Classical Music

Music Review: An Exhilarating Performance of “Candide” at Tanglewood

August 17, 2014
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It occurred to me that, given the variety of the Metropolitan Opera’s current problems, maybe General Manager Peter Gelb should consider putting this best of all possible Candides on his menu.

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Classical Music Commentary: Closing Thoughts on the Discovery Ensemble

August 7, 2014
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For those who got to know the Discovery Ensemble over its truncated life, this was a vital ensemble, one that regularly embodied all that’s good about classical music.

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Music Commentary: The Mess at the Met

July 27, 2014
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What’s clear is that something needs to give and, after nearly thirty-five years of labor-management harmony, it’s apparent that the Met’s problems start at the top.

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Concert Review: Violinist Joshua Bell and Conductor-Designate Andris Nelsons at Tanglewood

July 22, 2014
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To judge from the BSO’s responsive playing and the audience’s enthusiastic responses, director-designate Andris Nelsons can’t do much wrong these days. Of course, a decade ago, neither could James Levine.

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Concert Review: Chanticleer Serves up Plenty of Charm in Rockport

July 15, 2014
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Chanticleer has armies of longtime fans; I am now unquestionably going to join the club.

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Fuse Concert Review: Opening Night at the Monadnock Festival, Peterborough Town House

July 14, 2014
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The emphasis of Monadnock’s coming concerts is, quite happily, American music by composers with strong ties to New England. It’s hard to imagine a more appropriate place to hear such fare or a better group of musicians to play it.

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Classical CD Review: San Francisco Symphony’s “West Side Story” — A Brashly Invigorating Performance

July 9, 2014
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The music of West Side Story sounds grippingly urgent and colorful as ever in the hands of one of America’s best orchestras and conductors.

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Classical CD Reviews: Mozart’s “Haydn” Quartets and James Gaffigan conducts Dvorak (Harmonia mundi), plus James Brawn plays Beethoven (MSR Classics)

July 9, 2014
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Cuarteto Casals brings out Mozart’s playfulness, Luzerner Sinfonieorchester delivers a solid Dvorak’s Sixth, and James Brawn continues to brilliantly play Beethoven’s piano sonatas.

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Concert Review: The Boston Choral Ensemble’s “Cosmic Journey” — An Out-of-This-World Experience

June 30, 2014
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What I’ll remember most is how the BCE’s various choral pieces seemed custom-made for the Hayden Planetarium’s celestial projections, and how, for an hour, the so-called real world faded away.

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Opera Review: Odyssey Opera’s “Un giorno di regno” — A Delightful Confection

June 20, 2014
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May Odyssey Opera continue gracing Boston’s opera scene for seasons to come with such delightful performances as this.

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