Missouri Classical Music News and Notes

Contract talks between musicians and management at major orchestras are usually contentious. But the bitterness that broke out at the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra this winter was something else again. A work stoppage from the players forced the cancellation of nearly two months of concerts. A contract was finally agreed to in late February, but the antagonism left raw feelings on all sides.

So it was hoped that coming to New York to play an all-American program at Carnegie Hall on Saturday night would be a healing experience for the orchestra. The conductor was the dynamic David Robertson, the orchestra's music director designate. A good-sized audience turned up. How did it turn out?

More than a healing, the concert was a love-fest. . . .

Mr. Robertson led the orchestra in a sweeping and heady account of Ives's youthful Second Symphony to end the concert. His programs for his inaugural season, which begins in September, look terrific: a bracing mix of old and new with some inventive and surprising groupings. I hope the city of St. Louis knows what it has in this adventurous conductor. So far the orchestra players seem to.

The St. Louis Symphony, having apparently recovered from its recent attempt at public hari-kari, has announced its first season under David Robertson, and it's a pleasure to behold. Everything from Josquin to Adams, in elegant groupings. Without trying to force thematic connections, the orchestra has come up with neat titles for each event. I like "Radiance" as a catch-all for the Magic Flute Overture, Feldman's Coptic Light, and Das Lied von der Erde. Notice also that the orchestra now has its own blog.