Podcasts about conductor joann falletta

JoAnn Falletta and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra — Danny Elfman: Violin Concerto 'Eleven Eleven' & Adolphus Hailstork: Piano Concerto No. 1 (Naxos) Jump to giveaway form New Classical Tracks - JoAnn Falletta by “I've been doing a lot of American concertos and commissioning them for our players. I'd love to start a concert series of American concertos,” conductor JoAnn Falletta says. “What better way to start than with these two unbelievable pieces?” As the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra music director and music director laureate of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Falletta has built a reputation as a champion of American composers. Her latest recording features Danny Elfman's first violin concerto, Eleven Eleven, with violinist Sandy Cameron, and the Piano Concerto No. 1, by Adolphus Hailstork, with pianist Stewart Goodyear. “I chose these works because they were from a different world than we normally associate with concertos. Adolphus Hailstork is African American and has intense training in classical Western music,” Falletta says. “Violinist Sandy Cameron comes from Danny Elfman, who had never written a classical piece until he wrote this amazing violin concerto. They are two very out-there concertos. I love them. They're destined to be classics of the 21st century.” The Virginia Symphony commissioned Adolphus Hailstork's Piano Concerto No. 1. “That's right. It was commissioned right after I became music director. Part of the reason for the commission was that Hailstork lived in my apartment building. We both came to Virginia at the same time. I came to work with the orchestra, and he came to teach at Old Dominion University and Norfolk State University. “He wrote so many pieces and was very active as a composer. We played them all. He was also our composer in residence, and we got to do premieres of his pieces all the time. But we asked him to write a piano concerto, and he wrote this amazing piece. We took it with us when we made our debut performance at Carnegie Hall. “I thought it was time to record it with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. We have to record it because no one knows about this piece. It's one of the greatest piano concertos ever written, after Gershwin.” Tell me about Eleven Eleven, by Danny Elfman. “He was working with Sandy on some of the Tim Burton films, and he had written some parts for solo violin. Sandy lived in Los Angeles and was playing them. Her virtuosity struck him. He said, ‘I want to write a violin concerto, and I want to write it for you.' He had never written a classical piece. At 60, he said, ‘It's about time. If I'm going to do this, I must do it now.' “They came up with this incredible idea of slightly amplifying the violin. Doing that allowed Danny to use the tremendous forces he wanted because the violin would be heard. People listening to the recording won't even be aware of that.  “Danny told me about putting in a Latin tango in the second movement and then wanted to take it out because he said, ‘Oh, no. That's too pop.' Sandy talked him out of it, saying, ‘No, it's great. Our orchestra agreed it was one of their favorite spots.' “It's similar to a film noir concerto if that makes sense. Danny's well known for his Batman music with a city noir soundscape where it's dark and a little threatening. It's just so enticing this dark journey that he takes us on. I teased him when he was there by saying this is what Batman would sound like if you played the violin.” Watch now To hear the rest of my conversation, click on the extended interview above, or download the extended podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. Giveaway Time For Three New Classical Tracks Giveaway You must be 13 or older to submit any information to American Public Media/Minnesota Public Radio. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about things like our programs, products and services. See Terms of Use and Privacy. This giveaway is subject to the Official Giveaway Rules. Resources JoAnn Falletta and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra — Danny Elfman: Violin Concerto 'Eleven Eleven' & Adolphus Hailstork: Piano Concerto No. 1 (Amazon Music) JoAnn Falletta and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra — Danny Elfman: Violin Concerto 'Eleven Eleven' & Adolphus Hailstork: Piano Concerto No. 1 (Presto music) JoAnn Falletta (official site)

JoAnn Falletta and the BPO — Light in a Time of Darkness (Beau Fleuve) Jump to giveaway form   New Classical Tracks - JoAnn Falletta by “I found that the smaller concerts we did all the time during the 2021 season were fantastic for us in developing new skills,” said JoAnn Falletta, music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. “We learned how to listen and lead each other in repertoire that we never played. “We made a recording of some of our favorite pieces from that time, because they were meaningful. Every concert is meaningful, but, somehow, when you're playing in the middle of something as dark as what we lived through, it meant ‘life,''' she said about their new recording, Light in a Time of Darkness. “Six pieces made it onto the disc, and I think we'll always treasure, in our memories, the idea of being together and knowing that somehow we would get through this.” Why did you choose to start the album with Ralph Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis? “Time gets suspended in this piece. Vaughan Williams, on his way back to Thomas Tallis, chose one of his hymns to recast for strings. It feels ageless or timeless. That was what the pandemic was like, time standing still.” How did you discover Ulysses Kay's Pieta? Stanislav Traykov/Wikipedia Michelangelo Buonarroti's sculpture 'Pieta' is housed in St. Peter's Basilica. “I have to give complete credit to my English hornist, Anna Mattix. She is a sleuth for English horn pieces, and she's fabulous. She rediscovered this piece, and there was no recording when she brought it to me. I thought it was extraordinary. “Kay was the first Black American to win the Prix de Rome. When he was in Rome, he went to see Michelangelo's Pieta and wrote this piece about it. It is filled with his personal reflection on that work of art.” What do you love most about George Walker's Lament? “I'm so glad we did this piece. I think this is an American classic. We talk about Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings, but this is a similar piece. It's a piece of mourning and in Walker's case, it is more intimate. It has a lot of inner feeling of mourning, but it's unforgettable.” To hear the rest of my conversation, click on the extended interview above, or download the extended podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. Giveaway Giveaway You must be 13 or older to submit any information to American Public Media/Minnesota Public Radio. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about things like our programs, products and services. See Terms of Use and Privacy. This giveaway is subject to the Official Giveaway Rules. Resources JoAnn Falletta and the BPO — Light in a Time of Darkness (BPO Store) JoAnn Falletta (official site)

JoAnn Falletta & the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra — The Four Seasons / The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires (Beau Fleuve) Jump to giveaway form When the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra took the stage for their season opening concert last September, there was no audience in the hall due to the pandemic. Their loyal fans were watching the concert online.  Conductor JoAnn Falletta had to switch gears quickly. “Initially, we had a very big concert, and we pull out all the stops when we give our opening,” she said. “But, of course, that was not possible. We decided that the most thrilling thing we could do for our audience was to feature Nikki Chooi, our new concertmaster, performing The Four Seasons.” That performance is featured on their latest recording, The Four Seasons / The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires. Why was it important to include The Four Seasons?  “It had to do with Chooi's performance of it, which was thrilling. He puts his own 21st-century voice into it. He was reveling, seeing a sense of humor and loving the music. But, he was not burdened by past performances. He was playing from his heart. “This piece was written almost 300 years ago, and it is still relevant. The coming alive in the spring, the voices of the birds, the summer thunderstorms and the drinking wine is affirming to us about how we understand Antonio Vivaldi. We felt that we had a connection with that music, because it gave us a feeling that life would go on. We can get through this.” What made guest violinist Tessa Lark a good fit for Astor Piazzolla's The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires? “It's about the composer's background. Piazzolla's family were immigrants who moved to Argentina from Italy. He also grew up in Harlem during the jazz era. He studied with Alberto Ginastera and went to Paris to study with Nadia Boulanger. Piazzolla is a complex prism of music, and Lark is the same. “She not only plays classical, but she also plays bluegrass and jazz. Her loose and comfortable approach to playing Piazzolla made it really swing. “The composer said the tango is a sad feeling disguised as a dance. He knew it was the music of immigrants and poor people who knew they would never go home again. But in the tango, they found their soul. They found a way of understanding themselves. Piazzolla knew the sad core of the tango, and Lark was able to bring that to life.” To hear the rest of my conversation, click on the extended interview above, or download the extended podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. Giveaway Giveaway You must be 13 or older to submit any information to American Public Media/Minnesota Public Radio. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about things like our programs, products and services. See Terms of Use and Privacy. This giveaway is subject to the Official Giveaway Rules. Resources JoAnn Falletta & the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra — The Four Seasons / The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires (BPO Store) JoAnn Falletta (official site)

JoAnn Falletta and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra — Florent Schmitt: La Tragedie de Salome/Musique sur l'eau/Oriane et le Prince d'Amour/Légende (Naxos) Jump to CD giveaway form “It was like a treasure box of music that I didn't know at all,” said conductor JoAnn Falletta after scholar Phillip Nones introduced her to the musical scores of Florent Schmitt. “A true colorist, but with more vivid colors, perhaps, than Debussy and Ravel. He's red blooded and he's French, but he's borrowing every way of making music from the German and Russian masters. It just has to be heard to be believed.” Faletta's new album, Florent Schmitt, celebrates the composers 150-year birth anniversary, which was in 2020. Luckily, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra had just performed Florent Schmitt's music in concert before the pandemic started and that performance became this new album. Could you talk about his ballet that was influenced by Salome and how he approached it?  “It is a tragic tale, and he was inspired by Richard Strauss's opera. There's no question that might have been the genesis for it, but his Salome is quite different. It's more French and less brutal. “Salome sings a wordless song in Schmitt's version. We had a beautiful mezzo soprano, Susan Platts, sing that with a chorus of young handmaidens. We used our Buffalo Girls Choir for that. There still is a tragic end, but it's very sensuous music.” Can you talk about how the music reflects the storyline of Oriane et le Prince d'Amour? “Oriane is an incredibly beautiful woman or maybe the most beautiful woman in the world. Men are drawn to her, but she herself never falls in love. She never gives her heart to anyone. She feels nothing for them. At one point, the prince of love arrives at the palace, and she falls in love with him. But he does not give his heart to her, and she is destroyed by that. “He clothed these wonderful, seductive scenes and wild dancing. I've never seen the ballet. I can only imagine what it was like because the music is so powerful. It's about this woman who was dancing with one man after the next and then it's finally undone by love itself.” Do you know the story behind Légende? “I know that there was this woman who asked for the work to be made. She also commissioned Debussy to write his famous piece for saxophone. The original version is beautifully written for saxophone. The French have a special feeling for the saxophone, but then he rewrote it for viola and finally for violin. “He is the most important French composer that you have never heard of. People are intrigued by that because we know so many French composers. We've never heard of him. He is so important and wonderful.”   Watch now  To hear the rest of my conversation, click on the extended interview above, or download the extended podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. Giveaways Giveaways Resources JoAnn Falletta and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra — Florent Schmitt: La Tragedie de Salome/Musique sur l'eau/Oriane et le Prince d'Amour/Légende (Amazon) JoAnn Falletta and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra — Florent Schmitt: La Tragedie de Salome/Musique sur l'eau/Oriane et le Prince d'Amour/Légende (Naxos) JoAnn Falletta (Official site)

“Romeo and Juliet” is a tale of woe. And actually, so is “La Valse.” Conductor Joann Falletta paired these pieces together for a program of music by Sergei Prokofiev and Maurice Ravel. Two pieces with fascinating history and devastating stories are the subject of this Classically Speaking. Musical performances are by the Buffalo Philharmonic, the London Philharmonic, and the Nashville Symphony. 

Multiple Grammy Awards, 20 years as music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic, the FIRST WOMAN to be appointed to lead a major American music ensemble, a discography of over 115 titles and guest appearances on FRESH AIR WITH TERRY GROSS, PBS' Live from Lincoln Center, CBS Sunday Morning and more...our guest on this episode of BETTER THAN MONKEYS is none other than the dynamic barrier-breaking, music-making Maestro herself, JoAnn Falletta!

Conductor JoAnn Falletta talks with radio host Peter Hall about her recording of Respighi’s Roman Trilogy, her 24th release for Naxos with the Buffalo Philharmonic. Respighi’s tone poems employ a large symphony orchestra and use a myriad of effects to take the listener through time, space and musical styles. The resultant portraits of Roman festivals, fountains and pine trees are both brilliant and unprecedented. Colour and imagination are central to the cinematic vibrancy that underpins Respighi’s magnificent orchestral kaleidoscope of aspects of Rome, both ancient and modern.

Conductor JoAnn Falletta discusses the Buffalo Philharmonic’s latest recording of Hungarian music with broadcaster Peter Hall. Zoltán Kodály wrote major orchestral scores that were deeply enriched by his researches into Hungarian folk music, not least the heritage of gypsy music. The recording’s programme comprises Dances of Galánta and Dances of Marosszék, both full of swagger and vitality; the lush and sparkling Concerto for Orchestra, commissioned by the Chicago Symphony for its 50th anniversary; and Variations on a Hungarian Folk Song ‘The Peacock’, a virtuoso showcase of sizzling effects.

The Buffalo Philharmonic’s latest release showcases two suites of music by Richard Strauss: the first, Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, one of the composer’s favourite scores and an absolute jewel of incidental music; the second, a new symphonic orchestral suite of his opulent opera, Ariadne auf Naxos. Conductor JoAnn Falletta discusses both the music and the context of the recording with Peter Hall.

Conductor JoAnn Falletta walks through Rimsky-Korsakov’s symphonic poem. Who was Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and why does he have two last names? And why would a 19th century Russian composer write a symphonic poem based on a collection of West and South Asian folk tales written in Arabic in the 16th century? What does it all mean?? Most* of these questions and more are all answered within by Buffalo Philharmonic/Virginia Symphony Orchestra conductor, guitarist, music advocate, and all around amazing lady, JoAnn Falletta. Music in this episode from the Buffalo Philharmonic’s recording of Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Sheherazade,” conducted by JoAnn Falletta.   Conductor JoAnn Falletta. Photo by Mark Dellas, courtesy of JoAnn Falletta. Audio production by Todd “Twister” Hulslander with high kicks by Dacia Clay and editing by Mark DiClaudio. For more about JoAnn Falletta: www.joannfalletta.com *We still don’t know what’s up with the two names thing.