Music

Classical Album Review: Alive and Conversational Performances of Mozart Symphonies

June 30, 2024
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Some solidly impressive Mozart — aside from the filler, fifteen minutes of mono-dynamic, schlocky medleys.

Classical Album Reviews: Jordan Bak’s “Cantabile: Anthems for Viola” and Charles Martin Loeffler’s “Forgotten Sounds”

June 29, 2024
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 Two discs: Jamaican-American musician Jordan Bak celebrates music for the viola and a reconstruction of Charles Martin Loeffler’s abandoned Octet.

Jazz Album Review: David Murray’s “Francesca” — Antic and Intense

June 28, 2024
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The music on David Murray’s” “Francesca” is both antic and intense; it’s played by a responsive and inventive quartet who sound like they are having considerable fun entertaining themselves.

Jazz Commentary: Celebrating Bassist William Parker’s Lifetime of Achievement

June 27, 2024
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It was not just networking that propelled William Parker into the front rank of bassists. He could generate such a huge and complex cascade of sound that he energized leaders from Cecil Taylor and Ivo Perelman to Zoh Amba.

Opera Album Review: A Devilishly Good First Recording for Louise Bertin’s “Fausto”

June 26, 2024
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Much praised by Berlioz and others, this Italian opera (composed for the great mezzo María Malibran) brings a notable female composer out of the shadows.

Music Preview: Yidstock 2024 — Roots and Branches

June 25, 2024
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“The only way to keep the music alive is to view it as a living thing and support artists who approach it that way, rather than as a museum piece.”

Concert Review: Lana Del Rey Strikes Like Lightning at Fenway

June 24, 2024
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What Lana Del Rey lost in time at Fenway she tried to make up for with the slew of guests she brought on stage.

Book Review: Chris Stein’s “Under a Rock” — A Complex Account of Love, Loss, and New York City

June 23, 2024
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Part of what makes “Under a Rock” special is Chris Stein’s open-eyed fascination with New York City.

Concert Review: Sister Act — The Naughton Piano Duo at Rockport

June 22, 2024
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In truth, recordings don’t capture the Naughtons’ symbiotic flair — the performance at Rockport revealed them not only to be a superb piano duo, but a significant cut above.

Opera Album Review: A Major New Opera that the Met Has Ignored — Tobias Picker’s “Awakenings”

June 22, 2024
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This world-premiere recording lets us hear one of the most effective recent operas, based on the famous book by Dr. Oliver Sacks.

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