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TANGLEWOOD 2015 By Dave Sear May 18, 2015
What is really new and exciting in the Berkshires this summer is that Tanglewood has extended its schedule from the middle of June to early September. Also that this will be Andres Nelsons first summer as music director of the Boston Symphony. In addition there is lots of new programing and new performers both classical and pop that will range from Beethoven to Lady Gaga.
Tanglewood, the Berkshires' leading cultural attraction, has an average annual attendance of more than 300,000 visitors and a $60 million impact on the Berkshire economy each summer. The Festival presents orchestra concerts by the Boston Symphony, Boston Pops, and visiting ensembles, featuring many of the greatest classical musicians of our time; recital and chamber music concerts in the intimate setting of Ozawa Hall; programs highlighting the young musicians of the Tanglewood Music Center; and performances by some of today’s leading popular artists. With vision, Tanglewood offers free lawn tickets to children accompanied by their parents insuring a future audience for the world’s great music. There are discounted tickets for students, even people under 40 and other offerings as well.
Highlights of this year’s offerings, classical and pop, new and old performers that jump out to me as I look over the calendar include: Sheryl Crow with the Boston Pops on June 19. On Jun 21 there will be a Yoga Class in partnership with Kripalu. This is something new, interesting and free. Also free on Jun 26, there will be a fun afternoon at Tanglewood with activities for the whole family. There will be lots of other family events as well.
On June 27, always an outstanding event, is A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor. This is a really fun show that I have seen now for several years. Be prepared to stay on for an extra hour or two after the show when Garrison will bring out the cast and sing and banter with the audience.
And now ladies and gentlemen, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga on June 30. A far cry from the classics but you better get your tickets early and only the lawn is still available.
As the host producer of Folk and Baroque for NPR for many years, if I could only go to one show, it would be Apollo's Fire on July 2. This features The Cleveland Baroque Orchestra, presenting “A Night at Bach's Coffee House”. By this they mean, Café Zimmermann, in 18th century Leipzig, where Johann Sebastian Bach and an orchestra of professionals and amateurs played Bach’s most exciting and lively secular music composed specifically for them to play and sing where music was not restricted by the church. What a great idea.
On July 6 Boston Pops brass and percussion sections perform a one-of-a-kind concert with two of the world's best drum-and-bugle corps: the Boston Crusaders, the third-oldest drum corps in America, celebrating their 75th anniversary; and the sixteen-time Drum Corps International World Champion Blue Devils from Concord, California. This is a real first for Tanglewood.
On July 18, there will be an All-Mozart Program which will include Piano Concerto No. 25 in C, K.503 and Symphony No. 38, Prague. The next day, July 19 Sir Neville Marriner conducts Mozart and Schumann featuring pianist Paul Lewis. It is always a treat to hear Neville Marriner in person as he is so often heard on radio delivering splendid recorded performances. Following on JulY 24 Christoph von Dohnányi conducts an All-Beethoven Program Featuring violinist Vadim Gluzman with Symphony No. 4 and the Violin Concerto. These concerts are an excellent sampling of the high level of classical concert music that one can expect from Tanglewood and the BSO.
The Saturday morning rehearsals are a wonderful way to hear the music put together and are usually rehearsing the following Sunday concert. The Saturday-Morning Rehearsal on July 25 will feature an All-Mozart Program. Unfortunately they are no longer free. Also On July 25 Michael Tilson Thomas conducts Mozart and Mahler featuring pianist Emanuel Ax. Emanuel Ax is one of the world’s great pianists who plays a lot at Tanglewood and always turns in an outstanding performance. Ax together with Michel Tilson Thomas, who I remember running around the campus as a young student, always deliver outstanding performances. The next day, July 26 Christoph von Dohnányi conducts Mozart's 3 last and greatest symphonys No. 39, 40 and 41. This is truly an extraordinary summer of great classical music and there is more.
Tanglewood is on Parade on August 4. This is always one of the highlights of the season with even more musical programs and forces thrown in this year. It starts at 2:30 and ends with the TCHAIKOVSKY 1812 Overture, followed by fireworks.
On August 9, Beethoven's Complete Sonatas for Cello and Piano will be played by Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax. This is an extraordinary example of these two great musicians contribution to the Tanglewood experience.
Interrupting the music on Aug 13, come to the Wine & Cheese Reception, 6-7:45pm at the Highwood Manor House. How about that, not exactly new but I promised all kinds of events this year and there’s more of these scheduled.
Back to the music on August 14. Andris Nelsons the BSO’s new music director conducts Mendelssohn and Mahler featuring violinist Christian Tetzlaff. It looks like we’re getting the Mendelssohn and Beethoven violin concerts in the same year. Pretty good.
And finally on August 16, Asher Fisch conducts COPLAND Symphonic Ode and BEETHOVEN Symphony No.9. With the performance of Beethoven’s epic 9th Symphony featuring the spectacular Tanglewood Festival Chorus the BSO ends its season but the music goes on with the Boston Pops, John Williams music from the movies and other great events until it comes to a close on September 5th with Kristin Chenoweth and the Boston Pops. WOW! I didn’t intend to go on so long with highlights but there are just so many this season that I couldn’t stop.
Besides Tanglewood, The Berkshires is a wonderful place to visit. There are outstanding cultural attractions, theater, dance, museums, beautiful country vistas, and lots of fine places to stay and eat. If you enjoy antiques they can be found almost anywhere. Tanglewood is only about 150 miles from New York City (closer to Boston). I hope you will visit the Berkshires and find your own things and most important, ENJOY.
Dave Sear is a folksinger who has given concerts and played on major folk festivals all over the country with other singers from Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger to Tom Paxton and Judy Collins. He spent over 45 years in radio as host/producer of The Folk Music Almanac and Folk and Baroque and was heard nationally over the NPR Network. He is a freelance writer living in Great Neck, NY, has a home in Austerlitz, NY and teaches folk banjo and guitar in his studios and worldwide over Skype to people wanting to use the instruments to accompany their singing.
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