Music
Sitting down this evening to review “Bon Iver,” something happened. My strongly negative initial impressions of the album changed into an appreciation of the mystical spirit of the music, its harmonious chords and their reflection of the harmony of nature.
Read More“The Day Is Coming” continues the album’s momentum. Similar to “Victory Dance,” the song starts with a chorus of odd vocals. However, these are catchier, and are soon followed by the arrival of spastic guitar, pounding drums, and chord-tastic pianos.
Read MoreEnthusiasm simply wasn’t enough to salvage the production — the musical comedy 2010 contains too many pitfalls to overcome.
Read MoreThis was ensemble playing by two people who knew not only the music, but each other completely. There are some things you can’t fake, and one is ensemble playing with a person — or people — you love. (I speak from experience here). Everything was perfect.
Read MoreJuly is a month when most of the great classical music is happening in pastoral settings and festivals around New England and far from Boston.
Read MoreBEMF is, quite simply, paradise for those who love early music, and they seem to be a different audience than those who show up for, say, the Boston Symphony or any of the excellent chamber music groups around town.
Read MoreFor decades, Mr. Hamelin was known for his forbiddingly fabulous technique deployed to play and record vast swaths of immensely difficult and arcane repertoire that most pianists had rarely touched or even known of. Then, the past few years, he ventured into the standard repertoire with astonishing results.
Read MoreThe Boston Early Music Festival is THE place for performers to be heard. And there are enough good programs, between the big Jordan Hall concerts, the two operas, a Family Day program, the mini-festivals for organ and keyboard, fringe concerts at at odd hours of the day and late night, for everyone.
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Music Commentary: A Mystery Solved on the 50th Anniversary of the Release of “Queen II”