May 01, 2010
Alan Gilbert
( Phoenix, Az )
•NY Phil to stage Messaien's St. Francis
•Walton Cello work found, recorded
•PHX Chorale uses Facebook to Fundraise
This Week in Classical Music 10/08/09
It’s “This Week in Classical Music” an update on what’s happening in the Classical Music World; I’m Randy Kinkel.
Although it hasn’t formally been announced, news has leaked out that The New York Philharmonic’s Maestro, Alan Gilbert, Plans to bring the first complete New York production of Olivier Messiaen's five-hour opera "St. Francis of Assisi”. A spokesperson for the Phil described as "a major undertaking." The production is tentatively planned for 2013. According to Gilbert, “The main motivation in bringing it is that I think the Phil could play it brilliantly, but I also feel a duty: I love the piece and I think people should have the chance to hear it. When it's given, people travel from all over the world. It's a little like the Ring," he said, referring to Wagner's four-opera Cycle.
A cello work written for Prince Charles has been re-discovered after 40 years. Cellist Tony Woollard was sifting through material for his CD of recordings by British composers when he made a remarkable discovery – a previously unrecorded work by Sir William Walton. What makes Woollard’s find all the more extraordinary is that the piece was written for the Prince of Wales 40 years ago. Walton wrote the Cello piece to mark the anniversary of Charles’s investiture as Prince of Wales and his 21st birthday. Walton’s piece, written on one sheet of 12 staves in light pencil, is extremely simple – and just over a minute long – but masterly. Woollard decided to put together an album of new solo cello pieces by British composers that included the re-discovered Walton piece. When he was putting the album together he contacted Lady Walton. “She was very frail by the time I got in touch with her,” says Woollard, “but she was the first person to hear the recording, which she said she loved.” The Recording, “Cello Journey’ by Tony Woollard is released tomorrow on the Wellhard label.
A few months ago, The Phoenix Chorale’s Director Joel Rinsema and Chorale marketing director Jennifer Rogers and others, asked themselves: What if the organization asked the singers to fundraise for the group? On April 9, the organization launched the "$30K in 30 Days" campaign through the Phoenix Chorale website. group members decided to push the fundraising effort through e-mail and Facebook. The results have been encouraging. Recently, the pledge amount had exceeded $25,600. To Rinsema's knowledge, there aren't any other arts-based organizations in the country doing this. To donate, go to the website at http://phoenixchorale.org/
For more on these and other items and events, go to the website, kbaq.org; Find us on Facebook and follow us on twitter; update; and join me every weekday at noon for the Mozart Buffet, an hour of music by Mozart and his contemporaries. I’m Randy Kinkel, for “This Week in Classical Music” on 89.5 KBAQ Phoenix, a service of Rio Salado College and Arizona State University.
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