The Opera Tattler

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Kurt Masur at SFS

* Notes *
Yesterday evening Kurt Masur conducted San Francisco Symphony in a program of Gubaidulina and Bruckner. Gubaidulina's The Light of the End conjured up waves and air, there were parts near the beginning that sounded rather insectile, and parts near the end that were more bird-like. The marimba made for a pleasing earthy contrast with the more ghostly glockenspiel and vibraphone.

The brass players were rather prominent in Bruckner's 4th, they were a bit ragged at times, not to mention blaring. I particularly enjoyed the strings in the slow movement, and the hunting theme of the third movement was entertainingly jaunty. Masur certainly had the symphony in hand, the dynamics were beautifully rendered.

* Tattling * 
The audience was very contained, there was only assorted whispering as far as poor-behavior was concerned.

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2 responses to “Kurt Masur at SFS”

  1. sfmike Avatar
    sfmike

    Glad there was a jaunty hunting theme in the third movement. Bruckner’s music tends to make me an Austriaphobe, though for an Austrian Bruckner was by all accounts a very nice man.
    Sofia G. is fabulously gloomy in all her interviews and pronouncements, but there’s nothing really depressing about her music. It’s too busy and interesting to be a downer.

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  2. The Opera Tattler Avatar
    The Opera Tattler

    I managed to catch this performance twice. I don’t know Bruckner’s work very well at all, so for me it was novel. Spending time in Austria seems to make me Austriaphobic, particularly at border crossings.
    The Gubaidulina piece was not depressing at all.

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