Friday, November 18, 2011

WMP Concert Hall Review

Here is a review of Gil Morgenstern concert series. Visit their website to see all reviews.  http://concertonet.com/scripts/review.php?ID_review=7942


Verbal Questions, Musical Replies
New York
W.M.P. Concert Hall
11/16/2011 -
Gil Morgenstern Reflection Series
Johann Sebastian Bach: Adagio and Fugue from the G Minor Sonata for Solo Violin, BWV 1001
György Kurtág: Hommage à J.S. Bach – Im Volkston – Carenz Jig
Lukas Foss: Early Song and Composer’s Holiday from Three American Pieces
Anton Webern: Four Pieces for Violin and Piano, Opus 7
Johannes Brahms: Sonata Number 3 for Violin and Piano in D Minor, Opus 108

Gil Morgenstern (Violin and Interlocutor), Benjamin Hochman (Pianist)

Artists in WMP Concert Hall (© Coco T. Dawg)


Historically set between 17th Century Ducal palazzos, where musicians were surrounded by Titian paintings and Cellini goblets, and 21st Century stadia and halls, where every tone is regulated to the umpteenth correct vibe, lies the salon-concert hall. W.M.P. Concert Hall, to which I was introduced last night, is one of New York’s most lovely.

The most ornate is Weill Recital Hall, with its creamy Baroque decorations. But W.M.P. can beat them on two accounts. First, the vestibule, inside an unprepossessing portal on east 28th Street, is packed with violins and cellos, autographed pictures of virtuosi, historical photos from the late 19th Century. Obviously, this is a string-instrument workshop.

Second, past the gilded mirrors and Parisian chandeliers, are seats for about 70 listeners. In front is a stage with a wooden shell for optimal acoustics–and a 7’4” Bösendorfer concert grand piano.

Now, to some pianists, the relationship of Bösendorfer to Steinway is between Beluga and Esturia. One is excellent, the other has no adjectives to describe its effect. I am not one to judge, but Franz Liszt played nothing else when performing for the Austrian Emperor.



G. Morgenstern (© Wendy Stulberg)


The pianist last night was the fine Israeli Benjamin Hochman, but the main honors went to that always fascinating violinist Gil Morgenstern. Yes, he is one of the most technically adept and tasteful violinists playing today. But equally fascinating because, while not associated exclusively with any period, Mr. Morgenstern has programs which are of special interest, even if the pieces on paper don’t seem to go together.

Last night was an example of his work. Nine out of the ten works played were less than nine minutes in duration. (I approximate this, not having a watch.) But these were not at all encore works, lollipops. In fact, as the violinist explained before each set of works, they all asked questions. About personality, style and era.


Why, for instance, does one put Webern with Bach on the same program? Mr. Morgenstern speaks of their same attention to detail, to the same incredible technique required.

“But if Bach, had he written in 1908, like the Webern’s Five Pieces, would he have shortened his 100 measures down to nine measures?”

Or one takes the treatment of folk song by Lukas Foss (born in Germany, but very much, when necessary, part of the American musical movement) and by György Kurtág (born in Rumania, but in the Hungarian section of Rumania), with his emphasis on both folk songs.


Mr. Morgenstern played all this music with an elan that is difficult to hear in full-size concert hall. His thrilling tone, his brilliant four-string playing in the Bach, his sense of harmonics and trills... In a salon like W.M.P. there is not room for a single error. It would resonate and be remembered like an actor falling off a stage.

But Mr. Morgenstern is too fine a musician to make those errors in such an intimate space. Perhaps in his larger concert halls he could take chances. Here, he was demonstrating the art of great style, great technique and (while I have never met him), obviously great personality as well.

The final work was the least “complex” work of all, Brahms’ Third Sonata. One could say that here we didn’t need to worry about harmonics and Webernian equations. Yet that was anything but true. So masterful is Mr. Morgenstern that the Brahms had a unique majesty. One senses that the irascible old composer himself would sit up and take very favorable notice.



Harry Rolnick

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Electric.........Ex Vatican Strad


 When you come into Gradoux-Matt Rare Violins its almost like stepping into a world of the past. There are rare  pictures  on the wall of violinist from the beginning of the 20th century, old sketches of violinist such as Nicolo Paganini. As you walk farther back see our beautiful hall with its elegant chandeliers; it is impossible not to feel the warm and cozy atmosphere. Guests of our shop have said when they come here it reminds them of old New York before all the corporations took over. Emmanuel has decided to share a little piece of beauty and elegance that you experience when you come into our shop. There is a painting hanging on our walls of the Ex Vatican Strad, it is originally the art and design for the CD cover with  for  Philip Glass, composer - Wendy Sutter, cellist, recorded album "Songs and Poems I, II and III" for solo cello, by Herika Harrsch. We have made a set of 3 postcards perfect for all occasions. We are selling them in our shop and on  GoStrings.com


Other Gostrings news we are now selling guitar string along with some guitar accessories , electric violins and other products that are perfect for musicians that need to get LOUD. We will soon be selling electric cellos and Yamaha products.  


A set of 3 postcards:  The size is 5"x 5". The picture side is glossy and the back is matt.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Burried Treasure!

      Last week Emmanuel Gradoux-Matt, CEO of WMP Concert Hall, GoStrings, and Gradoux-Matt Rare Violins appeared on the TV show Buried Treasures on Fox Network. Buried Treasures is a reality TV program featuring the Keno Brothers from the TV show on PBS Antique Road Show. The premise of the show is the Keno brothers find interesting and potentially high value antiques, then find out the value and a buyer. Emmanuel appeared in the first episode when a family on the show had an old violin. The violin had a label with Giovanni Paolo Maggini and the Keno twins called Emmanuel to evaluate the instrument. Unfortunately for the family Emmanuel did not give them good news, the violin was a 19th century copy only valued at 300 dollars. Hopefully some people learned from Emmanuel's appearance on Buried Treasure. We get hundreds of people hoping that their violin with a Stradivarius label is the real thing but 99.9% of the time it is a copy. I am excited for the day when someone actually finds a real hidden treasure. In our next blog post Emmanuel will tell a story of when someone actually did have a real hidden treasure. Stay tuned!!

Monday, August 8, 2011

Summer Time!!

Can you believe summer is almost over! School will be starting soon, everyone is coming back from camp. So get ready for the fall with Gostrings.com! We have great deals on Pirastro strings and we will soon have great deals on cases and string sets to get you ready for the fall.  When you make a purchase from Gostrings join our mailing list to be the the first to find out our great deals on Gostrings.com!!

Just last week the prop master from the show "White Collar" bought a violin from Gradoux-Matt Rare Violins. The whole episode is going to be about a violin, and the violin is one of ours!! If you live in New York City remember Gostrings.com head quarters is right in Manhattan. We can help you in person with anything you might need. You never know who you might run into in our shop, we help the top musicians from all around the world and in New York City.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

New Season! Attacca Quartet!

We are thrilled to announce that the Attacca Quartet will open the season concerts at "Strad for Lunch Series on September 7th. Program to be announce soon. Suggested donation: $10
Winner of the Alice Coleman Grand Prize at the 60th annual Coleman Chamber Ensemble Competition in 2006, the internationally acclaimed Attacca Quartet has become one of America's premier young performing ensembles. The Attacca Quartet just won the 7th Osaka International Chamber Music Competition! Visit there website for more info http://attaccaquartet.com
Attacca Quartet is not only an amazing group of musicians but a great group of people. We are so excited that they will be giving us the honor of opening our season at WMP Concert Hall. Please visit our website to see all the upcoming concerts at www.wmpconcerthall.com

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Gil Morgenstern's Reflections Series 2011-2012 New York Season

We are proud to announce that Gill Morgenstern will be giving his second concert series at WMP Concert Hall. Last season every concert was sold out. Please if you are interested in coming to this series call in advance before his concerts are all sold out. This is what  www.reflectionsseries.com had to say

"The first season of Gil Morgenstern's Reflections Series in its new home at WMP Concert Hall was a sold-out success, beginning with a season-opening concert featuring the legendary Laurie Anderson, through performances inspired by muses as diverse as the Parisian salon and the diaspora, and concluding with Schoenberg's beautiful and intense Verklärte Nacht.

The New York Times
described Gil Morgenstern as a, "brilliant artist," while New York magazine called Reflections, an "illuminating annual series."

Through its unique contextualization of historical artistic styles and events of their time period, Reflections Series programming entertains and enlightens the 21st century audience. Using both existing and original works, and with the collaboration of a superb ensemble of creative and performing artists representing all art forms, Reflections programs present works that both reflect upon one another and invite the audience to reflect anew on universal themes. The Reflections Series during the 2011-2012 season will also presented in Miami, Philadelphia, Boston and at An Appalachian Summer Festival in Boone, North Carolina; and in various cities throughout Italy, France, and England.

WMP Concert Hall is an intimate venue, ideally suited to Gil Morgenstern's innovative approach to programming. New York magazine describes it as, "a miniature version of a European aristocrat's music room, complete with gilt mirrors, chandelier, and lyre-back chairs."

We hope you will mark your calendars now, and join us again next season!"

For More information:
Reflections Series:  www.reflectionsseries.com
Gil Morgenstern: www.gilmorgenstern.com
WMP Concert Hall:  www.wmpconcerthall.com

If you would like to purchase tickets for any concerts please email admin@wmpconcerthall.com

Friday, June 24, 2011

WMP Concert Hall

 76 Concerts, 7 Concert Series, 117 solo artists, 8 Quartets, 7 Trios, 4 Ensembles = Season 2010-11 at WMP Concert Hall!! Thank you to all the wonderful artists who performed this season. http://wmpconcerthall.com/concert_calendar/previous_concerts.  Have a wonderful Summer! Looking forward to seeing you in September. Stay tuned for next season's programming. www.wmpconcerthall.com