Music
The last time Kenny Barron recorded solo was in 1981. That, besides the quality of the music, is a reason to treasure this album.
Even if this isn’t the most interpretively satisfying of Daniel Barenboim’s traversals through this repertoire, it is a deeply revealing one that draws on a lifetime of experience with this music.
The smallish Friend Recital Hall was an ideal setting for pianist Laszlo Gardony to impose his engaging personality, as well as his musical versatility and power.
Under the baton of Andris Nelsons, a listless Boston Symphony Orchestra delivered flat renditions of works by Shostakovich and Brahms.
The late Billy Conway didn’t so much work to make a song sound great as, through his adroit drumming, illuminate the qualities in the tunes that made them great.
Guitarist Aaron Larget-Caplan new release is arresting for how natural the transcriptions sound: it’s as though they’d been intended for this instrumentation all along.
Over the past year, I’ve delved into the most significant body of work for string quartet ever written by a composer whose primary identity with the public is as a jazz musician. Here’s how to begin your own encounter with important facets of the work of an artist whose name you ought to know.
The Emerson Quartet’s greatest strength lies in its ability to temper individual excess in favor of a lush corporate blend.
Groton Hill’s stunning new venue is a beautifully designed and acoustically brilliant music hall that is certain to become a desired destination for artists touring New England.
In the hands of some, Szymanowski’s Second Violin Concerto can be tame and traditional. As conducted by Karina Canellakis, and performed by the BSO and violinist Nicola Benedetti, the piece came off as bold, colorful, and urgent.
Arts Commentary: In Memoriam, Michael Tilson Thomas (1944-2026)