Jonathan Blumhofer

Fuse Concert Review: Opening Night at the Monadnock Festival, Peterborough Town House

July 14, 2014
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The emphasis of Monadnock’s coming concerts is, quite happily, American music by composers with strong ties to New England. It’s hard to imagine a more appropriate place to hear such fare or a better group of musicians to play it.

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Classical CD Review: San Francisco Symphony’s “West Side Story” — A Brashly Invigorating Performance

July 9, 2014
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The music of West Side Story sounds grippingly urgent and colorful as ever in the hands of one of America’s best orchestras and conductors.

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Classical CD Reviews: Mozart’s “Haydn” Quartets and James Gaffigan conducts Dvorak (Harmonia mundi), plus James Brawn plays Beethoven (MSR Classics)

July 9, 2014
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Cuarteto Casals brings out Mozart’s playfulness, Luzerner Sinfonieorchester delivers a solid Dvorak’s Sixth, and James Brawn continues to brilliantly play Beethoven’s piano sonatas.

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Fuse Concert Review: Commonwealth Lyric Theater’s “Mozart and Salieri”

June 13, 2014
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The Commonwealth Lyric Theater has again brought to the fore an underperformed, unfamiliar masterpiece well worth getting to know. Good for them and lucky for us.

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Fuse Concert Preview: Commonwealth Lyric Theater’s “Mozart and Salieri”

June 7, 2014
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Thanks to CLT’s pluck and commitment to underperformed repertoire, Boston audiences have the chance to check out the rarely performed opera “Mozart and Salieri” for themselves.

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Classical CD Reviews: John Adams’ “City Noir” and Saxophone Concerto (Nonesuch) and Howard Hersh’s “Angels and Watermarks”

May 21, 2014
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Howard Hersh hails from northern California, and, as in John Adams’ “City Noir,” the music on Hersh’s album, “Angels and Watermarks,” embraces polyglot West Coast culture in various ways.

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Concert Review: BMOP Presents “A Fine Centennial” at Jordan Hall

May 18, 2014
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While 1962’s Symphony owes a clear debt to Stravinsky and Britten (especially its last movement), it sounds like nobody but Irving Fine. This is a score that orchestras ought to be lining up to play.

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CD Reviews: James Brawn’s Beethoven Odyssey (volumes 1 and 2) and In Recital (MSR Records)

May 12, 2014
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In a world populated by talented pianists, James Brawn is a standout. He’s not just a virtuoso, but also a probing, thoughtful musician with strong, creative programming instincts.

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Classical Concert Review: Conductor Charles Dutoit and the Boston Symphony Orchestra Perform Mozart and Mahler

April 18, 2014
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Conductor Charles Dutoit seems to have little affinity for Mahler’s distinctive style.

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Classical Concert Review: Winsor Music Chamber Series at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

April 18, 2014
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Praise is due Peggy Pearson and Winsor Music for providing a forum for the talented young composer Lev Mamuya.

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