Commentary

Music Commentary: In Memoriam, Seiji Ozawa (1935-2024)

February 13, 2024
Posted in , , ,

Taking in the totality of Seiji Ozawa’s life and career, it seems clear that Boston got him in his prime and that he largely returned the favor, ingratiating himself with the community, at times truly elevating the BSO while conveying a lot of joy and energy in the process.

Visual Arts Commentary: The Problematics of Multiculturalism at the MFA — On the Dallin Front

January 30, 2024
Posted in , ,

Boston’s MFA owns the ethical and cultural dilemma regarding the location of Cyrus Dallin’s monumental statue “Appeal to the Great Spirit,” acquired as a gift in 1913.

Book Review: “The Geography of the Imagination” — Longing for Something Lost

January 14, 2024
Posted in , , ,

Touted as “perhaps the last great American polymath,” Guy Davenport had a singular mind; never was an artist more deserving of the MacArthur Foundation’s “genius grant.”

Jazz Reviews and Appreciations: Sheila Jordan at 95 and Ran Blake at 88

January 4, 2024
Posted in , , , ,

It is something of a miracle that we can still hear Sheila Jordan and Ran Blake in live performance, and those experiences should be treasured by their audiences because those opportunities are so precious.

Special Feature: Quotes for the New Year

January 1, 2024
Posted in ,

A few quotes for the New Year that will sting or sustain.

Theater Feature: Favorite Stage Productions of 2023

December 31, 2023
Posted in , ,

Our theater critics salute the year’s outstanding productions.

Visual Art Commentary: Boston and Sargent, For Better, For Worse.

December 31, 2023
Posted in , ,

Boston’s veneration of John Singer Sargent is awkwardly implicated in the city’s habit of denouncing modern art.

Arts Feature: Recommended Books, 2023

December 29, 2023
Posted in , ,

An eclectic round-up of the favorite books of the year from our critics.

Arts Feature: Ten Best Music Documentaries of 2023

December 27, 2023
Posted in , , ,

Some of these films are easier to see than others, but they’re all worth seeking out.

Book Review: “Time’s Echo” — Listening to the Voices of the Past

December 26, 2023
Posted in , , , , ,

Jeremy Eichler calls on hearers to engage in “deep listening,” by which he means engaging the mind and heart not just with the music, but also with the historical, cultural, and artistic contexts that gave rise to it.

Recent Posts

Popular Posts

Categories

Archives