and Mildred Barnes Bliss, a prominent Washington couple. The composition’s premiere, for the couples' 30th wedding anniversary, occurred at their residence 'Dumbarton Oaks' in the lavish Music Room (a room which, incidentally, only a few years later would host the meeting of minds that eventually http://www.tahoesummerfestblog.com/2014/07/23/opening-concert-holds-riches-both-mystical-and-buoyant/ http://www.blubrry.com/tahoe_summerfest_chats/2788095/opening-concert-holds-riches-both-mystical-and-buoyant/ Tahoe SummerFest Chats Podcast Wed, 23 Jul 2014 21:31:46 -0400 Friday, August 1st, Lake Tahoe SummerFest opens its 2014 season! This opening concert features music of Mendelssohn, Britten and Beethoven, all of which have deep roots in the natural world. Mendelssohn's visit to Scotland and Fingal's Cave gave rise to sweeping orchestral sea sounds, Britten's use of six poems about night takes us into the nocturnal world of dreams and eerie beauty, and Beethoven's sunny 4th Symphony reflects the countryside he inhabited while he composed.  Most importantly, we are honored to have star tenor Matthew Polenzani join the orchestra for the entire opening weekend, leading us through the Britten Serenade, famous opera arias, and the most beloved songs of Schubert. To be in Lake Tahoe experiencing music that reflects the world's natural beauty creates a very remarkable synergy.  To give you a taste of what's in store for you, we've prepared a few notes and music clips that will introduce you to the stunning music of the season. Click on the arrows, and enjoy! FRIDAY, AUGUST 1, 7 PM "Hebrides Overture, Fingal's Cave": The ideal musical description of a natural wonder, and a state of awe. When Felix Mendelssohn was 20 years old - already a famous composer and pianist - he traveled to Scotland's Isle of Staffa and saw Fingal's Cave.  He was transfixed, and wrote to his sister “In order to make you understand how extraordinarily the Hebrides affected me, the following came into my mind there” and penned 21 bars of music that would become the opening of the piece, and the perfect rendering of a seascape and crashing ocean waves.  Fingal's Cave is famous for the unusual musical sounds that emanate from inside of it when the seas are active; in this selelction you'll hear the quiet water grow into stormy waves and then retreat.   Benjamin Britten: Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings One of the greatest song cycles of the 20th century: a mystical rendering of night, dreams, and sleep. Benjamin Britten is the perhaps the most widely acclaimed British composer of the 20th century.. In this hauntingly beautiful and compelling work, the composer uses the unusual color of solo tenor, solo horn and string orchestra to set six first-rate poems that touch on the theme of night and dreams in a remarkable range of moods. Here are short samples from 3 of the 6 movements: Prologue - 14 magical bars for horn alone.  The soloist is instructed to play without pressing the keys, and spins a musical line that sounds almost primeval. Hymn  - a poem of Diana, the goddess of hunting and the moon, in a brilliant setting for both soloists. "Queen and Huntress, chaste and fair/Now the Sun is laid to sleep/Seated in thy silver chair/State in wonted manner keep:/Hesperus entreats thy light/Goddess excellently bright." (Ben Johnson) Sonnet finishes the song cycle in one of the most riveting exposed passages ever written for soloist and strings. After the tenor forcefully proclaims "Save me from curious conscious, that still lords its strength for darkness," the strings begin to create a luminous rising line that echoes sleep spinning heavenwards, leading the piece to stillness. "Turn the key deftly in the oiled wards/and seal the hushed casket of my Soul." (John Keats)      Beethoven Symphony No. 4 finishes the concert in the spirit of celebration! A sunny, cheerful and high-spirited work, this lyrical symphony reflects the spaciousness and warmth of nature, just as we experience it here in Tahoe.  Beethoven wrote this work at the country palace of a patron, far away from the bustle of Vienna, and one can certainly hear the inspiration of the natural world.  Though the symphony is spontaneous and has light elements, it still contains deep and powerful moments, with darkness blossoming into light. Movement 1 begins with a suspenseful slow introduction, then suddenly leaps into a lively Allegro (meaning 'happy'): no Tahoe SummerFest Chats Friday, August 1st, Lake Tahoe SummerFest opens its 2014 season! This opening concert features music of Mendelssohn, Britten and Beethoven, all of which have deep roots in the natural world. Mendelssohn's visit to Scotland and Fingal's Cave gave rise ... Friday, August 1st, Lake Tahoe SummerFest opens its 2014 season! This opening concert features music of Mendelssohn, Britten and Beethoven, all of which have deep roots in the natural world. Mendelssohn's visit to Scotland and Fingal's Cave gave rise to sweeping orchestral sea sounds, Britten's use of six poems about night takes us into the nocturnal world of dreams and eerie beauty, and Beethoven's sunny 4th Symphony reflects the countryside he inhabited while he composed.  Most importantly, we are honored to have star tenor Matthew Polenzani join the orchestra for the entire opening weekend, leading us through the Britten Serenade, famous opera arias, and the most beloved songs of Schubert. To be in Lake Tahoe experiencing music that reflects the world's natural beauty creates a very remarkable synergy.  To give you a taste of what's in store for you, we've prepared a few notes and music clips that will introduce you to the stunning music of the season. Click on the arrows, and enjoy! FRIDAY, AUGUST 1, 7 PM "Hebrides Overture, Fingal's Cave": The ideal musical description of a natural wonder, and a state of awe. When Felix Mendelssohn was 20 years old - already a famous composer and pianist - he traveled to Scotland's Isle of Staffa and saw Fingal's Cave.  He was transfixed, and wrote to his sister “In order to make you understand how extraordinarily the Hebrides affected me, the following came into my mind there” and penned 21 bars of music that would become the opening of the piece, and the perfect rendering of a seascape and crashing ocean waves.  Fingal's Cave is famous for the unusual musical sounds that emanate from inside of it when the seas are active; in this selelction you'll hear the quiet water grow into stormy waves and then retreat.   Benjamin Britten: Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings One of the greatest song cycles of the 20th century: a mystical rendering of night, dreams, and sleep. Benjamin Britten is the perhaps the most widely acclaimed British composer of the 20th century.. In this hauntingly beautiful and compelling work, the composer uses the unusual color of solo tenor, solo horn and string orchestra to set six first-rate poems that touch on the theme of night and dreams in a remarkable range of moods. Here are short samples from 3 of the 6 movements: Prologue - 14 magical bars for horn alone.  The soloist is instructed to play without pressing the keys, and spins a musical line that sounds almost primeval. Hymn  - a poem of Diana, the goddess of hunting and the moon, in a brilliant setting for both soloists. "Queen and Huntress, chaste and fair/Now the Sun is laid to sleep/Seated in thy silver chair/State in wonted manner keep:/Hesperus entreats thy light/Goddess excellently bright." (Ben Johnson) Sonnet finishes the song cycle in one of the most riveting exposed passages ever written for soloist and strings. After the tenor forcefully proclaims "Save me from curious conscious, that still lords its strength for darkness," the strings begin to create a luminous rising line that echoes sleep spinning heavenwards, leading the piece to stillness. "Turn the key deftly in the oiled wards/and seal the hushed casket of my Soul." (John Keats)      Beethoven Symphony No. 4 finishes the concert in the spirit of celebration! A sunny, cheerful and high-spirited work, this lyrical symphony reflects the spaciousness and warmth of nature, just as we experience it here in Tahoe.  Beethoven wrote this work at the country palace of a patron, far away from the bustle of Vienna, and one can certainly hear the inspiration of the natural world.  Though the symphony is spontaneous and has light elements, it still contains deep and powerful moments, with darkness blossoming into light. Movement 1 begins with a suspenseful slow introduction, then suddenly leaps into a lively Allegro (meaning 'happy'): http://www.tahoesummerfestblog.com/2013/08/16/final-chamber-concert-will-heat-up-the-tent/ http://www.blubrry.com/tahoe_summerfest_chats/2788094/final-2013-chamber-concert-will-heat-up-the-tent/ Tahoe SummerFest Chats Podcast Fri, 16 Aug 2013 17:36:35 -0400 These Chamber concerts highlight the virtuosity of the individual orchestra players - you will see and hear them in a new and exciting way! Haydn Piano Trio: "Gypsy" Written in 1795, this trio was nicknamed the ‘Gypsy’ because of its spirited finale in ‘hungarian’ or gypsy style.  To truly understand the genial and lyrical essence of this trio it’s best to acknowledge the person it is dedicated to, Rebecca Schroeder. Needing a music copyist while in London, Haydn engaged a pianist, a widow who due to poverty had been forced to take on copying work.  The two developed a tender relationship, and Haydn subsequently dedicated all 3 Piano Trios to her. The first movement presents easy-going variations in waltz time... Haydn Trio: Andante the second a tender slow movement. Haydn Trio: Poco Andante In the finale we hear the ‘gypsy’ element - and where the performers can release formality and ‘put the pedal to the metal’, playing a lively movement truly designed to bring down the house! Haydn: Trio Rondo Schubert: Octet Laura Hamilton, violin - Jeehae Lee, violin - Milan Milisavljevic, viola - Peter Wyrick, cello - Jeremy McCoy, bass - Dan Gilbert, clarinet - John Wetherill, bassoon - Eric Ralske, French Horn In 1824, 27 year old Franz Schubert was finding it hard to garner recognition for himself, since he lived in the same city as the most famous of his contemporary composers – Beethoven.  When commissioned by Count Ferdinand von Troyer to compose a chamber music piece to complement Beethoven’s Septet, Schubert in exasperation requested permission to add a second violin to the ensemble. Permission was granted, and this Octet was born and history was made.  Troyer, an accomplished clarinetist, performed it in 1824, and Schubert heard it again in 1827 in a performance hall in one of the composer’s favorite establishments, The Red Hedgehog Café.  The structure of the piece is unusual in that it consists of six movements. True to its reputation as a perennial favorite, it keeps the audience fully engaged throughout. Schubert Octet: Adagio Allegro 1 Schubert Octet: Adagio 2     Schubert Octet: Allegro vivace 3 Schubert Octet: Andante 4 Schubert Octet: Menuetto 5 Schubert: Octet Andante/Allegro 6 no Tahoe SummerFest Chats These Chamber concerts highlight the virtuosity of the individual orchestra players - you will see and hear them in a new and exciting way! Haydn Piano Trio: "Gypsy" Written in 1795, this trio was nicknamed the ‘Gypsy’ because of its spirit... These Chamber concerts highlight the virtuosity of the individual orchestra players - you will see and hear them in a new and exciting way! Haydn Piano Trio: "Gypsy" Written in 1795, this trio was nicknamed the ‘Gypsy’ because of its spirited finale in ‘hungarian’ or gypsy style.  To truly understand the genial and lyrical essence of this trio it’s best to acknowledge the person it is dedicated to, Rebecca Schroeder. Needing a music copyist while in London, Haydn engaged a pianist, a widow who due to poverty had been forced to take on copying work.  The two developed a tender relationship, and Haydn subsequently dedicated all 3 Piano Trios to her. The first movement presents easy-going variations in waltz time... Haydn Trio: Andante the second a tender slow movement. Haydn Trio: Poco Andante In the finale we hear the ‘gypsy’ element - and where the performers can release formality and ‘put the pedal to the metal’, playing a lively movement truly designed to bring down the house! Haydn: Trio Rondo Schubert: Octet Laura Hamilton, violin - Jeehae Lee, violin - Milan Milisavljevic, viola - Peter Wyrick, cello - Jeremy McCoy, bass - Dan Gilbert, clarinet - John Wetherill, bassoon - Eric Ralske, French Horn In 1824, 27 year old Franz Schubert was finding it hard to garner recognition for himself, since he lived in the same city as the most famous of his contemporary composers – Beethoven.  When commissioned by Count Ferdinand von Troyer to compose a chamber music piece to complement Beethoven’s Septet, Schubert in exasperation requested permission to add a second violin to the ensemble. Permission was granted, and this Octet was born and history was made.  Troyer, an accomplished clarinetist, performed it in 1824, and Schubert heard it again in 1827 in a performance hall in one of the composer’s favorite establishments, The Red Hedgehog Café.  The structure of the piece is unusual in that it consists of six movements. True to its reputation as a perennial favorite, it keeps the audience fully engaged throughout. Schubert Octet: Adagio Allegro 1 Schubert Octet: Adagio 2     Schubert Octet: Allegro vivace 3 Schubert Octet: Andante 4 Schubert Octet: Menuetto 5 Schubert: Octet Andante/Allegro 6