Jonathan Blumhofer
After intermission, Mr. Lang closed the concert with Frederic Chopin’s Twelve Etudes (Op. 25). This is music in which Mr. Lang is completely in his element, and his performance of these fearsomely difficult pieces was a marvel of extraordinary technical skill.
Throughout his career, conductor Kurt Masur has focused primarily on conducting the standard German repertoire, and now, at age 84, his mastery and understanding of this music is unmatched.
Despite some interpretive shortcomings, Sean Newhouse, the orchestra’s 30-year-old assistant conductor has solid technique, and a major orchestra whose players, management, and audience believe in him.
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