by Kenneth Woods | Nov 30, 2013 | A view from the podium
I thought some readers might be interested in a little essay I contributed to the current edition of the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras’ newsletter. A text version follows the scan. Youth orchestras are incredibly important- they make a huge difference in...
by Kenneth Woods | Nov 30, 2013 | Bobby and Hans
Hello everyone Bobberdammerung approaches! It’s less than forty-eight hours now until recording sessions begin for volume 4 of Bobby and Hans- the complete symphonies of Hans Gal and Robert Schumann. We’re all very excited that the day is nearly at hand....
by Kenneth Woods | Nov 30, 2013 | A view from the podium
The team at Listen Magazine (a great magazine you should subscribe to if you read this blog) gave me the chance to “make the case” for the music of Hans Gal. My response is in the Winter 2013 issue, on newsstands now. There are also cool features on Jonas...
by Kenneth Woods | Nov 26, 2013 | A view from the podium
Re-blogged from the Bobby and Hans Campaign Indiegogo page Hello everyone The countdown to our final Bobby and Hans project is underway. In one week, the orchestra will take to the stage for the first live performance of Gal’s First Symphony in over 43...
by Kenneth Woods | Oct 12, 2013 | A view from the podium
Where possible, once I’ve learned and digested a score and forgotten everything I’ve ever heard other conductors and orchestras do in concert and on recordings, I like to do some serious comparative listening. It’s always interesting and often...
by Kenneth Woods | Oct 10, 2013 | A view from the podium
It’s not so much a “I told you so” situation as an “I am still telling you now” one. Back in September, controversy erupted when a well-known conductor was quoted as saying some bizarre and outdated things on the subject of women conductors. I wrote a blog post...
by Kenneth Woods | Oct 1, 2013 | A view from the podium
A review from critic Jessica Duchen in the November 2013 issue of BBC Music Magazine for Somm’s new recording of music for piano and orchestra by Franck, Falla and Turina with pianist Valerie Tryon “..loving and attentive performances…atmosphere that...
by Kenneth Woods | Sep 30, 2013 | A view from the podium
A feature in the current (October 2013) issue of Classical Music Magazine on recent crowdfunding success stories includes discussion of the recent Indiegogo campaign in support of the final volume of the Complete Symphonies of Hans Gal and Robert Schumann on Avie...
by Kenneth Woods | Sep 14, 2013 | A view from the podium
If Sibelius is good, this invalidates the standards of musical quality that have persisted from Bach to Schoenberg: the richness of inter-connectedness, articulation, unity in diversity, the ‘multi-faceted’ in ‘the one’. Theodore Adorno, 1938...
by Kenneth Woods | Sep 12, 2013 | A view from the podium, Explore the Score
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky seemed to be singularly unlucky in choosing the dedicatees of his great concertante works. He wrote his evergreen Variations on a Rococo Theme for the cellist William Fitzenhagen. As always, Tchaikovsky invited Fitzenhagen to suggest...
by Kenneth Woods | Sep 9, 2013 | Headlines, News and Reviews
A new review from Andrew Aschenbach, editor-in-chief of the new app “Classical Ear” Gál: Symphony No 2 in F major, Op 53; Schumann: Symphony No 4 in D minor, Op 120 Orchestra of the Swan / Kenneth Woods Avie AV2232 Now here’s quite a find....
by Kenneth Woods | Sep 4, 2013 | A view from the podium
The music world has reacted this week with a mixture of genuine moral outrage and cynical Schadenfreude to one conductor’s recent take on the place of women in the conducting world. For all the howls of indignation, what I haven’t seen from most people writing about...
by Kenneth Woods | Aug 19, 2013 | A view from the podium
Just about 20 hours left in the campaign for Hans Gal and Robert Schumann.Thank you, everyone who has given, tweeted, liked, emailed, blogged and helped.We’re in striking distance, but we need to see more people take action and give. I know there are still a lot...
by Kenneth Woods | Aug 19, 2013 | A view from the podium
Last night, BBC Four gave us one of the richest evenings of television I can remember seeing in the 10 years or so I’ve lived here. A digest of the best of this year’s contemporary music offerings at the Proms, it was a diverse and exciting array of great...
by Kenneth Woods | Aug 16, 2013 | A view from the podium
Hi everyone- Update time- only 72 hours left. That’s just 3 days until Ken’s crowd-funding days are over for ever http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/gal-schumann-symphonies/ This has been a great week overall- so many generous donations have come in...
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