The music world lost one of its most prolific and versatile talents with the passing of André Previn on February 28 at age 89. The musicians that played in the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra during Previn’s tenure as Music Director from 1976-1984 are key parts of his living legacy. History is preserved among orchestral musicians through memories and stories like these.
If there is such a thing as a Counting God of Symphonic Composition, then no one had a more ardent faith in that deity than Gustav Mahler. When he composed Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth), the Viennese master thought he had outwitted the Counting God.
A great concert experience begins before the first note is played. It begins with the first person who welcomes you into our hall. This is why we chose Dennis Walker as the recipient for this month’s Bouquet. Dennis has been a doorman at Heinz Hall since 2010, and his warm greeting brings a smile to concertgoers and passersby alike.
By Jack Howell The most basic spectrum when discussing color in music is from dark to bright. A musical tone that is heavy in the fundamental pitch and lower harmonics and lacking in higher harmonics will usually be called “dark,” while a tone that is abundant (or perhaps overabundant) in higher harmonics and less balanced with lower…
By Ron Samuels Late in his life, Russian composer Alexander Scriabin hoped to create a vast, multimedia work fusing music, dance, theater, painting, poetry and perfume. He intended for the performance to last seven days and nights in the foothills of the Himalayas. The work, to be called Mysterium, would be a “celebration of collective joy,”…
By Jack Howell The Bouquet of flowers presented to the soloist and/or conductor on stage is a public gesture of esteem and congratulations. The Musicians of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, in every newsletter, present a virtual bouquet to someone who is not a performer, but is nonetheless instrumental to the PSO’s success. “I’m a very…
By Jack Howell “What is tone color?” my daughter asked in all innocence as I tried to explain that the PSO’s tower chimes, huge tubular bells that once hung in a church steeple, were used for their tone color. Yes, the same pitches could be (and in most cases are) played by much smaller chimes…
It’s been awhile since our last newsletter, but hopefully it hasn’t been that long since you’ve seen or heard from us. 2018 was a real whirlwind! While we’re incredibly proud to have won 2 Grammys, we’re equally excited about some of the other things we’ve been doing right here at home in Pittsburgh. Where to begin?…
As we welcome 7500+ area children to Heinz Hall this week, the spotlight should be on the music educators who do so much for the region. To lead off, let’s meet 2015 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year, Mairi Cooper. Where do you teach? Fox Chapel Area High School (although I have taught in the elementary…
Robert Lauver By Craig Knox Position: 2nd Horn Joined PSO in: 2000 Previous positions: St. Louis Symphony, Columbus Symphony, Alabama Symphony, Austin Symphony “I was previously in the St. Louis Symphony for 8 years, where my wife Marina and I started our family. We were very happy there, and it was a great 52-week orchestra…