Hellbender is not just a fabulous indie film about witches, it’s also an original coming-of-age horror movie.
John Adams
Classical Album Reviews: John Adams’ Chamber Symphonies — Built on Trust
BMOP’s performances of three John Adams chamber symphonies, all conducted by music director Gil Rose, offer welcome, distinctive takes on the triptych.
Classical CD Reviews: Peter Oundjian conducts John Adams and Leonard Bernstein conducts Mahler
Peter Oundjian and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra deliver a great album, smartly programmed and played to the hilt. Leonard Bernstein’s live Mahler was often electrifying; this performance, even with some cracked notes and hairy transitions, certainly is.
Classical Concert Review: St. Lawrence String Quartet plays Beethoven, Adams, and Sibelius
It is, clearly, a crafty Beethoven remix and the ways John Adams assimilates the older composer’s language into his latest style are fascinating.
Concert Review: John Adams’ “Scheherezade.2” at Symphony Hall
This weekend’s concert fires on all cylinders. Don’t miss it.
Classical CD Reviews: Kamus Quartet’s “Homunculus” and Jeroen Van Veen plays Adams
The nearly 10 year wait for the premiere of Esa-Pekka Salonen’s string quartet Homunculus was worth it.
Commentary: Top Classical Recordings of 2016
I make no claims to have listened to everything released in 2016; here are my picks for the top classical recordings of the year.
Book Review: “Liberty’s First Crisis” — Oddballs to the Rescue
Liberty’s First Crisis presents reminders that elected officials have always been capable of uncivilized behavior toward their colleagues.
Classical CD Reviews: John Adams’ “Absolute Jest” (SFS Media); Alexander Melnikov plays Schumann (Harmonia mundi)
John Adams’ Absolute Jest is a sheer blast of fun, wildly inventive and, at its best, a vertiginous collage.
Music Commentary Series: Jazz and the Piano Concerto — Mavericks, 1960 – 2004
More composers who followed their own distinctive paths when they incorporated jazz into their piano concertos.