(Estonian composer Erkki-Sven Tüür, whose Solastalgia receives its U.S. premiere in these concerts.)
On Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon (March 24 and 25), St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Resident Conductor Gemma New leads the SLSO in Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio espagnol, Rautavaara’s Cantus Articus, Tüür’s Solastalgia (a U.S. premiere, featuring SLSO principal piccolo Ann Choomack), and Respighi’s Pines of Rome.
As usual, my program notes can be read on the SLSO website, in the Plan Your Visit section, but here is a somewhat longer version, minus the fancy formatting and cool photos:
If you can’t make it to Powell Hall tonight or Sunday afternoon (good tickets are still available!), be sure to tune in to the live stream on St. Louis Public Radio at 8:00 PM Central Time:
(His famously red hair must be powdered or obscured by a periwig, but this is supposedly Antonio Vivaldi.)
(I love this photograph so, so much: wretched old dreamer Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky, on a settee, flanked by well-upholstered, waistcoated, pocket-watch-flaunting grandees. Apologies to possible copyright holders; I’ll take it down if you like, or attribute credit if you send me the information. This photo must date to about 1890, or so; Tchaikovsky died at 53 on November 6, 1893, after possibly contracting cholera on purpose.)
René Spencer Saller 