I am honestly puzzled by the casualness or, at times, ferocity with which some people nowadays reject classical music as inherently narrow or elitist.
First Hand Records
Classical Album Review: Orion Weiss’s “Arc 1” — Crafting a Strong Sense of Impending Doom
The album serves up exceptional stuff, even if the program’s a touch macabre and pianist Orion Weiss’s well-written liner notes make uncomfortable connections between the world of pre-World War 1 Europe and our own pandemic-riddled age.
Classical CD Reviews: Michael Brown’s Piano Works, Ferdinand Ries Piano Concertos, and Andris Nelsons’ Bruckner Symphony no. 4
Variations and fugues are the overriding themes of pianist/composer Michael Brown’s captivating new album. If you’re an Andris Nelsons fan, this Deutsche Grammophon album won’t disappoint, and a disc that features three pieces by composer Ferdinand Ries, who was friendly with Beethoven, is worth hearing.