New Light Shed On Heggie’s Whale Of A Tale Of A Whale
By Richard S. Ginell
LOS ANGELES — The day after Dallas Opera’s world premiere of his Great Scott, Jake Heggie attended LA Opera’s first staging of his Moby-Dick. The work's grandeur, reduced by tight shots on the DVD, was fully apparent when seen live.
Brian Eno’s ‘Music For Airports’ Adds Sweetness To Din
By Richard S. Ginell
SAN DIEGO - The composer's attempt to blend music with the ambient racket of a large terminal got its first live U.S. performance as the Bang On A Can All-Stars performed the work for passersby at the San Diego International Airport.
Hindemith-Wilder ‘Christmas Dinner’ Spices New Disc
By Paul E. Robinson
DIGITAL REVIEW – A spare, beautifully understated one-act opera by composer Paul Hindemith and playwright Thornton Wilder receives an excellent performance by conductor Leon Botstein and the American Symphony.
Berlin, Zimerman Show Lutosławski As Modern Master
By Paul Robinson
DIGITAL REVIEW – Simon Rattle leads the Berlin Philharmonic in Lutoslawski's complex Symphony No. 2 and Krystian Zimerman's account of the Piano Concerto argues for its place among works in the standard repertoire.
For Modest Coin, Detroit SO ‘Replay’ Opens A Treasury
By Paul Robinson
DIGITAL REVIEW – A $50 donation to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra allows music lovers to stream more than 100 videos from past concerts in repertoire ranging from Tchaikovsky symphonies to a wealth of Americana.
Nelsons, BSO Tap Soulful Depths Of Shostakovich 10th
By Paul E. Robinson
DIGITAL REVIEW – An impressive debut CD by the Boston Symphony under Andris Nelsons for Deutsche Grammophon launches a planned series of Shostakovich symphonies from his anxious years in Stalin's shadow.
Derrick Spiva Gets 2-For-1 Premiere: In Concert, On CD
By Rodney Punt
LOS ANGELES - The LA-based composer's Prisms, Cycles, Leaps received its world concert premiere by the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra at the same time the Bridge To Everywhere ensemble's CD came out on the Orenda label.
Pollini’s Superb Beethoven Cycle Enhances Canon
By Arthur Kaptainis
DIGITAL REVIEW - Having listened to these eight DG discs repeatedly and in shuffle-play order, I detect no difference between Pollini in his fourth decade and Pollini in his eighth. And I say more power to him.
Jesting Or Grand, Adams Provides Delight On Disc
By Richard S. Ginell
DIGITAL REVIEW - Pieces from opposite ends of John Adams’ career take cues from Beethoven and send his music in different directions. The composer splits San Francisco Symphony conducting duties with Michael Tilson Thomas.
To Gild A Classic: Pete Townshend Goes Symphonic
By Richard S. Ginell
DIGITAL REVIEW – With his 70th birthday approaching in May and the idea of "legacy" in mind, The Who's Pete Townshend decided to have Quadrophenia, his second full-length rock opera, adapted as a classical work with orchestra.
But What What Does It It It It All Mean Mean Mean?
By Paul E. Robinson
DIGITAL REVIEW – Without a clear understanding of how these four pieces relate to each other, the listener is apt to find this CD difficult to appreciate, except on a purely emotional level. Perhaps that is what Gidon Kremer intended.
Re-issue Of Solti ‘Ring’ Affirms It’s Still Benchmark
By Paul E. Robinson
DIGITAL REVIEW – It has been 51 years since the completion of the first-ever recording of Wagner's Ring, produced for Decca by John Culshaw and led by Georg Solti, an achievement that offers a “theater of the mind.”
Fine Compendium Revives Forgotten Orchestral Gems
By Robert Moon
DIGITAL REVIEW – Marking the centennial of American composer Irving Fine’s birth, the Boston Modern Orchestra Project CD of all his orchestral works includes one of America’s best symphonies and a Brandeis U fight song.
New Boulez CD Set Offers Portrait Of Young Firebrand
By Richard S. Ginell
DIGITAL REVIEW - Perhaps the most interesting of all the Pierre Boulez repackagings is a collection that revisits his tumultuous early days as an intellectual bomb thrower and musical style setter at the head of the Domaine Musical.
An Awe-Inspiring ‘Path of Miracles’ from Conspirare
By Paul E. Robinson
DIGITAL REVIEW - Many Christians consider Spain's Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela one of the world's holiest sites. British composer Joby Talbot made a pilgrimage to the church while preparing to compose his choral work.
Gilbert, New York Cap Nielsen Cycle With Power, Flair
By Richard S. Ginell
DIGITAL REVIEW - Leonard Bernstein punched Nielsen into the Philharmonic agenda, but it took Alan Gilbert to do all six symphonies for Dacapo. He completes the cycle with the craggy Fifth, and the Sixth, in which he really lets fly.
Messiaen-ic Music From The Canyons To The Stars
By Paul E. Robinson
DIGITAL REVIEW - Utah's Bryce Canyon National Park inspired the French composer's colorful work, which is replete with birdsongs and spiritual imagery. Christoph Eschenbach leads a striking new recording.
American Classics Resound On Fine CD From Oregon
By Paul Robinson
DIGITAL REVIEW - Carlos Kalmar and the Oregon Symphony continue the ensemble's tradition of focusing on American music with a program of music by Walter Piston, George Antheil, and Aaron Copland.
Hovhaness’ Image Of Andromeda Has Aspect Of Far East
By Richard s. Ginell
DIGITAL REVIEW - Prolific beyond understanding, Alan Hovhaness died in 2000 with many works left unrecorded, among them his "Vision of Andromeda," the 48th of 67 symphonies. The 1982 opus makes its disc debut at last.
