Jonathan Blumhofer

Concert Review: Cameron Carpenter at Symphony Hall

January 14, 2017
Posted in , , ,

Cameron Carpenter played the Terry Riley composition commandingly.

Read More

CD Reviews: Lara Downes’ “America Again,” Gerstein’s Liszt, and Melnikov plays Prokofiev

December 20, 2016
Posted in , , ,

Lara Downes’ America Again is a great album, and one with multiple layers of meaning.

Read More

CD Reviews: Berio’s “Sinfonia,” Joshua Bell’s Brahms, and Yevgeny Kutik’s “Words Fail”

December 19, 2016
Posted in , , ,

Three CD reviews, including a disc featuring Joshua Bell, Steven Isserlis, and Jeremy Denk teaming up to play less-than-barn-burning favorites by Brahms.

Read More

Commentary: Best Classical Performances of 2016

December 16, 2016
Posted in , , ,

Picks for the top live classical performances of 2016. Feel free to agree, disagree, add to them, come up with your own list, etc.

Read More

CD Reviews: Orchestral Music by Mason Bates — A Welcome Addition to the Canon.

December 16, 2016
Posted in , , ,

Mason Bates’ music isn’t afraid to smile. If it doesn’t always run deep, it’s at least always engaging and pleasant to encounter.

Read More

Classical CD Reviews: Mitsuko Uchida plays Mozart, Seong-Jin Cho plays Chopin, and Hans Gal’s Piano Concerto

December 15, 2016
Posted in , , ,

Among the three CDs reviewed is a particular treat — a new recording that really, truly matters.

Read More

Arts Commentary: Music for Times of Trouble

November 14, 2016
Posted in , , ,

I’ve been most impressed by the manner in which these composers, in these works, took strong moral and/or political stands.

Read More

Concert Review: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra at Symphony Hall

November 13, 2016
Posted in , , ,

The biggest musical takeaway was the sheer brilliance of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra’s playing, which is the gold standard.

Read More

Concert Review: Thomas Adès conducts Britten, Sibelius, and Adès

November 7, 2016
Posted in , , ,

These BSO concerts, conducted by Thomas Adès, were the culminating event in his impressive first season.

Read More

Concert Review: Grand Harmonie’s Gods and Mortals

November 7, 2016
Posted in , , ,

GH’s best playing of the day was edgy: a little rough around the edges, yes, but still punchy and vibrant.

Read More

Recent Posts

Popular Posts

Categories

Archives