Featured

Classical Music Sampler: October 2010

September 30, 2010
Posted in , , ,

By Caldwell Titcomb. October 2: The Longwood Symphony Orchestra opens its 28th season, the sixth under conductor Jonathan McPhee, with a program of Sibelius and Delius. Award-winning Zina Schiff will be soloist in the demanding Sibelius Violin Concerto. Also on the program are Sibelius’s “Karelia Suite” and Delius’ lovely “Walk to the Paradise Garden.” At…

Book Review: Green’s Garden of Delights

September 30, 2010
Posted in ,

David Green’s stories make for compelling literature—the kind of reading which poses a challenge today because of its exploration of psychological complexity, enigma, confusion, and suspense. The Garden of Love and Other Stories, by David Green. The Pen & Anvil Press, $14.95 Reviewed by Christopher M. Ohge. The romantic poetry of William Blake first came…

Theater Review: Milking Stoppard’s Whimsy

September 26, 2010
Posted in ,

The Real Inspector Hound by Tom Stoppard. Directed by Jonathan Croy. Presented by Shakespeare & Company at the Bernstein Theatre, Lenox, MA, through November 7. Reviewed by Helen Epstein. If you are looking for a light, literate, zany evening of entertainment, you can do no better than Shakespeare & Company’s current production of Tom Stoppard’s…

Music Review – Dave Liebman Group: Unstoppable

September 25, 2010
Posted in , ,

I’m willing to risk this statement: Dave Liebman’s 2009 CD Turnaround, as yet unreleased in the US, is a masterpiece. Turnaround. Jazzwerkstatt CD; currently not distributed in the US; obtainable through amazon.de, €10.16 + shipping); live performance at Scullers at the DoubleTree Guest Suites, Boston, MA, September 16, 2010. Reviewed by Steve Elman I can…

Coming Attractions in Jazz: Autumn Festival Update

September 24, 2010
Posted in , , ,

By J. R. Carroll. The final installment in our jazz festival preview series picks the best bets for the outdoor Beantown Jazz Festival and then checks out what’s happening in Falmouth and Pittsfield as the leaves begin to turn.

Music Review: Kurt Rosenwinkel & Orquestra de Jazz de Montesinhos (OJM) – A Temporary Relationship

September 22, 2010
Posted in , ,

Kurt Rosenwinkel’s compositional style is undeniably ingenious and appealing; it is strong on tuneful, singable lines that move logically from chord to chord and occasionally lead listeners to unexpected places. Our Secret World. Wommusic CD; $15.99 via Amazon; $14.99 [ + shipping] through the musician’s website. It’s also for sale as a download through iTunes.…

Book Review: A Norwegian Ghost Story

September 19, 2010
Posted in , ,

The novella revolves around that oxymoron of “silent voices”: Jon Fosse’s aim is to evoke the insinuating power of self-destructive forces that lie beyond our control.

Jazz Review: Either / Orchestra — (10 + X) 25 = E / O

September 16, 2010
Posted in , ,

Reviewed by Steve Elman. The larger the band, the more important its leader. The sheer drudgery of keeping a large jazz ensemble functioning as a musical and business entity leads almost inevitably to a need for a guiding intelligence. Even if one person isn’t personally booking the gigs, making the phone calls, preparing the lead…

Music Interview: The Art of Storm ‘n’ Twang — Writing Music for Buster Keaton Silents

September 14, 2010
Posted in , ,

By Bill Marx Steamboat Bill Jr. is my personal favorite among Buster Keaton’s classic silent comedies, and the image (above) of Buster holding an upturned umbrella (this is a publicity still—in the movie he wields the useless brolly during a rampaging storm) is one of the movie’s greatest sight gags, an indelible image of the…

Music Review: Saxual Diversity in Colorado — Pagán’s Preludes and Fugues

September 11, 2010
Posted in , ,

To my knowledge, this is the first time that a composer has undertaken to write a set of preludes and fugues for saxophone quartet. This is typically a keyboard form, with the Bach (“Well-Tempered Clavier”) and Shostakovich cycles representing twin peaks of that repertoire. Michael Pagán’s 12 Preludes & Fugues. Performed by the Colorado Saxophone…

Recent Posts

Popular Posts

Categories

Archives