Lang Lang (Photo: La Scena Musicale)

Young star pianist Lang Lang is unquestionably a distinctive artist. In another way, though, he represents the evolving musical culture of his homeland. China is now the home of the world’s most active piano manufacturer — and as many as 80 million piano students (see A Nation of Pianos and Pianists).

Fundamental tenets of Confucian philosophy emphasize the importance of education and success, acceptance and recognition of authority, and service to one’s neighborhood and country. These principles remain influential in many Asian nations, including China. Families often make enormous personal and financial sacrifices to ensure that their children achieve these goals.

Lang Lang’s book Journey of a Thousand Miles tells the story of his family’s efforts to help him develop his artistry and career. He’ll visit Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Cleveland Wednesday (8 October 2008) at 7pm to discuss Journey and autograph copies. For more information, ring up Joseph-Beth at 216 691-7000.

Further reading:

A Nation of Pianos and Pianists in WKSU Classical

Classical Music in China: A Closer Look in WKSU Classical

Journey of a Thousand Miles at Powell’s Books

Playing With Flying Keys at Barnes and Noble

Lang Lang’s website

You may have read that Bach’s Well Tempered Clavier was written for a keyboard instrument in equal temperament. Well, not exactly. This Introduction to Historical Tunings explains what temperament is, how to categorize Bach’s WTC, and what Bach was trying to say musically.

Columbus Symphony musicians rehearse (symphonymusicians.com)

Last week (Monday 22 September) the musicians of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra accepted a contract which calls for substantial cuts in their salary and benefits. Principal clarinetist David Thomas, for example, will see his paycheck sag below what he was earning when he first joined the orchestra in 1989.

The $1.3 million reduction is an echo of 2005, when the musicians gave up exactly the same amount in salaries and benefits.

The symphony board had first suggested trimming the roster from 53 to 31, effectively turning the symphony into a chamber orchestra. Later they amended that proposal to maintain the orchestra’s strength but with a 40% cut in base salaries, partly through a reduction in the number of concerts per season.

In the end, the giveback was 27%. The final agreement curtails the musicians’ season, from 46 to 38 weeks. It cuts the base salary from $1,200 per week to $1,100 per week, with further reductions in pension contributions and health care plan expenditure. Some concerts will move from the Ohio Theatre to Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium, where the rent is cheaper and the acoustics less suitable.

Officially, the Columbus Symphony is back in business. But at what cost? The relationship between management and orchestra members could hardly be described as amicable. At least a half-dozen musicians have already moved on. Given the tense atmosphere and the financial stress, how many more experienced players will defect to other orchestras? With salaries declining, what caliber of musicians will audition to replace them?

Perhaps the greatest and most immediate uncertainty for both musicians and listeners is — who will lead? During the contract dispute, the orchestra’s well-regarded music director, Junichi Hirokami, came down solidly on the side of the musicians. At least one of the board’s budget proposals included sacking Hirokami. The musicians turned thumbs down on that pact, but Hirokami’s future with the Columbus Symphony is still in doubt.

Meanwhile, the Symphony must begin the process of raising funds to cover its $9.5 million budget ($3 million less than last year’s). Not only will they be hampered by a tight economy, they’ll have to overcome lingering concerns among potential supporters over the organization’s internal acrimony, artistic leadership status, and long-term viability.

The orchestra is expected to perform in the pit for Opera Columbus’s staging of Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers in October. Opera Columbus’s artistic director, William Boggs, will conduct. The Holiday pops concerts are on for December, with an abbreviated regular season to begin in January. The conductor of those concerts? No one knows.

Further reading:

Orchestra is revived, but future still murky (Columbus Dispatch)

Joint Statement (Columbus Symphony and AFM Local 103)

All Columbus Symphony entries in WKSU Classical

Don Rosenberg (cleveland.com)

The Baltimore Sun reports today that Donald Rosenberg, longtime music critic of the Plain Dealer, and before that of the Beacon Journal, has been pulled off the Cleveland Orchestra beat. Another critic at the paper, Zachary Lewis, will be covering the orchestra’s concerts in the future.

Read more:

Cleveland critic who dared criticize is reassigned in the Baltimore Sun

When I was in high school, it was still fairly uncommon (and pretty darn prestigious) for a kid to drive a car to school. The lucky seniors would circle the block before and after class, cruising for girls (most of the cars had boys at the wheel), blasting The Doors and The Who from their 8-track tape decks.

Rock and roll was the soundtrack of their lives (and for many of them it still is). I confess that I too was a bit too easily impressed by sheer volume — but by then I’d discovered that other instruments besides fuzzed-out electric guitar could burn off my excess of adolescent adrenaline.

Full-bore Wagnerian orchestras made for a good, solid thump to the musical gut, but what really caught my attention was the pipe organ. To make a grand noise with an orchestra required the cooperation of a hundred or more players, but a solitary (albeit busy) organist could swamp an auditorium or cathedral in pounding waves of sound. What more could a vaguely misanthropic, slightly sullen adolescent wish for?

Forget E. Power Biggs and Marie-Claire Alain. These organists and their wimpy little European church organs were much too sober and thoughtful for a hormone-addled teen. I was looking for some serious decibels. I found them in Virgil Fox, pedal to the metal on Philadelphia’s Wanamaker Organ, and the now nearly-forgotten Robert Elmore at the console of the Atlantic City Convention Hall Organ. No wonder one of my birthday gifts was a pair of headphones!

Boardwalk Hall Auditorium Organ Console (Photo: Antoni Scott/ACCHOS)

The Midmer-Losh organ in the Atlantic City Convention Hall (now Boardwalk Hall) is still, as far as I know, the largest organ ever built anywhere in the world. However, in the half-century since Elmore recorded Bach on the Biggest, it’s suffered mightily from haphazard nature and thoughtless humanity. With no one to pay for the three full-time technicians required to maintain its roughly 33,000 pipes (no one has ever really counted them), let alone carry out the restoration needed, it’s now effectively unplayable.

We may not be able to hear the world’s largest organ, but we can still hear the largest playable organ.

John Wanamaker founded a men’s clothing store in Philadephia in 1861. By 1910 he was so successful that he built a department store with 2 million square feet of space on 12 floors.

The Wanamaker Organ, Philadelphia (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Already in that era, true success in life usually included an appreciation of culture — if not actually achieved, at least affected. The focal point of Wanamaker’s Department Store was to be a musical one: the organ, then homeless, which American organ building pioneer Murray M. Harris and the Los Angeles Art Organ Company had built for the 1904 St Louis World’s Fair.

But once thirteen railroad freight cars had hauled the instrument’s bulk from St Louis to Philadelphia, and Wanamaker’s technicians had spent two years installing it, Wanamaker decided that it wasn’t beefy enough. The organ’s over 10,000 pipes (by way of comparison, the E. M. Skinner Organ in Severance Hall has just over 6,000 pipes) didn’t make sufficient sound to fill the 7-storey Grand Court Atrium. So Wanamaker founded and staffed a complete organ building shop in the attic of his store. By 1917, the Wanamaker Organ had nearly doubled in size, to 18,000 pipes.

Wanamaker brought the Philadelphia Orchestra and Leopold Stokowski to his store to dedicate the expanded organ in 1919. For years afterward, he sponsored a series of regular recitals featuring such noted musicians as Marcel Dupre and Louis Vierne.

In 1924, John Wanamaker’s son Rodman asked Dupre and the store’s organist, Charles Courboin, to plan yet another expansion of the organ — and to spare no expense. Following the project, the organ was to be rededicated.

Wanamaker neither saw nor heard his dream for the organ fulfilled. He died unexpectedly in 1928. Work on the expansion finally ground to a halt two years later, as the Great Depression settled in. By then, the Wanamaker Organ had grown to an astounding 28,482 pipes.

Granted, that’s not as many as the Boardwalk Hall Auditorium Organ has — but the Wanamaker Organ has far more pipes that actually play.

For that we should give credit to Macy’s, current keeper of what was once Wanamaker’s department store. It’s nearly unimaginable that any department store of today would commission such a dramatic instrument. Yet Macy’s have retained the store organist of 20 years to play the Wanamaker Organ twice a day, six days a week. Imagine shopping to that — and in fact the store’s manager says that the daily recitals bring in customers.

Macy’s have also collaborated with (and contributed to) the Friends of the Wanamaker Organ, a private group of fans who’ve helped to maintain the organ for years, allowing them to set up a repair shop to keep the instrument fit. Indeed, in 1995, only about 20% of the organ was functional. Today, thanks to their efforts, the instrument is essentially at full capacity. The Friends have even added a rank, bringing the pipe count to an imposing 28,543.

But let’s return for a moment to the 1924 organ expansion project, and the dedicatory recital that never materialized.

Peter Richard Conte (Photo: Truckenbrod Concert Artists)

In 1926, Rodman Wanamaker commissioned a dedicatory composition from Joseph Jongen. The composer was to travel to Philadelphia for the premiere in early 1928, but he cancelled the trip after his father died in the fall of 1927. The organ wasn’t really ready anyway, so the concert was pushed back to the autumn of 1928. But by then Wanamaker had died. In the end, Jongen’s work had its premiere in Brussels, 3,600 miles from the organ which had inspired it.

It was never played on the Wanamaker Organ — but 80 years later, it’s about to be. A week from this Sunday (27 September 2008), current Grand Court organist Peter Richard Conte will finally perform the work which Joseph Jongen composed for the organ’s dedication, the Symphonie Concertante Op81.

The concert commemorates the 150th anniversary of Macy’s Department Store. It also marks the return of the Philadelphia Orchestra to the Grand Court, this time conducted by Rossen Milanov. It will include a world premiere, Howard Shore’s Fanfare; Leopold Stokowski’s bang-up arrangement of the Bach Toccata and Fugue in d minor; and Dupre’s Cortege and Litany for Organ and Orchestra.

And what of The Mother of Them All, the Boardwalk Hall Organ? Alas, its prognosis is not as promising. For years, ACCHOS (the Atlantic City Convention Hall Organ Society) has been working to raise funds for its restoration. Currently they hope to at least bring the organ back to its condition of a decade ago, before a carelessly managed Boardwalk Hall renovation destroyed pipes, severed windlines, and filled the organ’s works with dust. A tiny part of the funding for that effort will come from sales of the CD reissue of Elmore’s 1956 recording, but much more is still needed to achieve even that modest goal.

As for me, I’m a long way from my teenage years and attitudes. I’ve discovered the deep satisfaction to be found in making music with other musicians. I’ve also learned to appreciate much more of the pipe organ’s expressive range — including (especially!) Marie-Claire Alain’s Bach. But now and again, with a furtive glance over my shoulder (is anyone watching?), I still slip Bach on the Biggest into the CD player. Just for old time’s sake, mind you.

Further reading:

The Wanamaker Organ in Wikipedia

Wanamaker’s Department Store in Wikipedia

Amid Shirts and Socks, a Concert Can Break Out in New York Times (registration may be required)

Boardwalk Hall Auditorium Organ in Wikipedia

Links:

Friends of the Wanamaker Organ

Atlantic City Convention Hall Organ Society

Philadelphia Orchestra Concert Tickets

Listening:

Virgil Fox Plays the Wanamaker Grand Court Organ, Philadelphia (1964) DVD at Gothic Records

Bach on the Biggest and Boardwalk Pipes CD at the Organ Historical Society

Bach Organ Masterpieces performed by Marie Claire Alain at Amazon

Manfred Honeck with two of his six children (Photo: WQED)

This is the weekend (19-20 September 2008) that Austrian-born conductor Manfred Honeck finally takes the reins at the Pittsburgh Symphony.

His name isn’t well known in the States, but at almost exactly 50 (he was born on 17 September 1958), Honeck is a rising star in Europe. He will be heading up the orchestra led by such legends as William Steinberg and Fritz Reiner. Add more recent names such as Andre Previn, Lorin Maazel, and Mariss Jansons to the list, and you can see that Honeck has some large and very well-made shoes to fill.

There are indications that Pittsburgh needn’t worry. For one thing, Honeck has plenty of experience. He arrives after 6 seasons as music director of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. He’s also shown his mettle piloting three opera orchestras. From 1991 to 1996, Honeck conducted at Zurich Opera (where until this season Franz Welser-Moest was general music director). He spent two seasons as music director of the Norwegian National Opera. Finally, Honeck will be dividing his time between leading Pittsburgh and his recently acquired duties as music director of the Stuttgart State Opera.

Honeck came to the podium from its other side. Until the Zurich Opera hired him, Honeck played viola in the Vienna Philharmonic. Landing that gig was a real accomplishment for him — he was a violinist, not a violist! When the viola position opened, Honeck asked one of the orchestra’s other violists, Alfred Starr, to give him lessons. Five months later, he passed his audition. (He was to repeat this performance with the Zurich Opera; when they hired him, he’d conducted only 3 operas.)

Like most Philharmonic musicians, Honeck played for 3 seasons in the Vienna State Opera Orchestra, then in 1986 took his seat in the Philharmonic’s viola section. Many musicans, deeply gratified to find themselves in such a prestigious and comfortable post, would have settled in for the long haul. But Honeck couldn’t resist the pull of the podium. After only a few seasons, the baton won out over the bow, and in 1992 Honeck bowed out of the Philharmonic — to the consternation of his fellow players, who regarded him as a valuable member of the team.

After he shares the stage with star pianist Lang Lang for a fundraiser this Friday night (19 September 2008), Honeck will bring in another star attraction, Violinist Joshua Bell, for the classical series opener next weekend. He begins with the aptly named Short Ride in a Fast Machine by American John Adams (hint: it’s about as noisy as you’d expect). He and Bell will tackle the Tchaikovsky concerto next, and then Honeck will get right down to the business of starting his own Mahler cycle with the first symphony (the “Titan”).

Honeck has been greeted by a flood of favorable mentions in Pittsburgh’s newspaper. Certainly the musicians seem to be keen to work with him. If the audiences respond as eagerly, Pittsburgh should have another winner.

Over a half-century on, the ensemble that was arguably the world’s most famous piano trio is no more. They’ve played their finale where they made their 1955 debut — the Tanglewood Festival.

It’s a poignant moment for me, as a classical announcer and music director. "Beaux Arts" was one of the first names I learned to pronounce when I first started announcing classical music almost 35 years ago! But of course what I really remember them for is their unflagging musicianship. They brought Haydn’s trios to my attention, infused Schubert with an unmatched poetry, and captured the anguish and intensity of the Shostakovich e-minor trio like no one else ever has.

The Beaux Arts Trio I remember best is that group — Menahem Pressler, Isidore Cohen, and Bernard Greenhouse. They’ve been through several personnel changes since, most recently landing the promising young violinist Daniel Hope in 2002.

It’s partly Hope’s career trajectory that’s helped to seal the trio’s fate. It’s certainly not Pressler’s. At 84, founding pianist Menahem Pressler is still going strong and intends to forge ahead with a full performance and teaching schedule. But Hope is leaving to pursue his developing solo career. Pressler and cellist Antonio Meneses say they can’t face "breaking in" yet another violinist.

I’ll miss them, and I’m sure you will too. But every end has its concomitant beginning. With luck their departure will spur reissues of the trio’s voluminous older catalog on CD, or at least on downloads.

Further reading:

• Beaux Arts Trio Bids Farewell at NPR.org
• A Trio Winds Down at the New York Times (registration may be required)

Listening with the Beaux Arts Trio:

• Complete Haydn Trios at Arkivmusic
• Schubert Trios at CD Universe
• Shostakovich Trios at Amazon

Note: The vendor links above are provided solely for your information. WKSU doesn’t endorse these suppliers, nor does it receive any financial benefit from your use of the links.

The Cleveland Orchestra is wrapping up its residency in Salzburg, Austria and leaves next week for the Lucerne Festival. WKSU’s Vivian Goodman talked with the classical music critic of the International Herald Tribune about the orchestra’s rave reviews.

More: http://www.wksu.org/news/story/22270

It’s not opera, but it is the Met, it is Verdi, it is vocal, and you can hear it, live and in person, for free — with (literally) a bit of luck.

Next month (September 2008), James Levine will conduct the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus in a free performance of Verdi’s Requiem. Soloists Barbara Frittoli, Olga Borodina, Marcello Giordani, and James Morris will join them. The concert is in memory of tenor Luciano Pavarotti, who died on 6 September 2007.

In most cities you can expect interest in a free concert, of course. However, this is the Met, and it’s New York. Think of the nightmares their ticket office staff must be having.

In an effort to manage the demand, the Opera is conducting a random drawing. To enter, fill out the form at the Met’s website, or call the Met’s ticket service at 212 362-6000. Website and telephone entries will be accepted between 20 August (Wednesday of this week) and 8:00pm, Wednesday 3 September. You can also submit an entry in person at the Met. They’re not accepting mail or email entries, and they’re enforcing a strict one-per-customer limit.

The concert will take place on Thursday 18 September 18 at 5:00pm at The Met Opera House. If your name isn’t drawn for a ticket, you can at least listen live via streaming audio at the Met’s website.

Youngstown-born American composer Donald Erb died last week. Erb, distinguished professor emeritus of composition at the Cleveland Institute of Music, was 81.

Erb was one of the pioneers of electronic music and was especially noted for his works combining electronics with traditional instruments. He played trumpet in high school and was a jazz trumpet player in the years after World War II. Many of his later works employed brass instruments. He had an intense and visceral reaction to the Cold War and Vietnam conflict, as evidenced in such works as Fallout (1964), Fission (1968), and The Purple-Roofed Ethical Suicide Parlor (1972).

Erb attended Kent State University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1950. He then studied composition with Marcel Dick at the Cleveland Institute of Music. He also studied with Nadia Boulanger in Paris and with Bernhard Heiden at Indiana University, Bloomington. He received his Doctorate from Indiana in 1964.

Donald Erb was appointed to the CIM faculty in 1952. He was composer in residence there from 1966 to 1981, became distinguished professor of composition in 1987, and moved to emeritus status in 1996.

That same year, Erb suffered cardiac arrest. He had not been active as a composer since.

Erb leaves his wife of 58 years, Lucille; daughter Christine Hoell and son Matthew, both of Columbus; daughter Stephanie Erb of Los Angeles; daughter Janet Carroll of Rockaway, NJ; and nine grandchildren.