Classical Music

Classical CD Reviews: Smetana and Janacek — String Quartets, Schoenberg and Berg — Music for Strings (Harmonia Mundi)

February 11, 2014
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Two new recordings from Harmonia Mundi offer gripping performances, including one of the Smetana String Quartet no.1 that’s particularly full of fire and life.

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Concert Review: Boston Symphony Orchestra plays Stucky, Schumann, and Brahms

February 10, 2014
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Pianist Murray Perahia’s return this weekend, with Schumann’s A minor Concerto, seemed tailor-made on paper: he’s one of the world’s great chamber musicians and this concerto plays to all his strengths.

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Fuse CD Reviews: Benjamin Hochman’s “Hommage à Schubert” and the Cypress Quartet’s “American Album” (Avie Records)

February 9, 2014
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Pianist Benjamin Hochman is a musician who’s interested in insightful programs that can be provocative, speak across centuries, and engage the mind as much as they delight it.

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Concert Preview: Boston Symphony Chamber Players 50th Anniversary Concert

February 7, 2014
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On Sunday, the Boston Symphony Chamber Players celebrates its 50th birthday with a typically brilliant program, one that features four world premieres.

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Concert Review: Chameleon Arts Ensemble Sparkles, As Usual

February 5, 2014
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Chameleon Arts Ensemble’s rather lengthy program was like a huge feast, ending with the sumptuous Saint-Saëns’ Sonata No. 1 in d minor.

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Concert Review: All-Ravel at Symphony Hall

February 4, 2014
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BSO’s conductor emeritus Bernard Haitink may be best known for his interpretations of Austro-German repertoire, but, on Saturday night, he channeled his inner Francophile.

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Concert Review: At the BSO — Andris Poga conducts Wagner, Lutoslawski, and Shostakovich

January 26, 2014
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Saturday’s reading of Lutoslawski’s Piano Concerto greatly benefited from pianist Garrick Ohlsson’s steely yet sensitive account of the solo part.

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Concert Review: “La Pasión según San Marco” at Symphony Hall

January 13, 2014
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There’s much in “La Pasión” to like. Composer Osvaldo Golijov’s use of Latin and South American musical forms has been well documented: the piece offers a striking compendium of idioms covering a huge geographical range.

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Fuse Concert Review: Blue Heron, A Superbly Classy Renaissance Choir

December 26, 2013
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Blue Heron explores a rarely performed repertoire with a choir made up of sensational soloists.

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Classical CD Reviews: A BMOP/Sound Round-up — Andy Vores, Arthur Berger, and Matthew Rosenblum

December 21, 2013
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The Boston Modern Orchestra Project is in the habit of making convincing arguments for just about everything it plays and its performers do so again in these three CD releases featuring music by composers with a New England connection.

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