SFS Announces Latest SFSymphony+ Releases

SFS Associate Principal Flute Robin McKee (courtesy of SFS)

Yesterday morning the San Francisco Symphony (SFS) announced plans to release three new videos to SFSymphony+, the “on demand” Web site for streamed performances by SFS musicians. Tuesday appears to be the release date for such offerings. One of the videos will be made available this coming Tuesday; and the other two will be “in the system” the following Tuesday. Each video involves a single piece of music as follows:

1. The video to be released on October 22 will be the divertimento that Igor Stravinsky created based on the music he had composed for the one-act ballet “Le baiser de la fée” (the fairy’s kiss).
2. The first video to be released on November 2 will be a performance of Charles Ives “The Unanswered Question.” This music is performed by three distinct instrumental groups. The first is a solo instrument (usually a trumpet, although Ives seems to have allowed for performance by cor anglais, oboe, or clarinet), which “asks the question.” The response comes from a wind quartet (usually four flutes), which never provides a satisfactory answer. The final group is a string quartet or string orchestra, which serves as a continuo for the exchanges between the first two groups. The recorded performance will be conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen.
3. The second November 2 release will be Jessie Montgomery’s “Strum.” This was composed in 2018 for a string orchestra. However, it can also be performed by the more limited resources of a chamber ensemble; and the latter version will be the one recorded for video by SFS musicians.

All three of these videos will be available for viewing free of charge. Hyperlinks will not be created until they have been released for viewing. At that time it should be possible to find each video by browsing the SFSymphony+ home page or by using the search tool available at the top of that page. All programs are usually available for viewing beginning at 10 a.m. on the date of release.