Happy Holidays from the ASO Musicians!
Holiday Wine Pairing
by Tariq and Mayumi Masri
Wine has always been an important part of our relationship. When we started dating we spent many vacations going to Sonoma County in California for wine tasting and then loved the area so much we got married there. After our daughter Rania was born, Tariq’s parents retired and moved to Santa Rosa (in Sonoma County) only minutes from where we got married. For our family, the holiday season means traveling to Northern California to spend Christmas with Tariq’s family. Coming from a multi-cultural background, our Christmas meal always consists of food from multiple cultures. There’s middle eastern food- Maqluba (upside down chicken and rice), Kousa (zucchini stuffed with rice), and falafel. Asian food- chicken bao and egg rolls and lumpia (filipino version of egg rolls). Needless to say, there’s always a ton of food with lots of different flavor profiles.
One of our favorite red wines to pair with all those flavors is the Pedroncelli 2019 Zinfandel Mother Clone from Dry Creek Valley. It has a spicy peppery finish with a full fruity flavor and the price tag is under $20. For a white wine, we love the Hanna 2019 Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley. It has beautiful tones of apple pie, lemon and spices that are perfect for pairing with a Christmas meal. For extra special situations such as celebrating Christmas for the first time in person after the pandemic, we love to indulge with a bottle of Williams Selyem 2020 Pinot Noir Savoy Vineyard. Almost impossible to find (only at high end restaurants and at the winery) this pinot is one of the best we have ever had. The taste is so soft and sophisticated with hints of cherry, orange peel and tea. Every sip you take is like replaying a favorite memory from the stage. It’s truly an unforgettable experience!
From our family to yours, we wish you a Happy Holiday season! Cheers!
Our Favorite Holiday Albums
by Mary Del Gobbo
As professional musicians, one question we often hear is “What kind of music do you listen to?” which seems to come hand-in-hand with the unspoken belief that as orchestral musicians we prefer to listen to classical music. The reality is that musicians might just have the most eclectic taste in music of any group of people. We can find something to like in any genre – if the music’s good, we’re here for it. In light of that fact, and in keeping with the season, we thought we’d share some of our favorite holiday albums. Some may be familiar to you, some you may consider anathema to all you hold dear, but we guarantee there’s something here for everyone and to us, it’s all in good fun and, more importantly, it’s all good music.
~in no particular order~
1. Be All Merry by The Choral Scholars of University College Dublin – If you’re in the mood for classic carols sung with a slight Irish lilt, this is the album for you. (Can you tell we’re trying to ease you into this list gently?)
2. Joy To The World: Music of Christmas by Empire Brass – For those of you who attended our recent concert at Avon Theater featuring our Holiday Brass and are itching for more Brass-tacular selections, this album is a good place to start.
3. A Very She & Him Christmas by She & Him – When you feel your blood pressure start to rise as you wait in line at your favorite coffee shop, take it down a notch with this great Indie duo. Clean and simple sometimes really IS best.
4. Hell Of A Holiday by Pistol Annies – If your motto is “Go Country or Go Home”, don’t worry – we haven’t forgotten you. Even if you don’t prefer country music, this album will have you dancing around the house. We especially love the title track, which may be the only song in existence that references our penchant to start decorating for the holidays as early as possible.
5. The Christmas Collection by Act of Congress – Were you sitting at home last Friday night when you were struck by the sudden feeing of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)? If so, it’s because you didn’t attend the amazing ASO concert starring Act of Congress. While we certainly wouldn’t go out of our way to make you feel bad for missing such an exciting event, it must be stated that the Act of Congress Christmas album has become an ASO musician staple. Their incredibly catchy take on the classic holiday favorites will have you singing along to songs that you swore you’d never listen to again (we’re looking at you, 12 Days of Christmas).
6. Klezmer Nutcracker by Shirim Klezmer Orchestra – No holiday season is complete without a little bit of music from Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker”. That being said, one can only listen to “Waltz of the Flowers” so many times before wanting to run into a brick wall. Repeatedly. This album provides the answer – The Nutcracker, Klezmer style. Our personal favorite? Dance of the Latkes Queens. Give it a listen and we promise it’ll bring a smile to your face.
7. A Twisted Christmas by Twisted Sister – If you think music isn’t music without a little bit of metal and a whole lot of hair, we’re not sure how you came by this newsletter, but Welcome! and we’ve got you covered. Not for the faint of heart, this oldie but goodie will get you head-banging in no time.
8. (Red) Christmas EP by The Killers – Made up of their yearly Christmas singles, released from 2006-2011 and supporting the Product Red campaign, this album is less about carols and more a trippy homage to the many moods of Christmas. To be clear, there are no carols on this album. Do not listen to this if you want carols. Instead, listen to:
9. A Christmas Album by Barbra Streisand – Impeccably sung, sometimes classic and simple (and ok, maybe a little cheesy, it was the 60’s after all) is what you need when sitting in front of a fire, feeling all the feels. Nobody does it like Barbra.
10. Christmas with Robert Shaw by The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus – We end this list as we began it, with an immaculate recording of choral music – this time starring a group a bit closer to home. Known as one of the great choral conductors, Robert Shaw brings to light the true magnificence of a well-tuned choir. If you want grandeur and glory, this is your album.
Upcoming Concerts
Assistant Principal Second Violin Tara Mueller on Handel’s Messiah:
This piece holds a special place in our season; while other programs change from year to year, Messiah remains as this steadfast event that marks the holiday season. I look forward to that feeling of coming back to an old friend I haven’t seen in a while, one that can still offer up new discoveries and surprises, even though we know each other well.
One of the most challenging aspects of this piece is the endurance needed to make it to the end! We (the string players) don’t have much of a chance to rest
throughout the entire work, and it can be pretty physically demanding just to hold the instrument up that long!
There are so many great moments in this piece, but one of my favorites is the Pifa, a gentle, lilting melody that makes me think of floating down a slow river, or swinging in a hammock. And of course it’s always a great moment to see everyone in the audience stand, without any need for direction, for the famous Hallelujah chorus.
Catch Handel’s Messiah on December 17th at the Alys Stephens Center.
Principal Tuba Andrew Miller on Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5:
I’m always excited to play this piece because I finally get the chance to play incredible melodies…a lot! Prokofiev really understood how the contrabass tuba could and should be utilized. Whereas many composers use the tuba mostly as the bass voice of the brass section, Prokofiev has me quickly changing roles and tone colors: one moment I’m helping the bass clarinet, then I’m doubling the cellos and basses to fatten and lift up the string sound. And of course he doesn’t forget the tuba’s subwoofer power to provide solid foundation to the brass.
One of my teachers, Gene Pokorny, tubist of the Chicago Symphony, says that
playing this symphony is the best warm up a tubist could ask for; the only problem is once the warm up is over, so is the concert. It’s the kind of piece where tuba players could seriously use another lung (or three). The long melodic lines combined with a low tessitura employ a high flow rate of air. The tubist has to strive to be a magician by catching inevitable breaths without interrupting the intensity of the melody. In other words, I’ll attempt to sound graceful while feeling like I’m drowning on dry land!
There are several moments within the piece that are remarkable, but two immediately stand out to me as favorites. First is the coda of movement one. The long statement is so cool that he decided to repeat it. The second happens early in the third movement when the haunting melody has the violins “screaming” in their highest register over the orchestra. It’s very reminiscent of an orchestration technique he used to great effect – ultimate sorrow and wailing- in his Romeo and Juliet ballet. To me, it captures in sound what acupuncture with icicles must feel like.
Prokofiev is a master of presenting emotions through music. If in doubt, find a YouTube video of a ballet company doing the balcony scene from his Romeo and Juliet. His style of orchestration utilizes the full range of the orchestra, like using all the keys on the piano, and demands virtuoso performances from us all. The wash of sound will be memorable, and I’m excited to be a part of it.
Catch Prokofiev Symphony No. 5 on January 13th and 14th at the Alys Stephens Center.
Principal Bassoon Tariq Masri on Sibelius Symphony No. 1:
Sibelius is one of my favorite composers. The general public mostly knows him for Finlandia, but he is one of the greatest symphonists of all time, certainly on par with Gustav Mahler. This symphony is firmly rooted in his nationalist period but there are still signs of the Sibelius to come. This piece is challenging both in its demands on the musician’s technique, as well as asking the player to understand their individual parts; where to come out of the texture and where one plays a more subsidiary role.
I have many favorite moments in this piece but one that comes to mind occurs in the second movement. After a lush melody in the strings with little asides in the clarinets time stops and there is an entrance by the principal bassoon alone. Shortly after that, the second bassoon joins in. The principal clarinet joins followed by the second clarinet. Finally, the principal oboe and flute join in as well. This moment is simultaneously desolate and beautiful.
Sibelius was such an amazing composer. As a symphonist he really found his voice in the Third Symphony. With each subsequent symphony from the Third onward he gained greater economy of form, so that by the time he reached his Seventh symphony it’s as if he thought to himself that he had said all that he had to say. He would go on to live another 33 years, yet it’s the last symphony he ever wrote. Sometimes it’s good to quit while you’re ahead!
Catch Sibelius Symphony No. 1 on January 27th and 28th at the Alys Stephens Center.