A little more than 30 years ago, Gilbert Kalish recorded Charles Ives's "Concord" Sonata, his epic portrait of New England Transcendentalism. The recording won immediate praise, not just for Kalish's technical fluency but for his identification with Ives's protean character. Reviewing the recording in The
Still in print, Kalish's recording remains one to be reckoned with, though there is no substitute for hearing this woolly creation played live. Tomorrow night he provides a rare opportunity to do so: The "Concord" is the centerpiece of a Tufts University concert that also includes music of Beethoven (the Bagatelles, Op. 119), Haydn (the last piano sonata, No. 52), and Copland ("Four Piano Blues").
Speaking by phone from his New York home, Kalish said that after making the recording he "put the piece away for a while" and returned to it only about five years ago. The rediscovery has been fruitful. "It's not a symmetrical piece with easy, black-and-white solutions and simple instructions," he says. "It's a kind of sprawling, free-form type of work. So to make it rational, which is always important to me, [through] structure, shape, contrast - I spent a lot of time doing that.
"It's also, in a way, a forgiving piece," he continues. "There's so much texture, so much atmosphere, so much noise - it's not a piece in which every note has to be exactly right."
Asked whether he thinks his conception of the "Concord" has changed during the intervening years, he responds, "Yes, but it's hard to put that into words. Where it's gone I don't quite know. But I've had a lot of fun doing it again."
Given the strenuousness of the Ives, both to play and to hear, Kalish wanted something less demanding for the first half. "I wanted it to be music that would be delightful in a way, approachable, yet with nice layers of meaning." He calls the Copland "another kind of Americana" and points out an important link to the Ives: The fourth of the "Blues" is dedicated to John Kirkpatrick, the pianist who discussed the "Concord" Sonata with Ives, premiered it in 1938, and first recorded it. "That's a very touching connection."
Kalish remembers hearing Kirkpatrick's recording just before making his own and being shocked at how different his conception was from the older pianist. He wondered whether Kirkpatrick's version carried the imprimatur of Ives's approval.
"Then I found that he only played it for Ives once and [Ives] immediately pushed him off the piano bench, laughing. So I realized, OK, I'll do what I'll do."
At the Granoff Music Center, Tufts University, 20 Talbot Ave., Medford. 617-627-3679, tufts.edu/musiccenter
Emmanuel transition
Composer John Harbison has been named acting artistic director of Emmanuel Music, the organization announced yesterday. Harbison, who has for many years been principal guest conductor of Emmanuel Music, takes the helm in the wake of the Nov. 14 death of artistic director Craig Smith. "John is the ideal person to lead us through this difficult time and to keep alive the musical vision and legacy that Craig left behind," said Joan Nordell, president of the Emmanuel Music board, in a statement. A memorial concert for Smith will take place in Emmanuel Church on his birthday, Jan. 31.
Holiday spirit
Yuletide fast approaches, and with it, the urge to hear festive music arises in the hearts of even the most curmudgeonly among us. Here's an assortment of performances intended to satisfy your holiday jones. The list is not meant to be exhaustive - just a selection of what crossed our desk and seemed worthwhile. Events are listed chronologically, for the busy concertgoer's convenience.
Tonight: Boston Secession, "Cabaret Noël" (St. Paul's Church, Brookline). The innovative chorus mixes solo and ensemble numbers, along with opportunities for audience participation. The most intriguing number on the program? "Christmas Time Is Here," famous from Vince Guaraldi's soundtrack for "A Charlie Brown Christmas." bostonsecession.org
Tonight-Dec. 14: Boston Camerata, "A Renaissance Christmas" (Various locations). A program of Christmas music from Renaissance Europe, including both rarefied and populist fare, performed by the excellent early-music ensemble. bostoncamerata .com
Tomorrow: Handel and Haydn Society, "Holiday Sing" (Symphony Hall). Chorusmaster John Finney leads the chorus through works from the early Baroque to the 20th century, as well as a selection of well-known carols. handel andhaydn.org
Tomorrow: Firebird Ensemble, "The Passion of Scrooge (Faneuil Hall). The loose-limbed new-music group offers its fourth annual presentation of composer Jon Deak's highly entertaining retelling of "A Christmas Carol" from the bad guy's perspective. firebird ensemble.com
Monday-Dec. 31: Boston Pops, "Holiday Pops" (Symphony Hall). Among the guests for this year's concerts is Noah Van Neil, budding tenor and Harvard football player. Keith Lockhart conducts on opening night, and thereafter shares the podium with guest conductors. bostonpops.org
Dec. 14-15: Boston Baroque, Handel's "Messiah" (Jordan Hall). The season's greatest hit, never mind that it was intended for an entirely different season. Word is that soprano soloist Amanda Pabyan is very much worth hearing. Martin Pearlman conducts. bos tonbaroque.org
Dec. 14-15: Masterworks Chorale, "Messiah" Sing (Cary Hall, Lexington). A tradition since 1962. In case you're in a DIY mood. masterworkschorale.org
Dec. 15: Renaissonics, "Carols for Dancing" (Bemis Hall, Lincoln). Billing itself as "America's top Renaissance dance band," the ensemble offers dance-worthy carols interwoven with myths and stories of the fir tree. Miranda Loud, founder of the environmentally friendly Rialto Arts organization, joins in. rialtoarts.org
Dec. 15-16: Back Bay Chorale, "A Boston Christmas" (Emmanuel Church, Marsh Chapel). The "Christmas Cantata" by Daniel Pinkham - a Boston legend who passed away last year - is at the center of the program. Scott Allen Jarrett conducts. bbcboston.org
Dec. 16, 19: Handel and Haydn Society, Bach's Christmas Oratorio (Jordan Hall). Grant Llewellyn conducts the first three cantatas of Bach's six-part retelling of the Christmas story. Tenor Aaron Sheehan has the all-important role of the Evangelist, who serves as narrator. handelandhaydn.org
