Supplement to The Aspen Times
FESTIVALFOCUS | YOUR WEEKLY CLASSICAL MUSIC GUIDE
MONDAY, JULY 22, 2019 3
BARBER: star performers, Mahler’s Seventh Symphony Continued from Festival Focus page 1 tell you she is an incredibly convincing advocate of this notes. “Inon is one of our favorite performers,” Fletcher says. “I work,” says Asadour Santourian, AMFS vice president for think this piece is a really great fit for Inon, who’s sort of a artistic administration and artistic advisor. “She raises the question as to why we don’t poet on the piano.” hear it more often. She realAlso on the program are ly is a champion of his work.” Arturo Márquez’s Danzón “[Barber’s Piano Concerto] is Closing out the program No. 2 and Bernstein’s West probably the most under-celebrated is Mahler’s Seventh SymSide Story Symphonic phony, a brilliant, moody Dances, ensuring a passionpiece of the 20th century. I think it’s work that breaks in the final ate, energetic evening. one of the greatest pieces of music of movement into one of the Weilerstein, an AMFS most jubilant, life-affirming alumna and Festival favorite, Barber’s era.” finales of the repertoire. is one of the most acclaimed Barnatan and Weilerstein cellists the world over for Inon Barnatan are close friends—who, in her expressive, authoritative Pianist fact, will play a recital with playing of a wide range of violinist Philippe Quint and music. Her stage presence percussionist Colin Currie will only elevate an already on Thursday, July 25—so it is apt that they are both pergorgeous piece. “I have heard Alisa play the Barber Concerto, and I will forming Barber this season. This week, perhaps more than
ASPEN MUSIC FESTIVAL AND SCHOOL BOX OFFICE HOURS
G. SCHIRMER ARCHIVES
American composer Samuel Barber wrote a concerto each for violin, piano, and cello. The AMFS presents all three of these works throughout the season with violinist Stefan Jackiw earlier in the summer (July 12), and pianist Inon Barnatan (July 26) and cellist Alisa Weilerstein (July 28) later this week.
any other in the Festival season, proves that music can be distinctly American not in spite of its diversity of sound, but precisely because of it.
Harris Concert Hall: 9 am through the intermission of the evening concert, daily. Wheeler Opera House: 12 pm–5 pm M–F, 9 am–5 pm Saturdays, one hour prior to operas.
Jeremy Denk plays ‘intellectual’ program ALEXANDRIA EVENSEN Festival Focus Writer
The pool of professional classical musicians in the world is small. For those who also wear the labels of author, blogger, and intellectual historian, like pianist Jeremy Denk, the pool is even smaller. In fact, he may be the only one in it. The acclaimed pianist will take a breather from his hefty touring schedule to return to the stage of Harris Concert Hall at the Aspen Music Festival and School (AMFS) on July 27 at 8 pm. He will perform Bach’s English Suite No. 2 in A minor, Ligeti’s Études: Book I, Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz No. 1, “The Dance in the Village Inn,” Berg’s Piano Sonata, op. 1, and Schumann’s Pianist Jeremy Denk presents a recital of Bach, Ligeti, Liszt, Schumann, and Fantasy in C major, op. 17. more on July 27 in Harris Concert Hall. Since his last performance at Asadministration and artistic advisor, touts Denk’s surpen, the former wunderkind has been busy. Last year Denk embarked on a recital tour of the prising style and complexity. No two performances U.S. which culminated in his return to Carnegie Hall. are exactly the same, he points out, which make him a Additionally, Denk is completing his Random House joy to watch each year. “It’s a typical ‘Jeremy’ program, which is to say it’s memoir Every Good Boy Does Fine. He also released a always the unexpected,” Santourian says. “At first new double album set entitled c.1300–c.2000, which glance, there may not be a connection [between covers an astounding 700 years of music history. Winner of a MacArthur “Genius” Grant and the Av- pieces] but knowing him, we will get many moments ery Fisher Prize, Denk is considered one of America’s of understanding as to why he has put together some foremost musical minds. Even with his dramatic up- of these works.” Denk’s rounded brand of intellectualism is rare, tick in popularity in recent years, Denk has been a even among brilliant colleagues, Santourian says. Evkeystone to Aspen. His wide repertoire and stage ery piece has a connection, but people have to atpresence make for a breathtaking and exceptionally tend the concert to solve the puzzle. entertaining performance, says AMFS President and “We have many kinds of performers. We have the CEO Alan Fletcher. virtuoso type who are the fastest fingers in the West, “Jeremy Denk is an Aspen favorite, combining comand then we have the intellectual type who can make plete mastery of the piano with an intellectual approach that has won him a MacArthur Fellowship,” poetry out of four simple lines,” he says. “The intellectual exercise appeals to him, and he puts his abilities says Fletcher. Asadour Santourian, AMFS vice president for artistic at the service of what he wants to accomplish.”
BERNSTEIN: Broadway song, melody, dance, jazz Continued from Festival Focus page 1 dle of a budding romance between a former Jet, Tony, and Maria, the sister of the Sharks’ leader. West Side Story changed American theater forever, with its incisive commentary on ethnic tension, plus its memorable dance scenes. Even those who haven’t seen the musical all the way through likely think of its signature jazzy fingersnaps at the mere mention of its name. “It’s all gushing out of it—the gift of song, the gift of melody, the rhythms of the dances,” says Asadour Santourian, AMFS vice president for artistic administration and artistic advisor. “It’s just terrific music, and it transcends time.” West Side Story Symphonic Dances includes “Mambo,” “Cha-cha,” and audience favorites “Somewhere” and “Maria.” While the piece does not include all the songs from the musical, the entire story is represented from beginning to end. The work begins with a Prologue illustrating the growing rivalry between the Sharks and Jets. Other sections tell the story of Tony and Maria meeting for the first time and falling in love, the two gangs coming together for a battle, and the sobering finale. “The piece comes from Bernstein’s height of ability to write for the Broadway medium,” Santourian says. “Bernstein was, of course, trained as a classical musician. The transfer of the dances into a symphonic setting was made rather easily because the dances are symphonic in their nature. Audiences continue to love the melodic appeal, as well as just the material: the love story of Romeo and Juliet, successfully reinterpreted to mid-twentieth century.” Don’t miss the opportunity to hear the most energetic of this beloved music performed live on the Tent stage, in a true celebration of “Being American.”
