Pittsburgh represents in the Roman Catholic Cathedral Musicains

Reading our coverage of St. Paul Cathedral's re-inauguration, a reader passed to me this fine info, something Pittsburghers can be proud of: 

Dear Mr. Druckenbrod,

Thanks for the article about the renovation of the pipe organ at St. Paul Cathedral. An interesting side story is that in the group that is meeting this week, the Roman Catholic Cathedral musicians, there are FOUR former Pittsburgh musicians, who "grew up" here and who now serve in Cathedrals across the country: Tom Stehle, from Butler, who is at St. Matthew Cathedral in Washington DC, and who recently was in charge of all the music for the Pope's visit there; Rick Gibala, from McKeesport, now at Arlington Cathedral (St. Thomas More); John Romeri, originally from CA but long time in Pittsburgh, now at the St. Loujis Cathedral; and John Miller, Penn Hills, now at the Cathedral in Newark NJ. In addition northsider J. Michael McMahon works in Silver Spring MD as the president of the National Assocation of Pastoral Musicians.

[name withheld]

The Classical/Pop divide eroding further

A few months ago I wrote about the disintegration of the classical music/pop divide. Many of us who have grown up in the post Beatles age, from boomers to teens, just don't feel much guilt about liking music from both "sides." In fact, I hate that phrase, "guilty pleasure." You should never feel guilty about music you like, no matter how cheesy others say it is!

Anyway, many listeners don't have a problem moving from classical to pop (whatever your flavor -- indie, country, hip hop, top 40...) and we appreciate the qualities of both. But composers had been slower to come out this way, in part because of the stigma that popular music can bring in the old establishment. That is all really (thankfully) seeping away, and the Corey Dargels, Patrick Burkes and Andrew Birds of the world are part of breaking down what is left of the false dichotomy. Here, composer Simon Bookish passionately throws his hat in the ring publicly in the Guardian. I think it is worth a read because it gives a perspective on this from England, where classical is, actually, much more popular than it is in the U.S.

Buying classical music locally

One of my New Year's resolutions is to use my blog to be more informative and a little more personal. I like using it to pass on international and national news and to expand on stories I write for the Post-Gazette and occasionally to rant and rave, but I think I should bring up more useful info, broach some bigger subjects that will be good fodder for discussion and even a little more revealing about my life as a critic. These are all things which supposedly make a blog more "bloggy" and better, and I buy in to that. The only problem is that I only have so much time and these days, with buyouts at the paper, I will be occasionally asked to work outside classical music (which I don't mind, in fact I will enjoy it, but classical music will still be the focus). We will see what I can do.

So here is one:

An e-mailer just asked me in a bit of a panic where one can buy classical CDs in Pittsburgh, and I thought it was worth sharing:

There isn't a store dedicated to classical music recordings in Pittsburgh (Not that most cities have them these days) now that Curtain Call has closed, but some of the major book retailers (Borders, Barnes and Noble) have decent classical sections. You should call ahead as not the stores have this.

But the problem is you will buy music full price, or rather -- over-price -- at these stores. If there is another local option out there, I don't know about it.

So, if you have a few days to spare, I recommend buying on the Internet. sites like Arkivmusic and CD Universe, Amazon.com, Classical Music Depot, CD Connection and others just have so much available and are so much cheaper.  I personally love Arkivmusic and Amazon.com, but you might find the others better or find that one disc is not available at one online store but is at another.

Hope that helps, but if I am missing a good online store or a local one, please register and comment and I will put link to them.

Pittsburgh Concert Society audition winners announced

Two marimba players are among the 2009 Pittsburgh Concert Society Young Artists scholarship winners, named after auditions last Saturday. Each student receives a $500 Perlow scholarship and will be presented in concert March 1 or March 15.

In addition to marimba players William DeLelles, (Steubenville High School) and Jeremy Malvin, (CAPA), cellist Klara Pinkerton, (Homeschool Mt. Lebanon), flutist Leigh Poulton (Duquesne University), pianist Aleksandr Voinov (Ingomar Middle School) and violinists Inory Sakai (The Ellis School), Diana Shi (Morgantown High School) and Hope Vannucci (CAPA) also won the award.

St. Paul Cathedral Pipe Organ to make its comeback

The mighty-sounding and magnificent-looking St. Paul Cathedral Beckerath pipe organ is "fully operational," to quote "Star Wars," and will be re-inaugurated at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday (Jan. 6) in a recital by James David Christie of Oberlin Conservatory and the Boston Symphony. The program includes works by Buttstett, Bohm, Langlais and Guilmant. The celebration continues at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday (Jan. 7) in a concert with the St. Paul Cathedral Choir and organists Ken Danchik, Russ Weismann, and Fellows. It features Vierne's "Messe Solenelle" and works by Bach, Karg-Elert, Mathews, Mathias and more.

Congratulations to the Cathedral and the Diocese on putting the money and effort into returning this historic instrument -- installed in 1962 more than 5,000 pipes. --  to its former glory. 

Rather be there: St.Barth Music Festival turns 25

The St.Barth Music Festival is celebrating its 25th annual season this January in the sunny Caribbean, with classical and jazz concerts January 8 through January 19. The festival is the brainchild of local violinist and impresario Frances De Broff, who plays in the Pittsburgh Opera pit and also helps to run the Pittsburgh Chamber Music Society. I wrote about her impressive feat a few years ago.

Vienna Phil kicks off Haydn year

The famous Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's concert will include Haydn's "Farewell" Symphony (at least the last movement), apparently the first Haydn work ever to make it on the famous concert's program. Seems odd to me that it took so long, but it works as this year is the 200th anniversary of the composer's death, and Austria will be milking it all year long. But I am not sure I get appointing the concert to Daniel Barenboim. The serious and often controversial conductor just doesn't seem a great fit for the lighter and more superficial affair. But he is a heck of a musician and the orchestra will probably sound great.

Here's a happy New Year to all of you. I look forward to a fun-filled second half of the classical season in Pittsburgh and beyond.

Brendel bows out

A final goodbye to the somber-looking one. Alfred Brendel gave his farewell recital this week in, where else, Vienna, home to many of the composers on which he made his career. I was never a huge fan, but over the years I grew to appreciate his un-flashy approach. His last concert here was particularly nice. But I will never warm up to his poetry. 

Here is the AP story:

Pianist Brendel gives final concert in Austria

By VERONIKA OLEKSYN

Amid shouts of "bravo" and thundering applause, Alfred Brendel bid farewell to the concert hall Thursday, ending a six-decade career as one of the world's greatest pianists. Accompanied by the Vienna Philharmonic, Brendel performed Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 9 — known as "Jeunehomme" ("Young Man") or "Jenamy" — at the Austrian capital's prestigious Musikverein. He played two encores.

Brendel appeared energetic and entranced by the music, clearly captivating his audience in the packed Golden Auditorium.— as well as a piece he composed himself.

Brendel's adieu, coming just weeks before his 78th birthday, concluded a career that began rather unconventionally.

Born Jan. 5, 1931, in what is today the Czech Republic, he spent his childhood traveling through Austria and Yugoslavia. He took his first piano lessons at age 6 and had a series of teachers as his family moved around, but the little formal training he had ended when he was 16.

"Being self-taught, I learned to distrust anything I hadn't figured out myself," Brendel says on his Web site. "A teacher can be too influential."

"When I was young my overall career wasn't sensational at all, it rather progressed step by step," he says on the Web site. 

To many, Brendel is one of a kind.

"After so many years of being at the top of his profession, it is hard to imagine musical life without Alfred's unique presence," Sir Charles Mackerras, who conducted the Vienna Philharmonic for Brendel's farewell performance, wrote in the concert program.

Brendel, who is also a poet, will continue to appear in public to lecture on music and to give poetry readings, his New York publicist said last year.

###

Brothers and Sisters in harmony: Hilal Quartet

Fox Chapel is home to a talent group of siblings that play harmoniously with each other -- at least when they have instruments in their hands.

The children of Dr. Elie and Mrs. Lisa Hilal formed a string quartet several years ago and they have been improving ever since. Last year, the Hilal Quartet (left to right in the photo: Jad and Leila, violins, Salem, cello, Olivia, viola) won the 2008 Pittsburgh Concert Society's Young Artists auditions and the group was just named one of the 2009 Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra's Rising Stars, according to PCS. 

"Each year the LPO sponsors a concert for young people featuring child prodigies from around the country. The idea is to inspire a generation of young people by showing them what their talented peers (musicians of roughly the same age as the concert attendees) have accomplished through dedication and hard work."  That concert will take place January 9, 2009 in Laredo, Texas.

It may not be Carnegie Hall (yet), but what a great opportunity for the siblings. Here's betting we hear more from this talented musical family. 

Dr. Atomic redux

If you didn't get a chance to see it, the recent Met production of John Adams' "Dr. Atomic" will be broadcast on PBS's "Great Performances." Gerald Finley stars as J. Robert Oppenheimer and Alan Gilbert conducts.

Check your local listings for the time, but nationally it will air at 9 p.m. Dec. 29.

Adams is not only one of our greatest American composers and one willing to tackle contemporary issues, but he is this season's Pittsburgh Symphony composer of the year and will conduct some concerts in January, including a symphony composed from the music of "Dr. Atomic." So, it might be fun to get to know the whole opera first.