Classical Music

Classical CD Review: Antoine Tamestit, Cédric Tiberghien, and Matthias Goerne play/sing Brahms

April 3, 2021
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One might risk hyperbole by saying so, but in this instance such recklessness is worth it: this album sounds like Brahms as he ought to be played and sung.

Book Review: Alex Ross’s Dizzying, Engrossing, and Sometimes Overwhelming Exploration of Wagnerism

April 2, 2021
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For Alex Ross, Wagnerism is as profound and far-reaching an aesthetic ideology – for good, ill, and all degrees in between – as any.

Classical CD Review: Daniel Hope and Alexey Botvinov Play Alfred Schnittke

April 1, 2021
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Fiddler Daniel Hope’s new all-Schnittke disc with pianist Alexey Botvinov brings with it a level of authority that demands respect.

Short Fuse Podcast #36: An Interview with Neal Goren, Conductor and Artistic Director of Catapult Opera

March 31, 2021
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New podcast host Elizabeth Howard talks to Neal Goren about contemporary opera: the trends, attracting new audiences, and how opera can be adapted for the internet.

Opera Album Review: Rossini’s Splendid Passover Opera for Paris — “Moïse et Pharaon”

March 26, 2021
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Just in time for Passover: another fine world-premiere Rossini recording, the 1827 French version of his Moses-in-Egypt opera.

Arts Commentary: In Memoriam, James Levine (1943-2021)

March 22, 2021
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Do any of his accomplishments – including James Levine’s raising the level of an orchestra’s playing to new heights – really excuse sexual predation?I’d argue in the negative.

Classical Album Review: Hilary Hahn’s “Paris” — A Thrilling Ride

March 19, 2021
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Violinist Hilary Hahn’s blend of musical curiosity, expressive savvy, and technical excellence doesn’t often appear in one person.

Classical Music Album Review: Gil Shaham & The Knights Play Beethoven and Brahms

March 12, 2021
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These two performances showcase a group of instrumentalists whose collective musicianship is electrifying: full of just the right combination of wonder, play, and discovery this much-loved repertoire needs in order to sound fresh and truly come to life.

Opera Album Review: An Opéra-Comique from 1832 Shines Again in a Superb Recording

March 10, 2021
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Performed 1600 times in Paris, then forgotten, Hérold’s brilliantly witty, Le pré aux clercs shines again in a splendid recording.

Listening During Covid, Part 5: New and Forgotten Repertory Brings Unexpected Delights

March 9, 2021
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Musicians active in Boston, Washington DC, and Australia discover previously unrecorded gems, including works by women composers and composers of color.

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