Beethoven's Fifth Revealed

We went to the Pacific Symphony's matinee concert on Sunday.  :)

Listen to Alan Chapman's preview on SoundCloud.

The Saturday night performance will broadcast on Classical KUSC on January 28, 2018.

Music director Carl St. Clair conducted with bass-baritone Greer Grimsley.

Ludwig van Beethoven:  Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

Richard Wagner:  Wotan's Farewell and Magic Fire Music from Die Walküre

Beethoven's fifth is the ringtone on my phone for calls from work.  It was either this or J.S. Bach's Toccata and Fugue.  :)

Our Wotan, Greer Grimsley, was as tall as Carl on the podium!  That's how you want your gods to be.  :)

You can sample Greer's Wotan on Amazon.

Tchaikovsky Spectacular

We went to the final summer concert of the Pacific Symphony on Saturday.  This has become a family tradition to end summer with canons and fireworks.

Unfortunately, the Pacific Amphitheater does not have lawn seating, so we decided to let the kids have a sleepover at a friends home.

Music director Carl St.Clair conducted with pianist Yekwon Sunwoo.

Dmitri Shostakovich:  “Galop” from Moscow, Cheryomushki

Sergei Rachmaninoff:  Concerto No. 2 in C Minor for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 18 Moderato

Sergei Prokofiev:  March in B-flat, Op. 99

Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky:  Overture Fantasy from Romeo and Juliet

Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky:  1812 Overture Op. 49, TH 49

Yekwon Sunwoo was this year's Van Cliburn International Piano Competition gold medalist.  You can sample his piano on Amazon.  :)

The canons were placed at the top of the amphitheater.

I think they launched the fireworks from the parking lot, but I couldn't see where.  They came up on the left-hand side, facing the stage.  To get the best view, the right side seating would be the best.  That will be sections 1, 7, and 8.