2008年11月14日出版的Shanghai Daily以头版头条+整版报道了厘米演出前瞻cmPCO和上海古典音乐演出季评选CESH,这两项活动均是唐若甫先生发起并运作的。
Music to our ears
Created: 2008-11-14
Author:Michelle Qiao


CLASSICAL music attracts more and more Chinese and there’s an awful lot of Mozart out there. How do we know what’s and who’s really good? Michelle Qiao talks to music experts whose joint labor of love is to put their tips online.
Classical music is winning hearts and ears in the city, in concert halls, music schools and at home on pianos, violins and French horns. So far more than 100,000 children in Shanghai take up a musical instrument to make them more polished and accomplished and to open their hearts to the beauty of music.
Attendance at classical music concerts is increasing: Many big names, and many other names - some excellent, some not - come to Shanghai to perform. Some are even hastily assembled groups of scant talent but high hopes of exploiting Chinese audiences.
Choosing the best can be difficult if you’re a classical music lover without much background and without English-language skills.
There is help. Seven veteran music experts (critics, editors, professors, etc) have come together for the second year to provide tips for upcoming performances - and to rate the best classical music events of the past year.
The panel of seven has selected their favorite performances in the Classic Elite Shanghai 2007-08 Season. They are citizens, not officials, and their “awards” are not presented in a glittering hall, but online where all can read them, and released in other media.
The group, which has no official name, also gives tips on forthcoming performances in Shanghai, what’s really worth hearing and what’s a dog.
The Concert of the Year award goes to the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Christian Thielemann on November 13, 2007, at the Shanghai Concert Hall.
“The panel was highly impressed by the all-German repertoire and its Teutonic interpretation,” says the award’s initiator Rudolph Tang, former executive editor-in-chief of UK-based magazine Gramophone China.
Conductor Lorin Maazel is named Person of the Year for conducting the New York Philharmonic in Shanghai on February 20-21 at the Shanghai Grand Theater. He went on to a musical/diplomatic milestone ?? a historic conducting trip to Pyongyang in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
In Shanghai he led a mixed orchestra of young musicians, a gesture welcomed by many, says Tang.
The French Labeque sisters (Katia and Marielle) and Chinese-born cellist Wang Jian both were honored for Recitals of the Year.
“It seemed that the French sisters were born for duo pianos,” says panel member Li Changying, director of classical music programming from SMG Radio.
“The elderly sister was vivacious and humorous while the younger sister shy and quiet. They made such an interesting contrast on stage. In addition they created such a magnetic field with multiple layers of tones and a seamless cooperation. I could feel that the sisters almost breathed at the same pace during the performance. They are big winners of the season.”
She says cellist Wang has a “unique introverted style and deep understanding of the compositions.”
The panel announced 14 winners in nine categories, including orchestral, concerto, chorus, opera production and event of the year.
Months ago the panel initiated its music tips ?? “Classical Music Pre-Concert Observations,” a Bulletin Board System on the Internet ?? to give theatergoers professional guidelines when choosing a classical music concert.
They rated upcoming performances by foreign orchestras and musicians. Five stars is a must-go, while two stars is a turkey. One star is “suspicious” ?? it might be a “fake” orchestra or one hastily assembled by nonprofessionals for touring.
“We will tell which concerts are worth attending which are a waste of time and money,” says Tang.
The rating system arose after some third-class Western orchestras toured China ?? a new phenomenon ?? with a misleading, but often respectable Chinese name, an exaggerated introduction and costly tickets. They exploited the Chinese audience’s lack of English-language skills and background in music.
“Fifty million Chinese children are now studying a classical instrument,” says Yu Long, artistic director and chief conductor of the China Philharmonic Orchestra during an earlier interview this month. “In 20 years, I believe China will be one of the biggest countries in the world for music.”
And seven music lovers’ ratings and observations will help the Chinese audience develop its appreciation for classical music.
Go to www.klassikom.info for classical tips.
St Petersburg Philharmonic (Conductor Yuri Temirkanov)
Rated: °??°??°??°??°???
Good orchestra, good conductor and good soloist plus an all-Tchaikovsky program, a worthwhile concert.
Date: November18-19, 7:15pmVenue: Shanghai Grand Theater, 300 People’s Ave
Tickets: 150-1,580 yuan
Japanese violinist Akiko Suwanai
Rated: °??°??°??°??°???
This will be the first appearance of this outstanding violinist, who won awards in top musical competitions in the early 1980s and 90s. The Shanghai program is very °?°?heavy,°?°? including three sonatas by Mozart, Richard Strauss and Beethoven.
Date: November 22, 7:30pm
Venue: Shanghai Concert Hall, 523 Yan°??an Rd E.
Tickets: 100-580 yuan
Hungarian gypsy violinist Roby Lakatos and ensemble
Rated: °??°??°??°??°???
The program is really unique. The ensemble is comprised of violin, cimbalom, guitar, double bass and piano. It is seldom heard in the city.
Date: December 6, 7:30pm
Venue: Shanghai Concert Hall, 523 Yan°??an Rd E.
Tickets: 100-580 yuan
Winners of Classic Elites Shanghai 2007-08
Concert of the Year
Christian Thielemann, conducting the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra
Shanghai Concert Hall
November 13, 2007
Person of the Year
Lorin Maazel, conducting the New York Philharmonic
Shanghai Grand Theater
February 20-21
Orchestral Concert of the Year
Christian Thielemann conducting Munich Philharmonic Orchestra
Shanghai Concert Hall
November 13, 2007
China in the Eyes of Foreign Composers
Shanghai Spring Music Festival
May 11, 2008
Chamber Concert of the Year
Gidon Kremer leading the Kremerata Blatica (as visiting artists)
Shanghai Oriental Art Center
October 26, 2007
Shanghai Quartet (as Chinese musicians)
He Luting Concert Hall at Shanghai Music Conservatory
November 23, 2007
Concerto Concert of the Year
Anne-Sophie Mutter with Trondheim soloists
Shanghai Grand Theater
May 25, 2008
Recital of the Year
Labeque Sisters, piano duo (as visiting artists)
Shanghai Oriental Art Center
March 1, 2008
Wang Jian, cellist (as Chinese artist)
Shanghai Concert Hall
March 21, 2008
Opera of the Year
“The Marriage of Figaro,” concert version, Vienna State Opera conducted by Seiji Ozawa (as visiting artists)
Shanghai Oriental Art Center
September 17, 2007
“Thunderstorm” (as Chinese artists)
Shanghai Grand Theater
September 17-21, 2007
Chorus of the Year
Copenhagen Choir
Shanghai Spring Music Festival
May 4, 2008
Music Event of the Year
Shanghai Weekly Broadcasting Concertss, presented by SMG & Shanghai Concert Hall
Saturday Brunch Concerts
Shanghai Oriental Art Center
The panel
Fan Yu, deputy editor-in-chief of Music Lover magazine
Pablo Hsu, deputy editor-in-chief of Taiwan-based magazine Musical Times. Holds a degree in classical guitar from the Madrid Conservatory. Lives in Shanghai
Li Changying, director of the classical music program at Music Radio Shanghai and the Weekly Broadcast Concert
Li Yanhuan, veteran music critic, guest host of the classical music program at Music Radio Shanghai
Ren Haijie, music critic, regular contributor to Music Lover, Opera Arts and Gramophone China magazines, as well as several newspapers
Shen Cinong, music critic, senior editor of Xinmin Evening News in charge of music and dance coverage
Wang Shu, music critic, teaches composition at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music
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