The pleasures and perils of electronic music

By Kurt Gottschalk, 31 March 2019

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“a dizzying collision of art song and processed cheese”

Reviewed at DiMenna Center for Classical Music: Mary Flagler Cary Hall, New York City on 28 March 2019

Soper, The Understanding of All Things

Soper, The Romance of the Rose (excerpts)

Diels, Bahnhof

Lucier, Wave Songs

Saariaho, Lonh

Kate Soper, Soprano

Charmaine Lee, Vocals

Charlotte Mundy, Soprano

Sam Pluta, Electronics

Devony Smith, Soprano

James Smith, Electric guitar

Laura Barger, Piano

Thomas Feng, Keyboard

Wet Ink Ensemble at Time:Spans festival

Kurt Gottschalk, 15th August

World premieres by ensemble members Alex Mincek and Kate Soper wear their intellects on their sleeves.

*****

When time stands still: the Philharmonia revisits Strauss

Jessica Duchen, 4th June

The Philharmonia, Santtu-Matias Rouvali and Benjamin Grosvenor shine in the recreation of an all-Strauss extravaganza that was conducted in 1947 by the composer himself.

****1

Staatskapelle Dresden’s sonic alchemy at the Elbphilharmonie

Mengguang Huang, 2nd June

From the earthy joy of Meistersinger to the sublime textures of Debussy, Daniele Gatti channels the Dresdeners' legendary, layered warmth into an unforgettable evening of pure acoustic luxury.

****1

Ambition meets the Philharmonie: Peltokoski and Kantorow in Paris

Laurence Vittes, 2nd June

Two prodigies, with a surplus of imagination and more interest in the moment than in creating long arcs of music, join the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse in Paris.

****1

Jurowski marks Hans Werner Henze’s centenary at the Elbphilharmonie

Mengguang Huang, 31st May

Vladimir Jurowski and the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin deliver a lean, razor-sharp exploration of captivity and survival, balancing Beethoven’s and Brahms’ structural clarity against the devastating, high-fidelity distortion of Henze’s Ninth Symphony.

****1

Kissin, Bell and Isserlis: remembrance and loss at Carnegie Hall

Edward Sava-Segal, 31st May

Solomon Rosowsky, Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky form a matinee programme whose deeper connections gradually came into focus.

****1

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Kurt Gottschalk

Kurt Gottschalk is a journalist and author based in New York City. His writings on contemporary and classical music, jazz and improvisation have been published in outlets throughout Europe and America and he has two volumes of short fiction to his name. He produced and hosted the Miniature Minotaurs radio programme on WFMU and currently hosts Afternoon New Music on WKCR.

The pleasures and perils of electronic music at the New York Festival of Song