It's official: Kurt Masur is out for the LPO's Washington performance. Replacing him is not Osmo Vänskä as we had previously suggested (the wish having been the father of the rumor?) but Anyway... it wouldn't be March-Madness for WPAS if all they had to replace was two conductors and one pianist. Let's throw the possibility of a bailing violinist out there, too. No Khachatryan? - No Problem: There is another capable (and sexier) replacement waiting in the wings. Stepping in, gracefully, would be Arabella Steinbacher. Vänskä, Tortelier, Dutoit or Masur, Khachatryan or Steinbacher - the concert (Britten, Khachaturian, Tchaikovsky) still promises to be an event that WPAS should have no problem filling decently. That only leaves them worrying about convincing patrons not to return their tickets for Perahia-cum-Peter Serkin and his program of Beethoven's Hammerklavier (daring stuff; last one to try in the region almost didn't live to tell that tale) preceded by transcribed Renaissance songs.
Totally agree with your review of the last Hammerklavier. Did you know that it's on of Pollini's Barbican recital this month? And we have no program hints from WPAS yet. Dare we hope for 3 in one season?
ReplyDeleteHello JFL
ReplyDeleteAfter 5 weeks of thinking about equal musics, I have committed this. You might find it fun and your comments would be most highly appreciated.
Gawain
Terry: If Pollini fills one half of the recital with 106, I'll be in heaven. One half, at any rate, will be taken up by Chopin Nocturnes... we don't need an announcement to know that.
ReplyDeleteThis Performance has been Cancelled
ReplyDeleteDon't you do that to me, Pollini-man. No,no,no,no,no... don't even think about it. You go to bed now, pronto, have a hot cup of somethin' and get in fightin' shape by the time you are to appear at Strathmore. Remember, 8PM, sharp!