Wednesday, July 18

Breaking news in the classical music world! The New York Philharmonic has named its next music director. Taking over the podium that has been home to the likes of Leonard Bernstein, Kurt Masur and Lorin Maazel will be forty-year-old American conductor Alan Gilbert. Gilbert is not only a native New Yorker but a New York Phil brat - his parents were both violinists in the orchestra when he was growing up. Now he'll be his mother's boss. Here's today's New York Times article on his appointment to this highly visible post.

I knew Alan Gilbert a bit in college, through the orchestra in which we both played violin (he at a loftier level than I). One year he also acted as our assistant conductor - his very first foray into conducting, so I guess we were the guinea pigs. When Alan was in Georgia recently for a conducting stint with the Atlanta Symphony, we caught up in interview form. Hear our conversation by clicking on the fourth item here.

The Midday Music playlist is mostly unrelated to all this, but here it is. (These thumbnails take you to further details on the Handel, Clara Schumann, Debussy and Mendelssohn selections.)

Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks / Water Music Clara Schumann: The Complete Works for Piano Solo Debussy: Nocturnes; La Mer; Prélude a l'apres-midi d'un faune Helen Huang

11 AM

  • Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks. Boston Baroque, Pearlman (Telarc 80594)
  • Inghelbrecht: Sonatine for flute and harp: Andantino. Laurel Zucker, Susan Jolles (Cantilena 66034)
  • Fibich: Symphony No. 2 in E-flat. Detroit Sym, Jarvi (Chandos 9328)
12 N
  • Schumann, C.: Scherzo No. 2, Op. 14. Susanne Grutzmann (Profil 07065)
  • Schumann, C.: Concert Variations on the Cavatina from Bellini's Il Pirata. Susanne Grutzmann (Profil 07065)
  • Bellini: Il Pirata: Act 2 scene and aria. Renee Fleming, Orch of St. Luke's, Summers (Decca 289 467 101)
  • Carulli: Fantasy in G major for flute and guitar on themes from Bellini's Il Pirata. Jean-Pierre Rampal, Alenxadre Lagoya (CBS 42130)
1 PM
  • Debussy: La Mer. Chicago Sym, Solti (London 436 468)
  • Fernandez: Reisado do Pastorelo: Batuque. New York Phil, Bernstein (Sony 60571)
  • Mendelssohn: Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor. Helen Huang, New York Phil, Masur (Teldec 0630-14569)

Posted by Sarah Zaslaw at 9:10 AM