Prokofiev, Bridge, and Dukas at Severance

Severance Hall was host to one of the most unusual programs our city has seen in recent years, consisting of two rarely played works and one repertoire staple – each of which offered sonic scenery.  Our tour guides were The Cleveland Orchestra led by music director Franz Welser-Möst.

I confess that until recently, I was unfamiliar with Prokofiev’s Sixth Symphony, knowing only the First and Fifth Symphonies well.  I rectified that by downloading a recording of the work with score from youtube, studying it repeatedly.  The Sixth is structurally looser than the Fifth and somewhat programmatic.  The work deals with Prokofiev’s impressions of life in the aftermath of World War II, or the Great Patriotic War as it was known in the Soviet Union, where it caused so much death and devastation.  Prior to beginning the work, Welser-Möst addressed the audience and pointed out that four months after the work’s premiere, Prokofiev was castigated in the state-controlled media for the ideological incorrectness of this symphony.  The government’s slapdown began a period of decline in Prokofiev’s life – a life which ended the same day as Josef Stalin’s.  Welser-Möst concluded that we could not imagine the oppressive atmosphere that artists in the Soviet Union lived under – which brought forth a murmur of sarcastic amusement from the audience.  The Sixth Symphony is structured on three longish movements, with very little genuine happiness to be heard.  The first movement opens with a sarcastic brass passage that could only have come from the pen of Prokofiev, which segues into a moderately paced contemplation of the loss Prokofiev and most Soviets must have felt at this time.  The central movement is in the same form as the fifth number in Schumann’s Kreisleriana: ABCBA – although emotionally the two pieces could not be more different.  One could also hear in parts of the brilliantly orchestrated finale how Prokofiev influenced John Williams – although I’m hardly the first person to point that out.  The performance projected the work’s emotional ambiguity – as illustrated by Prokofiev’s use of major and minor – and dynamics ranging from hushed pianissimo to a fortissimo in which the orchestra’s tone was at times strident (which suited the work) yet never ugly.  The passion of the playing was always controlled. 

Despite similar subject matter, The Sea by British composer Frank Bridge bears little resemblance to Debussy’s La Mer.  The work was first presented in Cleveland in 1923 (the American premiere) and hasn’t been heard here since.  The work’s four short movements contain some fine orchestration and interplay of themes – which are unfortunately not particularly memorable.   Welser-Most and the orchestra lavished care that reflected in the performance’s pacing and aural beauty – resulting in a pleasant 20 minutes.  In conclusion, the work, while beautiful, is worth hearing – but not that often.

Welser-Möst and the orchestra’s rendition of Dukas’ ever popular Sorcerer’s Apprentice was more than superficially brilliant.  The mysterious opening was seductively shaded.  Tempos were unusually flexible, the interplay between the plucking strings and winds deftly handled, and sections of the orchestra balanced so that one heard details often missed in recordings.  Best of all, there was nothing vulgar or condescending in this performance, which stood as proof that even the most well-worn lollipops can sound musical.

Confronting Prejudice

I do not often encounter homophobia.  In fact, in the 34 plus years I’ve been out of the closet, I can count the number of times I’ve had homophobic behavior directed at me personally on one hand.  I put this down to three reasons:  I can “pass” for straight and am fairly bulky in size, so few overt homophobes see me as prey and if they do would think twice about attacking me.  I’ve been out to my family, friends, and coworkers and they have the good sense and discretion not to say anything inappropriate – even if they may think it.  Not least, I believe society in general has moved forward and most people know it’s not in good taste to make negative comments about any minority group – at least in a public setting. 

Today was an exception.

I was at my local Honda dealership having maintenance done on my HR-V.  I spent most of my time in the waiting area catching up on last night’s Mr. Robot.  After that was over, I removed my earbuds and browsed Facebook while the news played on a nearby screen.  A story about the recent Hallmark controversy aired.  And the three women who’d been chattering away had a new subject to gripe about, with remarks like “They put this stuff on TV like it’s normal”, “it’s not right”, and the like.  I sat in my chair, pretending to look at my phone while doing a slow burn – if they looked at me, they would have noticed my cheeks turning red, because I could feel it. 

I stood up, sauntered over to the other side of the waiting area, and had a seat behind a barrier where we couldn’t see each other.  I texted my husband about the incident.  Then I went back to playing on my phone. 

A few minutes later, the service employee told me my car was ready.  As I was walking by the three women, I said in a voice probably audible in the next suburb “I’ll be right there, I just have to text my HUSBAND and ask him to start dinner” casting them a reproachful look.  They looked my way and it was clear I got my message through.

Prejudice of all kinds is everywhere.  We’ve seen it in recent photos from the Army-Navy football game.  We hear unrelenting bile about the disabled, Latinos, and Muslims coming from the mouth of President Trump.  We see it in campaigns driven by phony groups like One Million Moms (which is actually the work of one person and has only 1,200 followers on Twitter).  I saw it in South Euclid over the past two years perpetrated by the bigots opposed to the anti-discrimination ordinance.  Whatever one thinks of racism versus religious prejudice versus homophobia – there is no justification for either and they are all wrong.  The United States does not prosecute for thought crimes.  But if you have such bigoted thoughts, you should have the good sense to confine them to your own home.  That’s the most practical way for society to function as smoothly as possible.  Freedom needn’t equal anarchy. 

When we encounter prejudice of any kind - whether it’s online, in the media, or in our everyday lives – we must confront it.    

Raymond Lewenthal - Complete RCA & Columbia Recordings

Sony has released their complete RCA and Columbia recordings by pianist Raymond Lewenthal - including two discs of previously unreleased material.  Click here to read why I think it's THE most important piano boxed set of 2019.  

Robert Casadesus - Complete Columbia Album Collection

Sony Classical has reissued their complete recordings with pianist Robert Casadesus, along with those of his wife Gaby and their son Jean, in a 65CD set.  Click here to read my review. 

South Euclid 2019 Election Endorsements

Turnout in off-year elections tends to be low.  But South Euclid voters have some important choices to make.  Here are my endorsements for 2019.

For mayor: Georgine Welo

Shirley Smith, a former state legislator, is running to replace Georgine Welo, who is seeking her fifth term as mayor.  Several weeks ago, I received a mailer from Smith.  It's the single most dishonest piece of local campaign literature I've ever seen.

Smith, a 10-year resident who I have never seen at a city council meeting, seems to blame Mayor Welo for the decline in South Euclid's population. The population here peaked in 1970 at 29,579. By the time Mayor Welo was elected, it was between 23,537 and 22,295. The rate of population decline in South Euclid has slowed since 2010 - partly thanks to the Cutters Creek development which Mayor Welo favored. It's also worth mentioning that all of Cleveland's inner-ring suburbs have declining populations - including Cleveland Heights and Shaker Heights which have both lost more population by percentage.  Smith, perhaps deliberately, fails to understand that South Euclid is essentially "built out" with very little potential to attract more population.

Smith wants greater “diversity” in housing.  What exactly does that mean?  South Euclid is already known for its ethnically diverse population – a good thing, in my opinion.  Most residents are homeowners which, I believe, is what the vast majority of people here want.  After a decades long increase in rental properties, the numbers have recently started to reverse and now more are buying rather than renting.  This is in part due to stabilization programs put in place by City Council and championed by Mayor Welo and housing manager Sally Martin.  How does Smith define diverse housing?  Apartments?  Multi-unit homes?  Public housing?  A senior living facility?  Several years ago, a proposal was floated for a senior living facility on the former Lowden school property (one of the very few parcels available for a development of that scale).  Residents were vocally opposed – and they would likely be even more opposed to subsidized public housing. Aside from the occasional empty lot, where only a single home could fit, South Euclid is built out.  Any new housing development would come at the sacrifice of existing dwellings – which would require eminent domain.

Speaking of housing, Smith says she wants to create a “Landlord accountability ordinance”.  I’m all for that.  But South Euclid already has some of the most stringent landlord and vacant property ordinances in the county.  What would her proposed ordinance do that’s not already being done?

Speaking of diversity, Smith says she wants to promote South Euclid as a diverse, tolerant community.  Where was Shirley Smith when Mayor Welo and City Council were facing strident opposition over the new comprehensive non-discrimination ordinance which was proposed in 2017 and passed in 2018? I was part of that effort, and we sure could have used her help.

Smith takes Welo to task for the city’s 2007 decision to invest in rebuilding Cedar Center North: My parents moved to South Euclid in 1971 when I was four years old. I remember Cedar Center North from that time and by the time I was house hunting in the area back in 2006-2007, I was appalled at the deterioration. Mayor Welo and Council took the initiative and bought the faded strip in 2007 with a plan for a new, greener shopping area. Then the Great Recession hit. Despite necessary changes, CCN was rebuilt and is unquestionably superior in every respect to what was there before – and every parcel eventually sold. The primary complaint I hear about CCN is the lack of parking, which is actually an indicator of how useful CCN has become to the community and how well it complements Cedar Center South. CCN was an investment in our community, just like renovating one’s own house – it cost money and the city is paying that money back on schedule.  Mayor Welo certainly deserves no blame for failing to predict a housing crash and Recession that very few saw coming.  If she did deserve the blame for the way things unfolded at CCN, the time to do so was the 2011 or 2015 elections.  Nor does Mayor Welo deserve blame for Governor Kasich’s decision to stiff cities and inner ring suburbs by slashing the aid to cities fund which had been in use since the 1930s – an odious decision that Governor DeWine has perpetuated.  I would also add that the rebuilding of CCN has spurred new development further east on Cedar Road – including a new dental facility and branch of Chase bank.

Under Mayor Welo’s leadership, South Euclid has seen over $100 million in private investment, including the aforementioned Cutters Creek, Oakwood Commons, the rebuilt shopping center at Mayfield and Green, and the Glastic expansion.  These have helped to shore up our tax base and are part of the reason that South Euclid maintains a strong credit rating.  This has had the fringe benefit of improving storefront occupancy throughout the city – although much remains to be done.  Mayor Welo and her team are continuing to push forward with an ambitious proposed redevelopment of the entire May-Green district which would vastly improve quality of life for those who live here.

Nobody likes paying taxes, especially when the rates increase. In the wake of the housing crisis, the Great Recession, and Governor Kasich’s decision (perpetuated by Governor DeWine) to slash state aid to cities, South Euclid was faced with a revenue shortfall which threatened our bond rating.  Earlier this year, City Council unanimously voted to remove the income tax credit for residents who work outside South Euclid – which is most of us who have jobs including my spouse and me.  I can guarantee you, not one member of Council relished having to make that vote.  Property tax rates were increased via several voter approved levies including a safety levy which is dedicated to our Police, Fire and EMS – but it’s important to remember about 66% of property taxes still go to the South Euclid-Lyndhurst school district. It’s important to note that South Euclid is hardly the only city to raise taxes in one form or another, and the few that have not yet done so are likely to soon.

Speaking of schools, Shirley Smith says she wants to improve our system and make it more diverse.  If there’s one thing to be said for SE-L schools, they are plenty diverse – not just in terms of ethnicity, but across the spectrum.  I was heartened when, before a performance at Brush, I walked the hallways of my old alma mater and saw a poster for the school’s Gay-Straight Alliance. If only this had existed when I was a student there!  But here’s the main problem with Smith’s statement: Neither the mayor nor council have any say regarding the school district – not on curricula, nor truant policy, nor budgeting.  Nor does the mayor get to draw the borders for the school district, which is what Smith has proposed doing despite two court cases that state it’s beyond her purview.  It’s called separation of powers, and if Smith doesn’t grasp that concept, I submit that she is not qualified to be South Euclid’s executive.

Perhaps the biggest falsehood Shirley Smith throws around revolves the South Euclid court.  Smith depicts this as a catfight between Mayor Welo and Judge Gayle Williams-Byers.  In fact, this Judge has wrought havoc with the courts since she was elected.  The Mayor, Council (including Mayor Welo’s opponent in the 2015 election), Police Department and other services are unanimous that Williams-Byers’ tenure has been marked by reckless budgeting, overstaffing, underperformance, agenda pushing, and publicly funded questionable travel to national and international destinations. Her case clearance rate is so low that it beggars the question: What exactly is all the money the judge is demanding needed for?

Shirley Smith, who has a sketchy history regarding her residency and resigned from the Ohio legislature to collect medical benefits, is not interested in South Euclid for the long haul.  She’s interested in her own short-term gain.  Is it any wonder that the Plain Dealer/Sun Messenger and Cleveland Stonewall Democrats have endorsed Mayor Welo?

Mayor Welo has seen South Euclid through the housing crisis and great recession and wants to continue the work of renewing our city.  She put her political career on the line by supporting broad non-discrimination ordinances which include LGBT people.  I am supporting her reelection.

For City Council – at large:

Four people are running for three at-large Council seats.  Incumbents Marty Gelfand and Justin Tisdale, and newcomers Susan Hardy and Curtis Orr. Beyond her website, I know nothing about Hardy although she seems to have good intentions.  In 2017, Orr ran and lost against Sara Continenza to succeed Ed Icove as Ward 3 Councilor.  Orr didn’t even bother to show up for the candidates’ forum back then and has done little during this cycle except circulate flyers and post lawn signs.  He has no platform and no ideas. 

Gelfand, a Navy Veteran, has a long history of service to the Greater Cleveland area in general and South Euclid in particular.  He was a vocal advocate of the non-discrimination ordinance that was passed last year, and among the first to oppose an overly broad religious exemption that was supported by ex-councilman Ed Icove.  Gelfand is the only council candidate endorsed by the Cleveland Stonewall Democrats.  Tisdale was appointed to replace Jason Russel who stepped down last year and has shown himself to be a capable city councilor. 

We endorse Marty Gelfand and Justin Tisdale.

Issue 66 - Yes

Issue 66 will renew the property tax levy that was enacted in 2013.  The levy is not a tax increase, is dedicated to South Euclid’s police, fire, and EMT, and we urge its renewal.   South Euclid’s safety forces, and in particular the police department, have a reputation for balancing the needs of law enforcement with simple human compassion.  I have never felt unsafe when walking my dog in my Bluestone neighborhood – even at night.  Our safety forces deserve our support.

Despite the challenges we’ve faced over the last decade, South Euclid is unquestionably a better place to live than it was when I moved back here in 2008. Our housing stock is in better shape, with many homes that were left unusable in the shadow of the foreclosure crisis now removed – and many of the remaining homes renovated. The new Cedar Center North is attractive and useful. Oakwood Commons is still a work in progress, but even half-finished it’s an income generator for the city. The May-Green district is more walkable with more storefronts occupied than any time in recent memory and a renovated shopping plaza. Ambitious plans for May-Green will, if followed through, yield an even better downtown district.  With all the progress we’ve made, why would we ever want to reverse course?

Vladimir Horowitz - The 1985 Studio Recordings on LP

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of Vladimir Horowitz's death, Deutsche Grammophon has been reissuing his recordings on LP - a format that's been making something of a comeback.  Click here to read my review of The 1985 Studio Recordings - which quite possibly came closer to capturing Horowitz's unique sound than any other recording.    

The Last Romantic on LP

Deutsche Grammophon is commemorating the 30th anniversary of Vladimir Horowitz's death by reissuing his recordings in the LP format, which is making something of a comeback.  Here is my review of Horowitz's first DG recording, The Last Romantic.