Russo-Finnish favorites from JoAnn Falletta leading the VSO

By Phillip Nones, 02 December 2018

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“in Falletta’s winsome interpretation, Glazunov’s ballet music came across as equal to Tchaikovsky’s”

Reviewed at Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, Virginia Beach on 2 December 2018

Glazunov, The Seasons: Winter (from The Seasons, Op. 67)

Tchaikovsky, Variations on a Rococo Theme in A major, for cello and orchestra, Op.33

Sibelius, Symphony no. 5 in E flat major, Op.82

Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker, Op.71: Pas de deux

Fauré, Élégie in C minor, Op.24

JoAnn Falletta, Conductor

Julian Schwarz, Cello

Virginia Symphony Orchestra

Beethoven’s “Fives” come alive in Virginia

Phillip Nones, 13th June

Olga Kern, JoAnn Falletta and the Virginia Symphony deliver musical high-fives in Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and Emperor Concerto.

****1

Vivid tone painting from Gavrylyuk and Falletta

Phillip Nones, 15th September

Pianist Alexander Gavrylyuk delivers a knockout Rachmaninov Paganini Rhapsody while JoAnn Falletta and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra and Chorus present memorable Tchaikovsky and Ravel scores.

****1

Shakespeare and Schmitt’s Antony and Cleopatra in Virginia

Phillip Nones, 17th May

Coming full circle, Bill Barclay brings his adaptation of Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra featuring Florent Schmitt’s opulent musical score to the Virginia Arts Festival, led by the conductor whose recording started it all.

****1

A French touch: Falletta, Lefèvre and VSO present Gallic creations.

Phillip Nones, 21st October

A rare concerto and a familiar choral work anchor a Virginia Symphony concert that celebrates the French musical spirit.

*****

Two discoveries at the Virginia Symphony

Phillip Nones, 9th April

Young countertenor Aryah Nussbaum Cohen steps in at the last minute to premiere Kenneth Fuchs’ fascinating new composition Poems of Life.

*****

JoAnn Falletta pulls out all the stops in Mahler Five

Phillip Nones, 3rd April

JoAnn Falletta and the Virginia Symphony deliver a poetic and powerful Mahler Fifth Symphony, plus a Glazunov Violin Concerto that positively sparkled.

****1

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Phillip Nones

Phillip Nones studied piano from age six, also playing percussion in educational and civic groups before moving to a rural area of the USA in 1990, where performance opportunities were few. Recently he has started performing again, participating in “side-by-side” orchestra performances and playing percussion in the World Doctors' Orchestra. His personal collection of music includes over 5,000 classical albums in all formats (CDs, LPs, 78s), plus downloads. In his professional life, he heads up a marketing communications firm in the state of Maryland. He blogs about the French composer Florent Schmitt here.

Russo-Finnish favorites from Julian Schwarz, JoAnn Falletta and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra