The New York Philharmonic

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SLIDESHOW: A Glamorous Opening Gala

The New York Philharmonic launched its 2014–15 season last night! Following a glittering pre-concert reception, the Opening Gala centered on La Dolce Vita: The Music of Italian Cinema, in which Music Director Alan Gilbert and the Orchestra were joined by a starry array of artists — Joshua Bell, Renée Fleming, and Josh Groban plus Martin Scorsese and Alec Baldwin. Afterward, the Gala audience crossed the Lincoln Center Plaza for a post-concert dinner in the David H. Koch Theater. Echoing the festive occasion, the Empire State Building shone Philharmonic red last night in celebration of the new season. Relive the festivities!

New Worlds, New Audience

"2001: A Space Odyssey" at NY Philharmonic 

Thank you to all who joined us for 2001: A Space Odyssey — especially those new to us. The New York Times' Anthony Tommasini wrote, "Like the previous film night earlier last week, devoted to music from Alfred Hitchcock movies, this event packed the hall with exactly the demographic of younger, diverse people American orchestras are trying to reach."

More than half the audience was new to our database, and almost half of the audience for Hitchcock!, the other program in The Art of the Score: Film Week at the Philharmonic, was new.

"The ovation at the end was long and ardent," Tommasini wrote. "Maybe this film night will entice some newcomers to take in a symphonic program without a film."

We hope so, knowing there are many more thrilling moments in our new season, which opens tomorrow.

 

'Fabulously Entertaining'

Hitchcock! 

Writing in The New York Times, critic Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim called Tuesday night's Hitchcock! "fabulously entertaining." She noted Alec Baldwin's "insightful commentary" and the orchestra's "glorious sound" in Dimitri Tiomkin's score for Dial M for Murder. If you missed it, Film Week at the Philharmonic continues Friday and Saturday with 2001: A Space Odyssey. Don't miss it.

(Photo: Brian Harkin for The New York Times)

Movie Music Mash-Up

A Dancer's Dream

On this date in 1926, the film Don Juan, starring John Barrymore, was released, featuring the Philharmonic on the sound track — the first time in history that a symphony orchestra was heard on a movie.

Fast forward to today:

The Phil presents THE ART OF THE SCORE: Film Week at the Philharmonic, September 17–21, with Alec Baldwin as Artistic Advisor

Also in September, the Orchestra will act, juggle, and perform on movie screens worldwide for the screening of the Phil's hit season finale event, A Dancer's Dream: Two Works by Stravinsky.

As for Don Juan, Alan Gilbert will conduct R. Strauss's musical depiction of the rogue in November, with Glenn Dicterow on the concertmaster solos during his Philharmonic farewell season.

This Is Your Brain on Movie Music

Coen Brothers

"Sometimes the music is the best thing in the film; sometimes the music is telling you how to feel more than the visual images." — Alec Baldwin, Artistic Advisor for THE ART OF THE SCORE: Film Week at the Philharmonic. 

Judging by their own creative use of music, filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen might very well agree, as would their frequent collaborator, composer Carter Burwell. They’ll all be on hand for “The Mind, Music, and Moving Images,” a special program on September 21 during the Phil’s first Film Week. The discussion, moderated by Alec Baldwin, the Phil’s Radio Host, will explore the relationships between music, film, the brain, and human emotions, along with the creative choices behind movie music.The co-presentation with the World Science Festival will also include neuroscientist Aniruddh D. Patel, author of Music, Language, and the Brain.