Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Wagner, Tchaikovsky at SPSO

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestra will play orchestral highlights from the Ring April 6 in observance of Richard Wagner's bicentenary, which is coming up on May 22. (Has it been two hundred years already? It seems like just yesterday he was creating the artwork of the future.) The program will also include the Tchike Violin Concerto. ("Tchike," I have learned, is musicians' shorthand for Tchaikovsky. I have never seen that mentioned on any other blog.) Not one of my favorite works, and not one of my favorite composers, but I shall try to succumb. I truly shall.

I have written a preview of the concert, which may be read here. So read it, why don't you?

3 comments:

Dave MacD said...

I can't speak for anyone else, but on the rare occasion that I write, rather than speak, the shorthand for "Tchaikovsky," I write it as "Tchaik."

I wouldn't say that you're spelling it incorrectly, just providing a data point. Russian names are hard.

Joe Barron said...

Ah, but could one not pronounce that as "chake"?

Joe Barron said...

I made a mistake in the article when I called the SPSO a community orchestra. It is, in fact, professional, and the musicians are reportedly very upset. I think I might skip the concert.