let me tell you

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.

Picks for the top live classical performances of 2016. Feel free to agree, disagree, add to them, come up with your own list, etc.

Three superb albums: two focusing on works by Brahms, one featuring Hans Abrahamsen’s meditation on Shakespeare’s Ophelia.

Everyone on stage seemed to sense that this was a special occasion and the BSO, accordingly, played with an extra jolt of electricity.

Thomas Clifton March 29, 2020 at 11:54 am on Book Review: “Where the Crawdads Sing” — Are the Rural Poor Noble Savages?I was generally confused, to this day, why people are raving about this book. It was literary trash.
Ian Thal March 27, 2020 at 11:42 am on Arts Commentary: Big Art — Big GreedThe Kennedy Center is part of the Smithsonian and thus, actually part of the Federal government -- it doesn't choose...
Steve Provizer March 27, 2020 at 7:56 am on Arts Commentary: Big Art — Big GreedThe salaries seem outrageous and a number of the “award” events could be produced by any commercial venue. Other kinds...
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Ian Thal March 26, 2020 at 7:11 pm on Arts Commentary: Big Art — Big GreedIn the two years since I relocated from the Boston area to Washington DC and thus, spent more time at...