Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Tonhalle 2007/8

The 2007/8 saison for classical music at Zurich's Tonhalle has already been started (and Martha Argerich has already gone by).

So all in all, just make sure to order tickets in advance for Sokolov and Chick Corea at:

2007-12-01 and
2008-04-04

If you like to have fun with the orchestra and some piano, try:

2007-12-05, 2007-12-06, and 2007-12-07 and
2008-01-29, 2008-01-30, and 2008-01-31

To reserve tickets call +41 44 206 34 34. If you are a student you can get tickets for CHF 20 starting the week before on Monday. But be aware, for some special concerts (like the Sokolov on 2007-12-01) you can only get student tickets on the same day starting at 18:00 o'clock and then only half the price (which might result to around CHF 30-50).


If you feel I ignored something for my own bad, I am open to being corrected. Otherwise I am looking forward to the rest of the season (with the only regret that Murray Periah isn't appearing yet again).

Here is the rest of what I plan to see or have interest in with some comments for your consideration (if you are in town and are looking for suggestions):

2007-11-15

Itzhak Perlman, violin
Bruno Canino, piano

Schubert, Rondo brilliant D 895
Beethoven, violin sonata no. 5 op. 24 "Spring"
R. Strauss, violin sonata op. 18n

Canino is not that famous, but I think he has a wonderful touch and sound, actually a great pianist. Together with Perlman you can't do much wrong going there.


2007-12-01

Grigory Sokolov

Schubert: piano sonata D. 958

This is the one must see (hear) concerto of the season!
After so many great pianists have died in recent years, one of the few remaining ones.
Don't miss this concerto (if you pick only one concerto, this is it)!!!
Also looking forward to hear him play this big Schubert Sonata.


2007-12-05, 2007-12-06, and 2007-12-07

Marin Alsop, conductor
Kirill Gerstein, piano
Tonhalle Orchestra

Wagner, Tristan and Isolde
Liszt, piano concerto no. 2
Brahms, symphony no. 3

Great program, maybe great conductor, dunno the pianist. Will be fun to be there.


2007-12-10

David Fray, piano

Schubert, impromptu no. 1 and 3
Mozart, piano sonata KV 333
Boulez, douze notations pour piano
Bach, partita no. 4

Dunno the pianist, nice program (but if there is something else...).


2008-01-15

Yo-Yo Ma, cello

Bach: 3 suites

Well, it is Yo-Yo Ma and I have never heard him play before. And the Bach solo works for cello are another reason to go there.


2008-01-21

Herbert Schuch, piano

Schumann, Nachtstuecker op. 23
Holliger
Ravel, gaspard de la nuit
Prokofjew, piano sonata no. 8

Dunno the pianist, nice program (but if there is something else...).


2008-01-29, 2008-01-30, and 2008-01-31

Bernard Haiting, conductor
Alfred Brendel, piano

Beethoven, piano concerto no. 3
Schostakowitsch, symphony no. 15

I like Haiting very much, have not heard him for Schostakowitsch, but he should be one of the few "for the job". Highly recommended.


2008-02-18

Veronika Eberle, violin
Martin Helmchen, piano

Mozart, violin sonata KV 454
Beethoven, violin sonata no. 7 op. 30 no. 2
Schubert, violin sonata D 574
Prokofjew, violin sonata no. 2 op. 94b

Dunno the artists, if so will go there just for the Schubert sonata, which is just wonderful!


2008-04-04

Chich Corea, piano
Gary Burton, vibraphone

The other must see concerto! Need to pre order tickets pronto, especially as I have never before heard Chick Corea live.


2008-04-07

Joyce Yang, piano

Bach, chromatic fantasy and fuge BWV 903
Schumann, carnaval
Brahms, four piano pieces op. 119
Brahms, Paganini variations

Dunno the pianist, but great program! Especially looking forward to the four pieces of Brahms (hope she will play it excellent) and the chromatic fantasy I have never heard live before.


2008-04-09, and 2008-04-10

Ivor Bolton, conductor
Valeriy Sokolov, violin
Tonhalle Orchestra

Gluck, ouverture
Mozart, violin concerto no. 4
Beethoven, Prometheus

My favorite Mozart violin concerto. Dunno the artists.


2008-04-23, 2008-04-24, and 2008-04-25

Vladimir Ashkenazy, conductor
Lukas Vondracek, piano
Tonhalle Orchestra

Rachmaninov, piano concerto no. 4
Mussorgsky, pictures of an exhibition (for orchestra)

I guess I would prefer the pictures of an exhibition in the original piano version and played by Ashkenazy himself. Still, maybe he picked a good pianist and interesting program to chill out at and to enjoy the orchestra.


2008-05-05

Boris Giltburg, piano

Bach, toccata BWV 565
Beethoven, piano sonata op. 101
Franck
Rachmaninov, preludes op. 23
Prokofjev, piano sonata no. 7

Dunno the pianist, but interesting program. Actually with that program he better be good:o).


2008-05-06, and 2007-05-07

Eliahu Inbal, conductor
Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano
Tristan Murail, Ondes Martenot
Tonhalle Orchestra

Olivier Messiaen

???? I really like Thibaudet. But Messiaen? Not sure I want to go.


2008-06-01

Jewgenij Kissin, piano
Kremerata Baltica

Bruckner, intermezzo
Mozart, piano concerto no. 20
Golijov
Mozart, piano concerto no. 27

Two mozart concertos in one session, that is nice. Never heard Kissin live before, not that it has been a great desire of mine, but maybe time to get over with it:o).


2008-07-03

Marek Janowski, conductor
Tonhalle Orchestra

Mahler, symphony no. 10
Webern, six pieces for orchestra op. 6
R. Strauss, Ein Heldenleben op. 40

Hmm, nice program. Enjoy the orchestra. If only Haiting, Roshdestwenski, or Kurt Sanderling could conduct this:o). Or why can't Barenboim get over to Zurich to take over the Orchestra for an evening?!


2008-07-08

Marek Janowski, conductor
Marc-Andre Hamelin, piano
Tonhalle Orchestra

Webern, Im Sommerwind
Busoni, piano concerto

No high expectations, but want to take the chance to hear Hamelin live. Oh, and actually the Busoni is not something can hear any season.

Monday, October 08, 2007

Korean Translation

DalHo Park translated a documentation article of mine about Debian Linux packages into Korean.

I enjoy this not only in general or because I like the language and started to appreciate the written Hangul character set, but because I just happen to be here in Seoul (Insa-Dong) right now:).

Thanks.