Music

Music Review: French Soprano Natalie Dessay — She Leaves Listeners Walking on Air

March 15, 2014
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The teamwork and chemistry of soprano Natalie Dessay and pianist Philippe Cassard were terrific, each performer delivering the music with great expressiveness and intelligence.

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Concert Review: NEC Winds Play Mingus, Schuller, Babbitt (and More)

March 12, 2014
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The five compositions and one de facto suite played at the NEC Winds and Winds Ensemble performance spoke with six different voices and carried six different messages.

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Rock Album Reviews: Two Recent Examples of High Grade Black Metal

March 12, 2014
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The two best black metal LPs of the past few months come from the Netherlands’ An Autumn for Crippled Children and Poland’s Behemoth.

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Classical Music Commentary: Boston Symphony Orchestra Season 2014-15 — A Jolt of Energy and Stability

March 9, 2014
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Most of the programs during BSO conductor Andris Nelsons’ ten subscription weeks look fresh and, if not outright adventurous, on paper they at least look more exciting than not.

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Concert Review: Jack DeJohnette’s Spring Quartet — Creative Flexibility Times Four

March 8, 2014
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The point of the Spring Quartet, one assumes, is to showcase its four multi-talented members, particularly their talents as composers.

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Classical Concert Review: Andris Nelsons and the Boston Symphony Orchestra Perform a Scorching “Salome”

March 8, 2014
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If “Salome” was a harbinger for what’s to come, we may be on the cusp of a golden era, indeed.

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Concert Review: Pianist Stephen Hough Dazzles in Rockport

March 6, 2014
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Stephen Hough’s performance of piano works by Brahms and Chopin was enthralling, poetic, and spellbinding.

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Music Review: On Quatuor Ébène’s program — Mozart, Bartók and “Pulp Fiction.”

March 5, 2014
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Quatuor Ébène burst into song. And I think it’s safe to say singing of any kind is almost never heard at a strings-only concert.

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Music Interview: Billy McCarthy of Augustines — Doing Strong Work

March 4, 2014
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“It seems now that quality spreads through reputation — the live show is where we really see bands pull away from the pack. It takes quality now to survive. Strong work.”

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Classical Concert Review: An Enthusiastic Discovery Ensemble at Jordan Hall

March 4, 2014
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As if the Discovery Ensemble’s impressive return after a three-month hiatus weren’t news enough, last week brought the announcement that Courtney Lewis has been appointed assistant conductor of the New York Philharmonic, beginning this fall.

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