The Pittsburgh Symphony’s 2012 European Residency Tour has closed with another rapturous audience roaring its approval of the Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, and Stucky program – with encores and Manfred Honeck conducting. It was a slog to get here – a five-hour journey in the rain and fog from Stuttgart this morning. We made a 25-minute stop at the […]

Liederhalle Stuttgart The ride from Frankfurt to Stuttgart was smooth. I admired the nice fall colors in the leaves of trees along the Autobahn. We arrived late, and it was tough because the players went right to the stage of the Liederhalle to rehearse Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony and Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F with soloist […]

Alte Oper, Frankfurt Der Alte Oper in Frankfurt is an elegant edifice with a square to itself facing the amazing skyscrapers of the city. Before the concert, I wandered down the shopping street leading away from the opera to the GoethePlatz, named for Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the writer who inspired so many composers. A […]

Pittsburgh Symphony at the Philharmonie, Cologne In Köln (Cologne), we heard three encores for the first time. The Philharmonie is underground, built in 1986 as part of the Ludwig Museum complex just behind the immense Cologne Cathedral. Built starting in the 11th century, the cathedral still stands dark and commanding on the skyline. I enjoyed […]

Manfred Honeck and Nikolai Znaider Parisians at the Salle Pleyel seemed to say “Ooh La La!” – asking for two encores and applauding in rhythm after the Pittsburgh Symphony’s Dvorak New World Symphony. The presenter of the concert, the Directeur de la Production Emmanuel Hondre, was over the top with praise. So was Pittsburgh Symphony […]

The Vienna Singverein cheek to cheek with the Pittsburgh Symphony With the sound of the cheers for Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 “Resurrection” still in the ears, the Pittsburgh Symphony’s first-ever, week-long residency is in its last few hours. The Mozart Requiem on Thursday, and the Friday and Saturday Mahler concerts, were all full houses, virtually […]

Manfred Honeck’s loveable brother-in-law Florian Partl has passed on word that Riccardo Muti has cancelled his weekend Musikverein concerts with the Vienna Philharmonic, which several members of the Pittsburgh SYmphony were planning to attend. Too bad. Just the same, anytime the Vienna Philharmonic plays it is special, and when Manfred Honeck’s brother Rainer is serving […]

St. Stephen’s, still undergoing restoration Tonight’s rehearsal with the Vienna Singverein suggests the signs are good for an All Saints Day “Resurrection” Symphony No. 2 by Gustav Mahler. Pittsburgh Symphony clarinet Thomas Thompson says that singers are extraordinarily powerful. I picked up a series of recruiting postcards cards with fresh young faces on one side […]

Poster at the Musikverein It hasn’t snowed in Vienna in October for fifty years, but it did last night to welcome the Pittsburgh Symphony for their first ever week-long residency at the home of the Vienna Philharmonic, the Musikverein. There will be four concerts, three programs, a world premiere, and a European premiere – plus a […]

Nikolaj Znaider in Madrid with the PSO Both Pittsburgh Symphony tour concerts in Madrid began at 10:35 pm with the traditional announcement (in Spanish) about turning off your cell phone. Both Friday and Saturday nights had completely full houses. I saw only a handful of empty seats.  Last night, Nikolaj Znaider played a highly charged […]