Review

Classical Album Review: Richard Danielpour’s “An American Mosaic” — A Potent Reminder of Shared Humanity

June 7, 2021
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An American Mosaic is a fascinating study of how a contemporary composer can fuse the gestures and syntax of a tradition rooted in Bach with contemporary sensibilities.

Classical Album Review: Antonio Pappano conducts Vaughan Williams’ Symphonies 4 & 6

June 6, 2021
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These are tough, feisty, devastating pieces — easily among the 20th century’s finest symphonies — and they receive ferocious readings from Antonio Pappano and the LSO.

Film Review: “Undine” — Subtle Mythology, Intense Emotion

June 5, 2021
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Undine is a film best savored (and best absorbed) with a second viewing. Viewers must be open to its charms, perhaps allowing memories of the primal to seep into their consciousness.

Rock Album Commentary: Rostam’s “Changephobia” — The Sound of Heroic Optimism

June 5, 2021
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As we emerge from the pandemic, Rostam’s Changephobia strikes the right healing notes for fatigued ears.

Theater Review: “Songs for a New World” — A Musical for Our Moment

June 4, 2021
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Songs for a New World grapples with the jumble of emotions prompted by the end of the pandemic, while also serving as a potent reminder of what a joyful experience musical theater can be.

Rock Album Review: Black Midi — A Dizzying Mashup

June 4, 2021
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If you’re up for a lofty challenge, the experimental British rock outfit Black Midi is more than poised to fill the void.

Arts Reconsideration: The 1971 Project — Blue Lives Madder, “Dirty Harry” Turns 50

June 4, 2021
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The path Dirty Harry (and too many of his defenders, then and now) chose to pursue — the urban policing version of “killing the village in order to save it” — was outdated and discredited even in 1971.

WATCH CLOSELY: “Halston” — Gifted, Greedy, and Gregarious

June 3, 2021
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There are stunning scenes full of energy and visual beauty, but Halston left me feeling somewhat cold.

Book Review: “Warhol” — Pop Art’s Timeless Impresario

June 1, 2021
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Accessible to the art-loving novice, Blake Gopnik’s Warhol suggests that his subject’s marketing genius doesn’t have a time limit.

Film Review: “Buster Williams: Bass to Infinity” — Portrait of a Jazz Artist

May 31, 2021
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This fine documentary of a highly respected elder bassist presents a clear, focused picture of a man who is also a jazz musician.

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