Two brilliant Israeli pianists have released exceptional musical offerings.
Book Review: The Books of András Koerner — Acts of Wondrous Remembrance
Writer András Koerner has dedicated himself, lovingly and brilliantly, to assiduously reconstruct the lives of ordinary Jews in Hungary before the Shoah.
Concert Review: Steven Osborne and Paul Lewis — A Very French Duo Piano Recital
It was as if the pianists were performing in a small drawing room for a few friends, not at Jordan Hall.
Concert Review: Skylark Vocal Ensemble — Sublime Storytime
Storytelling is big business in concert halls these days, and as a yarn spinner Sarah Walker is in a class her own.
Book Review: The Holocaust’s Jewish Calendars — Protecting the Sacred Value of Time
Alan Rosen’s book thoughtfully illuminates the perilous calendrical devotion of Jews during the Holocaust, seeing it as a form of resistance.
Classical Music Album Review: Stephen Hough plays Brahms — The Final Piano Pieces
This CD with British pianist Stephen Hough is a gem — and it was named Recording of the Month by Gramophone Magazine.
Concert Review: L.A. Philharmonic — Gustavo Dudamel and Yuja Wang
The charmed trifecta of John Adams, Yuja Wang, and Gustavo Dudamel produced a hit, at least to this Boston audience.
Classical CD Reviews: Two Holiday Albums That Strike Like Thunderbolts
These superbly produced — and sung, played, and conducted — holiday music albums are perfect stocking stuffers.
Classical CD Review: Hungarian Composer Ernő Dohnányi — Love at First Listen
This is a gem of a recording, a wonderful introduction to this often overlooked Hungarian composer.
Concert Review: Skylark’s Rachmaninoff’s Vespers a.k.a. All-Night Vigil — A Beautiful Benediction
Skylark continues to impress me with its distinctly beautiful sound, its dazzling control over dynamics and intonation, and its unusually compelling programming.