This Week in Classical Music: November 6, 2023.Rome, II.Classical Connect is still in Rome.On Saturday we went to a Santa Cecilia concert with Antonio Pappano conducting the Accademia's Orchestra and Igor Levit playing Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto.But we'd like to start with a decidedly non-musical detail.The Santa Cecilia Hall, inaugurated in 2002, was designed by the famous Italian architect, Renzo Piano.Many of Piano's pieces are airy and light, but not this one.It has little ambiance, despite the use of wood, and looks uninviting.The seating, which follows that of the Berliner Philharmonie, is placed all around the orchestra in shallow layers. We're not sure about the acoustics of the hall, as this was our first visit and we've never heard the Accademia Orchestra live, so it's not clear if the numerous imbalances (shrill winds, for example) are the orchestra's fault or the hall's.
But the most fascinating part of the hall's design is the men's bathroom.It has no urinals, only cabins.Men stand in line, not sure which cabin is empty, and enter one that's just vacated.When things get tough, they go around knocking on doors.The question is, were the urinals eliminated as a gesture of support for some feminist causes, or was Signor Piano not aware of how most men's toilets are usually (and efficiently) constructed?
But let’s get back to music.The program consisted of Cherubini’sAnacréon overture, Beethoven's Third PianoConcerto, Sibelius’s En Saga, and Richard Strauss’sTill Eulenspiegel.
Pappano’s entrance was accompanied by thunderous applause.The wind’s first entrance in the Cherubini was not a happy event.Things got better as they moved along, but even though Beethoven rated Cherubini highly, it’s little surprise that his music is played rarely these days.
Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto was a very different story.Igor Levit was superb.His technique seems to have improved since the last time we heard him in Chicago, and his command of the piece was total, even if one may disagree with some of his tempi.The performance was greeted ecstatically, and he played, exquisitely, an encore, Brahms’s Intermezzo in A major, Op. 118.
After the intermission, Pappano presented Sibelius with a speech and made the audience sing a tune from what was to follow.That was much more entertaining than the En Saga itself.The choice of the final piece, TillEulenspiegel, would seem rather unusual, as the winds are not this orchestra's strong suit, but it went well, better than one might have expected judging by the three previous pieces.
If you add a hair-raising ride in a Roman taxi to the concert and back, this was, overall, quite an exhilarating event.
Rome II, 2023
This Week in Classical Music: November 6, 2023. Rome, II. Classical Connect is still in Rome. On Saturday we went to a Santa Cecilia concert with Antonio Pappano conducting the Accademia's Orchestra and Igor Levit playing Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto. But we'd like to start with a decidedly non-musical detail. The Santa Cecilia Hall, inaugurated in 2002, was designed by the famous Italian architect, Renzo Piano. Many of Piano's pieces are airy and light, but not this one. It has little ambiance, despite the use of wood, and looks uninviting. The seating, which follows that of the Berliner Philharmonie, is placed all around the orchestra in shallow layers. We're not sure about the acoustics of the hall, as this was our first visit and we've never heard the Accademia Orchestra live, so it's not clear if the numerous imbalances (shrill winds, for example) are the orchestra's fault or the hall's.
But the most fascinating part of the hall's design is the men's bathroom. It has no urinals, only cabins. Men stand in line, not sure which cabin is empty, and enter one that's just vacated. When things get tough, they go around knocking on doors. The question is, were the urinals eliminated as a gesture of support for some feminist causes, or was Signor Piano not aware of how most men's toilets are usually (and efficiently) constructed?
But let’s get back to music. The program consisted of Cherubini’s Anacréon overture, Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto, Sibelius’s En Saga, and Richard Strauss’s Till Eulenspiegel.
Pappano’s entrance was accompanied by thunderous applause. The wind’s first entrance in the Cherubini was not a happy event. Things got better as they moved along, but even though Beethoven rated Cherubini highly, it’s little surprise that his music is played rarely these days.
Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto was a very different story. Igor Levit was superb. His technique seems to have improved since the last time we heard him in Chicago, and his command of the piece was total, even if one may disagree with some of his tempi. The performance was greeted ecstatically, and he played, exquisitely, an encore, Brahms’s Intermezzo in A major, Op. 118.
After the intermission, Pappano presented Sibelius with a speech and made the audience sing a tune from what was to follow. That was much more entertaining than the En Saga itself. The choice of the final piece, Till Eulenspiegel, would seem rather unusual, as the winds are not this orchestra's strong suit, but it went well, better than one might have expected judging by the three previous pieces.
If you add a hair-raising ride in a Roman taxi to the concert and back, this was, overall, quite an exhilarating event.