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the orchestra world

wish list

This season has been a great one – lots of incredible guest conductors and soloists, and some wonderful repertoire, too. Next season promises to be equally fantastic. That still won’t deter me from putting out my wish list for soloists, conductors, and repertoire for upcoming seasons. Some of these ideas admittedly will be completely unworkable for all but the richest orchestras with the most international reputations, but that won’t stop me!

Repertoire – Orchestral

  • Alban Berg – Three Pieces for Orchestra, Op. 6 (1913-15) – one of the great masterpieces of the Second Viennese School. I had the great fortune to perform this with the New World Symphony under MTT. Carlos would excel at this repertoire, and I think audiences would appreciate it as well.
  • Anton Webern – Im Sommerwind (1905) – another Schoenberg disciple, but this lovely work was written before he went atonal/12-tone, and would be a great sonic showpiece for the orchestra.
  • Jean Sibelius – Symphonies Nos. 3 and 4 – Neither has been done in the past 15 years, and they’re both wonderful (if completely different in mood) pieces. No. 4 is particularly dark and turbulent, while No. 3 is light and bustling. They’d make a great pairing in concert.
  • Jennifer Higdon – Blue Cathedral (1999) – by far the most-performed work of one of America’s leading composers. I find it deeply moving and also orchestrated with understated virtuosity. It really deserves a Portland premiere.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven – Missa Solemnis – I don’t know if we have the requisite chorus for it, but the Portland Symphonic Choir has made extraordinary strides under director Stephen Zopfi, and this work really needs to be done by this orchestra under Carlos. It demands our best, and we’re in the position to give it just that.
  • Brahms – Serenade No. 2 in D major – this work is unique in that it involves no violins, and gives the viola section the leading voice in the string ensemble. It’s also a beautiful piece. We have a great viola section. Just saying…
  • Jean Sibelius – Kullervo, choral symphony for soprano, baritone, chorus and orchestra, Op. 7 – I’ve heard that this piece is kick-ass.

Repertoire – Concertante

  • Richard Strauss – Oboe Concerto (1945) – one of Strauss’ last pieces, written at the prompting of future Philadelphia Orchestra principal oboist John DeLancie, who met Strauss when stationed in Germany at the end of World War II. It would be an amazing showpiece for our equally amazing principal oboe Martin Hebert.
  • Feruccio Busoni – Piano Concerto in C major, Op. 39 – what a blast it would be to do this piece live here in Portland! It calls for a male chorus. Garrick Ohlsson is one of its champions, and it would be a spectacular show.

Soloists and Guest Conductors

Photo: Benjamin Ealovega

James Ehnes, violin – get him back as soon as possible, and program whatever he wants – perhaps the Walton Violin Concerto?

Truls Mørk - Photo: Morten Krogvold

Truls Mørk, cello – this Norwegian cellist was out of commission for over a year with an injury, but he’s back, and apparently in better shape than ever. He’s an incredible artist who deserves to be heard here in Portland.

Mitsuko Uchida - Photo: Richard Avedon

Mitsuko Uchida, piano – she’s terribly expensive, but also an incredible artist. She also play-conducts some repertoire. Could she sell enough tickets to make a visit worthwhile? Would she even come here? Questions worth asking.

Janine Jansen - Photo: Felix Broede

Janine Jansen, violin – another great violinist in a world full of them. But one of the best.

Tabea Zimmermann - Photo: Marco Borggreve

Tabea Zimmermann, viola – arguably the greatest violist concertizing in the world right now.

Osmo Vänskä - Photo: Greg Helgeson

Osmo Vänskä, conductor – he’s doing wonders with the Minnesota Orchestra, perhaps he’d be a perfect choice for doing Kullervo?

Gil Shaham - Photo: Christian Steiner

Gil Shaham, violin – he hasn’t been here for ages (I can’t remember him being here since I’ve been here, but my memory isn’t perfect in that regard).

Sol Gabetta Photo: Marco Borggreve

Sol Gabetta, cello – simply amazing musician, not so well-known here, much like Alban Gehardt was at one time. She won the 2010 Grammophone Young Artist of the Year. We need to get her here.

Ian Bostridge - Photo: Simon Fowler/EMI

Ian Bostridge, tenor – it would be amazing to get him here to do concert repertoire with us, especially Britten or Vaughan Williams.

Gerald Finley

Gerald Finley, bass-baritone – another amazing Canadian. Can we please get him here??

 

10 replies on “wish list”

busoni?!

NOW you’re talking.

and, please don’t forget sibelius’s “Tapiola.” i will keep lobbying for this until y’all git r done.

I am impressed by your list, Charles. It is a tribute to the symphony’s programming that I find it difficult to come up with a lot of suggestions for repertoire. I suppose I would like to hear Prokofiev symphonies other than 1 or 5 (6 or 7 woud be fine). I love Britten so I would dearly love to hear the Serenade for Tenor Horn and Strings, music from the operas Gloriana and Death in Venice, as well his Cello Symphony or War Requiem. I like Josef Suk’s Fantastic Scherzo a great deal ( I do believe that Nancy Ives’ cello section would love it). How about Martinu’s piano concerto number 4? Some of my other suggestions are highly unrealistic: Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius and Mahler’s Song of the Earth. Why not a concert perfomance of an opera such La Traviata, or something darker like Otello. Who knows, it might lure some opera people to the Schnitz. I know that many of my ideas are more suited an ideal world where the orchestra has an unlimited budget and an adventurous audience. Speaking of unrealistic, perhaps the orchestra could lure a music director from one of the “big five” or San Francisco or LA to Portland and experience first hand just how good the orchestra is.

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