Episode 19: It Ain’t Necessarily So

On this edition, “It Ain’t Necessarily So.” Classical favorites revised, reworked, and reimagined for the Heifetz Institute stage. Featuring great works by Gershwin, Dvorak, Manuel de Falla, and even a Beethoven Symphony in unique Heifetz Institute performances.   This Episode’s Playlist Gluck, arr. Kreisler: Mélodie fr. Orfeo ed Euridice Lilya Milcheva, violin | Carlos Avila, piano Francis Auditorium, Mary Baldwin University, Staunton, VA Heifetz Institute Recording | 07.31.2016 Gershwin, arr. Jascha Heifetz: Three Selection from Porgy & Bess A Woman Is a Sometime Thing  Bess You Is My Woman Now It Ain’t Necessarily So Ji-Won Song, violin | Carlos Avila, piano Monroe’s Highland, Charlottesville, VA Heifetz Institute Recording | 07.04.2016 Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet, Op. 64 (arr. viola & piano). I.  Introduction [excerpt] En-Chi Cheng, viola | Anton Smirnoff, piano Francis Auditorium, Mary Baldwin University, Staunton, VA Heifetz Institute Recording | June 29, 2015 Dvořák, arr. Julia Egan: Silent Woods Andrew Gonzalez, viola | Robby Brown, guitar Blackfriars Playhouse, American Shakespeare Center, Staunton, VA Heifetz Institute Recording | 07.02.2019 Manuel de Falla, arr. Piatigorsky: Ritual Fire Dance fr. El Amor Brujo Dominic Lee, cello | Zhenni Li-Cohen, piano Monroe’s Highland, Charlottesville, VA Heifetz Institute Recording | 07.04.2019 Ervin T. Rouse: Orange Blossom Special Pauline Lee, violin Page Terrace, Mary Baldwin University, Staunton, VA Heifetz Institute Recording | 07.14.2018 Paganini: Caprice No. 24 Nicholas Wong, cello Francis Auditorium, Mary Baldwin University, Staunton, VA Heifetz Institute Recording | 07.05.2022 J.S. Bach: Little Prelude No. 2 in C minor, BWV 934 [excerpt] Peter Blanchette, archguitar | Mané Lareggla, archguitar Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Staunton, VA Heifetz Institute Recording | 03.19.2022 Beethoven, arr. Nicholas Kitchen:  Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92 II. Allegretto IV. Allegro con brio Nicholas Kitchen, violin |  | Hannah Cho, violin | Emily Liu, viola | Isabella Bignasca, viola | Yeesun Kim, cello Francis Auditorium, Mary Baldwin University, Staunton, VA Heifetz Institute Recording | 07.16.2017 Go Deeper Heifetz Artistic Director Nicholas Kitchen has become increasingly well-know for his fascinating insights into the music of Ludwig von Beethoven.  Register online to view his May 22 talk, “Nicholas Kitchen Rediscovers Beethoven,” presented by the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. “A pop song about the prominent violinists of the day? It seems hard to imagine now. But around 1921 George and Ira Gershwin wrote Mischa, Jascha, Toscha, Sascha, a lighthearted ditty about four great Jewish Russian violinists who were well known at the time: Mischa Elman, Jascha Heifetz, Toscha Seidel, and Sascha Jacobsen…”  Explore more about the Jascha Heifetz – Gershwin connection in this excellent post from “The Listener’s Club” by Timothy Judd. “His transcriptions, arrangements and commissioned works have helped shaped the modern cello repertoire. His artistic flare created a rare musical excitement which left an indelible impression on all those who heard him.”  Discover more about the remarkable life and career of the Ukrainian-born cellist (and frequent Jascha Heifetz collaborator!) Gregor Piatagorsky, whose arrangement of Manuel De Falla’s Ritual Fire Dance is featured in this episode More at heifetzinstitute.org