“Call it the masterpiece syndrome. Often concerts are nothing but masterpieces by dead Europeans (not that there’s anything wrong with them),” writes Timothy Mangan in Sunday’s (9/15) Orange County Register. “Classical music performing groups stray at their own risk; audiences will not always follow. Still, there are indications that we are moving out of the retrenchment in repertoire that was probably caused by the economic downturn. Orchestras, opera companies, chamber groups and recitalists in Southern California will offer a wide sampling of new and unusual music this season.… The Pacific Symphony will open its season with a piece of new music, Peter Boyer’s ‘Festivities.’ … The Los Angeles Philharmonic, the king of this type of thing, will outdo themselves, with performances of 13 commissions, 11 world premieres, four U.S. premieres and four West Coast premieres. Tidbit: Among the world premieres will be Frank Zappa’s ‘200 Motels,’ never before performed in its entirety.… The Philharmonic Society of Orange County will get in on the fun with the West Coast premiere of the progressive British composer Mark-Anthony Turnage’s ‘Frieze.’ ” Mangan reports that the Pacific Symphony’s “Music Unwound” series continues “with the help of another grant from the Mellon Foundation. This year, a deep look into Shostakovich.”
Posted September 16, 2013
