Jonathan Blumhofer
Generally in New England we’re outspoken about nearly everything – politics, social issues, sports – so why not the arts?
Next season’s stale programming certainly derives from the BSO’s lack of a music director guiding and shaping the overall course of the season.
Indeed, for much of the latter part of his career, Colin Davis was that rarest of breeds, a conductor seemingly without ego, one who made music simply for the love of it.
Sunday’s concert had the Discovery Ensemble and conductor Courtney Lewis playing with uncommon vigor and focus: this was one of the most exciting symphonic performances that any local orchestra has given this season.
A busy month that includes a pair of appearances by composer/conductor Oliver Knussen, turns by stellar pianists Evgeny Kissin and Lars Vogt. Also, the final concert this season in the admirable Music for Food Series.
Boston Musica Viva presented an invigorating (if early) conclusion to the season, providing an ear-catching snapshot of chamber music written in the last thirty-plus years.
Daniele Gatti’s management of the orchestra – the unfolding of melodic lines and instrumental textures – was particularly noteworthy, matched here with a keen sensitivity to the music’s expressive detail: this was a riveting performance.
The winter doldrums may be upon us, but the first few months of 2013 have been anything but uninteresting when it comes to releases from Harmonia Mundi (HM).
This album manages to impressively realize the depth and versatility of John Adams’s music for string quartet. It also announces the arrival of a phenomenal ensemble that plays with a mix of maturity, adventure, and musical insight: this is a group to follow closely and cheer.
Arts Commentary: The Last Laugh — Stephen Colbert, Comedy, and Cultural Resistance