Jonathan Blumhofer
Not all of Atlanta Symphony Orchestra conductor Nathalie Stutzmann’s ideas about Dvorak’s Ninth Symphony add up, but there is not much to argue with in Czech Philharmonic Orchestra director Semyon Bychkov’s take on Dvorak’s Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Symphonies.
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Carlos Simon’s gifts and voice are real even, as with every composer, his muse sometimes leads him down errant pathways.
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There’s plenty in Magnus Lindberg’s viola concerto to occupy the ear, and pianist Claire Huangci makes the complex passagework of a trio of American composers speak with breathtaking ease.
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“The more you listen to Bach, the more the synapses fire and you just have to take hold of the reins and let the Bach horse take you wherever it will.”
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Violinist Augustin Hadelich and pianist Orion Weiss prove that there is plenty of music written on these shores to explore, especially when you are not limited by region or style. Soprano Karen Slack and pianist Michelle Cann demonstrate the strength of Florence Price’s songs and arrangements.
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Paul Jacobs, the day’s reigning organ virtuoso, has assayed a fascinating assortment of Americana that showcases the King of Instruments against an orchestra.
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This album fills out Michael Tilson Thomas’s compositional catalogue, deepening our appreciation of it. More fundamentally, it adds meaningfully to the story of American concert music.
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Composer Anna Clyne’s collection of works for mostly solo instruments offers enormous musical satisfaction; pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason knows how to craft an enticing program and advocate for it.
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When it comes to defining American music, Pacifica Quartet’s new recording offers some welcome food for thought.
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Concert Review and Commentary: Music Worcester’s The Complete Bach & In Memoriam, Richard Dyer
Music Worcester’s ambitious project, which will involve multiple Boston-area music groups, is slated to run the next eleven seasons. The goal will be to present every note the great man wrote. And a homage to the late Richard Dyer, the chief classical music critic of “The Boston Globe” for three decades.
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