Quarter notes: upcoming

Tomorrow night, Anton Batagov emerges for his Seattle debut and first public recital in 12 years at the Good Shepherd Center in the Wallingford neighborhood. The Russian composer/pianist is famous in his country for his movie scores for television and movies. His recital will include music from some of his television and movie scores.

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Also this week, the Seattle Symphony tackles what is perhaps Gustav Mahler’s most famous symphony – the Fifth. Noted classical music writer Bernard Jacobsen remarked that Gerard Schwarz, the Seattle Symphony’s music director, is “one of the finest exponents of Mahler symphonies in the world today.” For me, Schwarz’s Mahler is always enjoyable – recent performances of the Eighth, Third and Sixth come to mind – even if his interpretations don’t rise to the “best in the world,” as Jacobsen argues. Violinist Isabelle Faust is joining the orchestra in the first half for Mendelssohn’s First Violin Concerto.

This Sunday, Orchestra Seattle and the Seattle Chamber Singers kick off their season with Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. As always, Orchestra Seattle’s season looks good. There are the customary and noteworthy Bach and Mozart concerts as well as the annual Messiah performance. But, there are also performances of Handel’s “Alexander’s Feast,” Saint Saens’s “Christmas Oratorio,” and Michael Torke’s Saxaphone Concerto.