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The Best Bits
1st November 2024
Hello friends,
Welcome to this week's newsletter, where we mark the centenary of the death of French composer Gabriel Fauré. "Neither following fashion nor listening to would-be advisers," wrote Charles Koechlin, "he proceeded untrammelled in his quest for beauty." Enjoy five successive evenings of Fauré (and friends) streamed live from Wigmore Hall.
We also feature Britten's opera Billy Budd in a revival of Willy Decker's Vienna staging.
Mark, Elisabeth and Jo
The Bachtrack Insiders
Personal picks from our site
Mark Pullinger Editor
György Cziffra 🎹
Hungarian-French pianist György Cziffra (born 5th November 1921) is one of my favourite pianists, especially when tearing into some wild Liszt or one of his own daredevil transcriptions (still beloved by pianists like Yuja Wang). Here, watch him play a couple of his own improvisations – and chuckle at his throwaway "I have finished, thank you" after six minutes of dazzling playing in a studio test!
Elisabeth Schwarz Editor
Dame Joan Sutherland
Dame Joan Sutherland, born on 7th November 1926, was without doubt one of the greatest sopranos of all time. Praised as La Stupenda, she was particularly acclaimed in the title role in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor – in 1961, her singing of the Mad Scene at the Met even drew a gobsmacking 12-minute ovation! Here she sings it at Opera Australia.
Jo Johnson Head of Marketing
Remember, remember... 🎆
In the UK this week we mark the 5th of November – Guy Fawkes Night/Bonfire Night/Fireworks Night – commemorating Fawkes' failed gunpowder plot in 1605 to assassinate King James I. Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks was not written for this day; it celebrates the end of the War of the Austrian Succession in 1748. And it didn't quite go to plan at the premiere in London in April 1749 when the wooden structure from which the fireworks were launched caught fire... But it's worth enjoying nonetheless!
Gabriel Fauré
This week we celebrate French composer Gabriel Fauré, who died 100 years ago.
Fauré centenary: Isserlis & Friends
Wigmore Hall celebrates Gabriel Fauré with recitals on five consecutive evenings, curated by Fauré advocate Steven Isserlis.
Bachtrack top ten
Apart from famous works like the Pavane and the Requiem, what else did Fauré compose? Take a spin through Mark's playlist and discover a wealth of chamber music.
Live to your living room
The best streamed content to watch this week
Billy Budd
Wiener Staatsoper
Fast-rising baritone Huw Montague Rendall sings the title role in Willy Decker's production of Britten's opera, with Gregory Kunde as Captain Vere
Live 3rd November
Frankfurt am Main
Andrés Orozco-Estrada's programme includes Strauss' rascal Till Eulenspiegel
Live 1st November
Berlin
Superstar pianists Yuja Wang and Víkingur Ólafsson join forces for a duo recital tour
Live 2nd Novemer
Cologne
Cristian Măcelaru conducts the WDR Symphony in Mahler's huge Third Symphony
Live 2nd November
Three of the best
... musical instrument inventors
By a quirk of fate, John Philip Sousa and Adolphe Sax share a birthday (6th November); Leon Theremin died on 3rd Nov 1993.
Leon Theremin
The theremin is an electronic instrument controlled without physical contact by the performer, making ghostly swooping sounds. Watch Carolina Eyck, the world's foremost thereminist, perform Martinů's Fantasia.
John Philip Sousa
The sousaphone (named after the bandleader and created by J W Pepper & Son) was designed to be easier to play than the concert tuba while standing or marching. Enjoy Patrick Sheridan evading bumble-bee attack!
Adolphe Sax
The saxophone, invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in the early 1840s, hasn't become a standard orchestral member, but there have been a few concertos, the most celebrated being by Alexander Glazunov.
Riddle Me This...
Who have we hidden in the anagram below?
Critics' Corner
What our reviewers watched last week
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Photography credits:
Gabriel Fauré (photograph by Eugène Pirou, 1905) © Public domain;
Billy Budd © Wiener Staatsoper | Sofia Vargaiová, Andrés Orozco-Estrada © Werner Kmetitsch, Yuja Wang, Víkingur Ólafsson © Kirk Edwards, Markus Jans, Cristian Măcelaru © Radio France | Christophe Abramowitz;
Leon Theremin, John Philip Sousa and Adolphe Sax © Public domain;
Antonio Pappano © Winslow Townson, courtesy of the BSO, Ballett am Rhein © Yan Revazov, Nina Stemme and Cornelia Beskow (Jenůfa) © Markus Gårder
Header © Rob Simmons | Unsplash, Footer orchestra © Samuel Sinipar | Unsplash, Footer seats © David Karlin, Footer opera © Kenny Filiaert | Unsplash, Footer ballet © Michael Afonso | Unsplash;
