PREVIEW: December's Classical Music in NYC
92Y
December 1, Daniil Trifonov and New York Philharmonic String Quartet perform the NY premiere of Trifonov’s own composition, Quintetto Concertante.
Stefan Jackiw, violin and harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani, two of artists of thrilling imagination and skill, join forces on Dec 6.
Dec 7, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and violinist Carolin Widmann perform Kurt Weill’s Violin Concerto.
Bass-baritone Eric Owens, on a break from Porgy & Bess, performs Schubert’s Winterreise with pianist Jeremy Denk on Friday, Dec 15.
Garrick Ohlsson continues his Brahms Exploration on Sunday Dec 15.
Dec 19, the McGill/McHale Trio (flute, clarinet, and piano) gives a fascinating program centering on dance, including the world premiere of a 92Y-commissioned work by Tyshawn Sorey called For Anton Vishio.
Areté
Greenpoint’s Areté Venue and Gallery is “a home for adventurous music and art, with an emphasis on multimedia and interdisciplinary performance.” Check out their calendar of events.
Tuesday Dec 17, Ultrafizz, a duo consisting of vocalist Lucy Dhegrae and pianist Nathaniel LaNasa, performs Since 1500, which “explores paths Western music might have taken, had it evolved along different lines.”
Carnegie Hall
December is a festive time for Carnegie Hall, with lots of diversity.
Dec 4, in Weill Recital Hall, the 2019 Grammy-nominated Aizuri Quartet performs Paul Wiancko’s energetic LIFT.
Dec 7, in Zankel Hall, Sō Percussion presents A Percussion Century, a survey of twentieth century percussion works — from Varèse to Xanakis — and the NY premiere of Julia Wolfe’s Forbidden Love.
Yannick Nézet-Séguin, at the piano, and mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato bring their perspectives to Schubert’s Winterreise on Sunday Dec 15.
Dec 17, elegant Taiwanese pianist Hsin-I Huang gives a recital benefitting journalism training programs at the Asian American Journalists Association. A concert suite from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker will be a pianistic feat befitting the season.
Oratorios galore. Handel’s Messiah can be experienced thrice: Thursday, Dec 19, by Oratorio Society of New York, Sunday, Dec 22, by The Masterwork Chorus and Orchestra, and Monday, Dec 23 by Musica Sacra. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio makes an appearance on Saturday, Dec 14, performed by The Cecilia Chorus of New York with Orchestra.
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
CMS celebrates the holidays with their annual Baroque Festival. Tuesday, Dec 3, Jeffrey Kahane will play Bach’s Goldberg Variations, joined by the Calidore String Quartet.
Corelli’s 1713 Christmas Concerto, “an early, Baroque age miracle of tone painting,” depicts the Nativity Scene in concerto grosso form. Served with sides of Bach, Vivaldi, and others, Sunday, Dec 8, and Tuesday, Dec 10.
Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos receive three complete performances Dec. 13, 15, and 17, “with a piano that has been modified using metal tacks to re-create the sound of a harpsichord,” Glenn Gould-style.
Crypt Sessions
Benjamin Britten will have been dead for 43 years on Dec 4, and Crypt Sessions will track him down by conjuring a Séance, “via a carefully-crafted program, tracing his life through a series of musical movements mixed with read letters and reflections.”
Metropolitan Opera
Robert Carsen’s staging of Der Rosenkavalier returns Dec 13 with Simon Rattle on the podium.
A brand new production of Berg’s Wozzeck opens on Dec 27. Yannick conducts, so this is a highlight of their season.
Miller Theater
Composer Portraits focuses on Bright Sheng Thurs Dec 5.
The classic Vince Guaraldi jazz score for the animated Charlie Brown Christmas is performed by the Cyrus Chestnut Quartet on Saturday Dec 7.
National Sawdust
Monday Dec 16, the legendary Canadian Brass arrives with their annual holiday celebration, “Christmas Time Is Here.”
New York Festival of Song
NYFOS furthers their tradition of stimulating programming with Tain't Nobody’s Business If I Do: Songs from Gay Harlem, “a new show that sheds light on Harlem's gay underground,” Thursday, Dec 12 at Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center. The same team produced last season’s delectable W.C. Handy and the Birth of the Blues, so this should be a treat.
New York Philharmonic
Something for everyone this month:
St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue
Yet another Messiah could be experienced here on Dec 10 and 12.
Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols is performed by the Boys of the Saint Thomas Choir and harpist, Sara Cutler. 5:30pm Thursday Dec 19.
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