Steve Dankner, a guest classical music writer, whose preview coverage of the summer music festival season at Tanglewood and at other regional performance venues will begin in June, has sent in a musical murder-mystery book review that should be of interest to music lovers.
Gerald Elias, the brilliantly gifted violinist and mystery writer, who hails from Salt Lake City, has published the latest – the seventh - in his series of musical whodunits, "Cloudy With a Chance of Murder."
A fast-paced page-turner, the action takes place on a rustic, isolated island in the Great Salt Lake – the summer home of the Antelope Island Music Festival – where devoted listeners congregate each summer to hear world-class musical virtuosi perform great classical chamber music.
Only this summer, sub rosa jealousies and sworn vendettas are also on the program…along with Bach and Mendelssohn.
Author Elias, a Tanglewood violinist, artfully and with meticulous detail taps into his insider knowledge of summer music festival lore to set the scene for the action: how an innocent, but ‘politically incorrect' remark among musical friends and colleagues snowballs into a devastating – and deadly – chain of events. Lives and careers are in the balance, and how, due to a freak, catastrophic summer hailstorm, there's no escape for the musicians and festivalgoers to exit the devastated festival grounds. The deranged murderer, too, is stranded, and given the opportunity, he'll attempt to kill again; no one is safe!
Only Elias could paint such a picture with classical music as its backdrop. The prescient, all-knowing yet blind violinist/mentor/detective hero, Daniel Jacobus joins with and enables his young protégé, the brilliant violinist
virtuoso Yumi Shinegawa in uncovering the tale's twists and turns, taking the reader on an exhilarating musical ride: an Allegro con brio to the end, where all the pieces of this intricate musical puzzle come together, culminating in a final, climactic presto delirioso. Most highly recommended.
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The Classical Beat: Tanglewood Taconic Music, Sevenars = Music HEaven
By Stephen DanknerSpecial to iBerkshires
Tanglewood enters its second week, and the highlights are noteworthy; indeed, each program will be memorable. Featured concerts this week include the celebrated Italian/German violinist Augustin Hadelich presenting a solo recital in Ozawa Hall including Brahms and Prokofiev; the Boston Symphony will perform Brahms' Second Symphony and Chopin's Second Piano Concerto featuring piano soloist Eric Lu - the Orchestra directed by conductor Fabio Luisi; Monday evening in Ozawa Hall, TMC conducting Fellows and Maestro Andris Nelsons will lead the Tanglewood Center Music Orchestra in a classic program of Haydn, Beethoven and Brahms. Read below for a full listing.
Consider the captivating Sevenars Music Festival, in South Worthington, MA. This Sunday afternoon, the Sevenars Music Festival's 58th anniversary season will begin, offering masterpieces for piano solo, piano duo, voice, and violin. Guest artists will be celebrated pianist/composer Clifton J. ("Jerry") Noble, baritone John Henry Thomas, and violinist Alexis Walls, joining Sevenars family members Rorianne Schrade, Lynelle James, and Christopher James.
This week also marks the final slate of three concerts presented by the uniquely inspiring Taconic Music Festival, based in Manchester, VT. Co-founders Ariel Rudiakov and Joana Genova present their outstanding festival-resident mentor/performers and young artists in concerts on July 8, 11 and 13.
All three venues present wonderful and diverse music performed at vastly different and magnificent venues featuring outstanding performers.
Tanglewood
Here is a listing of this week's Tanglewood programs – four major concerts, including repertoire, from July 9 through Tuesday, July 13:
Thursday, July 9, 8:00 p.m., Ozawa Hall: The sublimely lyrical violinist Augustin Hadelich, accompanied by pianist Seong-Jin Cho will perform a wide-ranging program of works for violin and piano by Brahms, Janacek, Amy Beach and Prokofiev.
Friday, July 11, 8:00 p.m., Shed: Conductor Andris Nelsons leads the BSO in a program of Mozart (Piano Concerto No. 25, in C Major K. 503 with Emanuel Ax, soloist) and Mahler (Symphony No. 4, with Erin Morley, soprano.)
Sunday, July 12, 2:30 p.m., Shed: BSO Guest Conductor Fabio Luisi directs the BSO in a program of Sofia Jani ( “What do flowers do at night”,) Chopin (Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor) and Brahms (Symphony No. 2.)
Monday, July 13, 8:00 p.m., Ozawa Hall: BSO Maestro Andris Nelsons and TMC conducting Fellows lead the TMC Orchestra in a program of Haydn (Symphony No. 31,) Brahms (‘Variations on a Theme of Haydn',) and Beethoven ( the ‘Egmont' Overture and Symphony No. 5.)
For tickets for all Tanglewood/BSO concerts (lawn and Shed seating) and for special events call (617) 266-1200 or (413) 637-5180; online: tanglewood.org or customerservice@bso.org. In Lenox, visit the Tanglewood box office at the Main Gate located at 297 West Street.
Sevenars Music Festival
Sunday, July 12, 4:00 p.m., the Academy, South Worthington, MA:
The opening concert of Sevenars Music Festival's 58th anniversary season, in tribute to America's 250th anniversary, the program will include sets of “‘Yankee Doodle' Variations” by Mario Braggiotti and Dave Brubeck, and works by George Gershwin, Aaron Copland, Paul Schoenfield, Scott Joplin, Eubie Blake, and William Bolcom, plus songs by Rolande Young Schrade (co-founder of Sevenars) and a Fats Waller arrangement by composer Jerry Noble. A new young member of Sevenars fourth generation will be taking part as well, adding to the fun! Refreshments will be served.
The historic Sevenars Academy building is located at 15 Ireland Street, just off Route 112 at Ireland Street, South Worthington, MA. For more information call (413) 238-5854 (please leave a message for a return call) or visit online at sevenars.com.
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