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Simon Rattle’s Bruckner is, on the whole, lean and lively; if you’re looking for a new Mahler Four, Vladimir Jurowski’s is the one to check out; Thierry Fischer leads performances of each symphony that take Saint-Saëns’ writing seriously.
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Two recent biographies take very different approaches as they revel in the wild lives and examine the distinctive songs of two of rock music’s most enigmatic figures: Lou Reed and Warren Zevon.
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These are two practiced masters at free improvisation. I am confident that many listeners will find them as intriguing and accomplished as I do.
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In the right hands, Shostakovich’s Twelfth can come off as nothing less than an intriguing, lively symphonic essay.
Read MoreJazz Albums Review: The ‘Season’ of Newvelle Muri — Adventurous, Sure-Footed, and Strikingly Lyrical
The sound on these discs couldn’t be more clear or precise; the music is low-key, thoughtful, and resolutely melodious.
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“You can read Frederick Douglass forever and still just encounter new things, new ideas, new passages, new phrases. He’s that kind of writer. It’s like reading Emerson or even Shakespeare.”
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Gounod was no mere purveyor of gentle sentiments. This 1881 opera, superbly performed, shows plenty of drama and grit.
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An exhilarating and entertaining evening with Puddles, a most personable and unique clown.
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To hear a 13-piece ensemble of this caliber, doing justice to these great songs, was simply hard to beat.
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Music Commentary: The Black Crowes — Redux?
When have the Robinsons ever done what was expected on them? And when have they ever really cared?
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