Nature and music together at Tanglewood

LENOX, Mass.-The Boston Symphony Orchestra’s retreat at theTanglewood Music Center in the pristine, bucolic Berkshires is a perfect getaway for a day, a weekend, or a longer visit.

And although performances by James Taylor, Steely Dan, and Garrison Keillor have already come and gone, there is still plenty of music toenjoy from renown artists such as cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Itzhak Perlman, conductor John Williams, pianist Andre Previn, and actor and narrator Morgan Freeman.

Benjamin Schwartz, BSO’s assistant artistic administrator, explained that there are two sides to the campus that occupies over 500 acres.

"Nature and music are the things that make it so special," Schwartzsaid, observing that "the lawn’s are meticulously maintained."

Now celebrating their 74th year at Tanglewood, the BSO performs in the Koussevitzky Music Shed, built in 1938, which seats about 5,100, and is open on three sides to allow patrons to enjoy the music from the lawn as well as inside the facility.

Free chamber concert performances are available in the stunning Seiji Ozawa Hall at 6 p.m. prior to the main performances and are a lovely way to start the evening before the 8:30 p.m. performances in theMusic Shed.

Ozawa Hall was built in 1994, with over 1,200 seats. It and was acoustically designed to have one wall open for those seated on the lawn to easily hear the music, Schwartz explained.

Schwartz recommended arriving early and enjoying the hour-long chamber concerts at 6 p.m. at the Florence Gould Auditorium in Ozawa Hall, leaving plenty of time to enjoy a picnic meal prior to the main event.

Lawn seating is available at both locations on a first-come-first-serve basis.

"It’s a leisurely, pleasant way to spend the evening," Schwartz said."It’s a real retreat that is peaceful and receptive."

The BSO, in its 130th season, spends eight weeks each summer in residence in Tanglewood, and while other major orchestras have retreats and temporary summer locations where they perform, only the BSO has a permanent location to come to each summer, he said, which is "something quite unique in the music world."

"No other orchestra has such an extensive venue," Schwartz said. In 2010 they had over 350,000 visitors to Tanglewood. Tanglewood visitorsAt under two hours from Manchester, it’s an easy day trip or weekend visit.

Harvey and Claudia Sniticker have been coming to Tanglewood since 1982 and spend six months of the year in Lenox and the other six months in Florida.

On a warm Saturday evening, July 23, they set up their folding lawnchairs under a tree and were reading a newspaper before the performance. They like to have dinner before arriving, they said, because there is less to carry.

"What’s not to love here," Claudia Sniticker asked. "There is plenty of room."

Eve Spett of Queens, New York has been attending events at Tanglewood since 1956 and enjoys getting out of the city and into the countryside in the summer.

"The atmosphere is very uplifting and there are very nice people here," Spett said. She was staying at a nearby bed and breakfast fort he weekend.Projection screens

Projection screens inside and on top of the Music Shed allow thosewith lawn seating to get up close and personal with the musicians asthey perform, while listening to the amplified music.

"The screens are fantastic," Frank Penglase of North Egremont, Mass. said. He and his wife, Hilary, were relaxing with a plate of green grapesand glasses of red wine before the performance. They have been coming to Tanglewood for about 17 years and attend every week in the summer.Earlier this year their children gave them a mobile wagon, that let’s them wheel in their chairs, tables, and coolers without difficulty,and easily collapse it into their car when they are done.

Harvey and Randye Sussman from Long Island, New York were happy and relaxed after spending 10 days at a local Inn.They attended on a tour of Tanglewood earlier in the day where they learned that the floor of the Music Shed is made from clay to prevent flooding when it rains.

They also learned that at the end of each summer season most of the 75 Steinway concert pianos are sold and new ones are brought in the following year.

Prior to the Music Shed concert Saturday, students performed in the Florence Gould Auditorium in Seiji Ozawa Hall, with selections including Irving Fine’s "Partita for Wind Quintet" along with "Five Songs, Opus 37" by Jean Sibelius, performed by soprano Clarissa Lyons and Matthew Gemmill on piano.

Saturday evening’s performance in the Music Shed featured "Rhapsodies" a contemporary piece by composer Steven Stucky, followed by JohannesBrahms’ "Violin Concerto in D," performed by violinist ArabellaSteinbacher, both conducted by Jaap van Zweden. After intermission, van Zweden conducted Ludwig van Beethoven’s"Symphony No. 7 in A."

Upcoming performances of "Tanglewood on Parade," an annual favorite, is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 2. The event will start with chamber music at Ozawa Hall at 2:30 and 5:30 p.m., with an 8 p.m. concert in the Music Shed with music by Richard Wagner, Ralph Vaughan Williams, along with Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s "1812 Overture" followed by fireworks.

In addition to their classical music offerings through Aug. 28 they will also hold the 2011 Festival of Contemporary Music from Aug. 3 to Aug. 7 and the Tanglewood Jazz Festival 2011 Sept. 2 to through Sept. 4. Individual tickets cost from $11 for lawn tickets to $102 for special concerts at the Music Shed.

For more information visit their website at:www.tanglewood.org

Photos by Jessica Hill