David Weininger reviewed the Beaux Arts Trio's final Boston performance for Tuesday's Globe. A taste:
"There's nothing like going out on top. The Beaux Arts Trio is on its farewell tour, having spent 53 years redefining the art of the piano trio. Its final Boston appearance, at Jordan Hall on Friday night, didn't look like an easy victory lap. They came bearing new music by Gyorgy Kurtag and Schubert's two late piano trios, in B-flat (D. 898) and E-flat (D. 929)."
Read all of An old master, playing with youthful joy
The following encores were played at the final Boston performance by the Beaux Arts Trio at New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall on April 4, 2008:
Shostakovich, Scherzo from Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, opus 76
Haydn, Last movement from Piano Trio, Hob. 15, no. 32
Dvorak, Andante from Piano Trio No.4, "Dumky"
Today's Globe features a delightful review by Jeremy Eichler of a delightful recital by violinist Gil Shaham. The review begins with this description of one of the many reasons why the Celebrity Series rules, er, is a welcome feature on Boston's cultural landscape (ahem):
"One of the pleasures of the CelebritySeries season is the occasional chance to hear top-tier soloists in the intimate and acoustically welcoming setting of Jordan Hall. Sunday's recital by violinist Gil Shaham sold out weeks ahead of time."
Read all of Dashing across the violin literature, sunny all the way.
Violinist Gil Shaham played two encores Sunday afternoon at Jordan Hall:
Brahms, Hungarian Dance no. 4, arr. Josef Joachim
Fauré, Clair de lune, Op. 46 no 2, Arr., Albert Périlhou
Mongo Santamaria
The Globe's Matthew Geurrieri reviewed Saturday evening's concert by Imani Winds for today's edition. Here is a sample:
"Their opening was theatrical. For Mongo Santamaria's "Afro Blue," made famous by John Coltrane, Scott took the stage alone, pealing the tune; the others slowly walked on, as Coleman's arrangement gradually segued from a sparkling Ravel-like sunrise into a sung call-and-response between players and audience."
Read all of Imani Winds stirring sounds from expatriates and exiles.
Just came across this nice little introduction to The Camerata Ireland and Barry Douglas. The clip takes the form of four short segments of a BBC produced profile.
Globe Correspondent Matthew Guerrieri reviewed Friday evening's performance by the Guarneri and Johannes String Quartets for Monday's paper. It's another typically enjoyable read from Guerrieri:
"The excellent performances highlighted each group's tonal approach: If the Johannes's chromium-steel clarity was like a deep-focus photograph, the Guarneri opted for painted brush strokes, softer-edged, smoothing sonic contrasts with a warm varnish."
Read all of string quartets showcase power and polish.
Composer William Bolcom
William Bolcom's Octet: Double Quartet gets its Boston premiere tonight (a Celebrity Series co-commission, ahem) at Jordan Hall by the Guarneri and Johannes String Quartets. As if that wasn't enough, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Derek Bermel have quartets on the program, as well. The Globe's David Weininger had a chat with the venerable Mr. Bolcom for an article in today's Globe. Let's listen in:
"The Octet, which was premiered at the University of Illinois last week, has a less freighted program. In some ways it's concerned with the tension between the younger (Johannes) and older (Guarneri) groups for whom it was written. 'The whole business is that over time they sort of come together into a group of eight instead of one quartet and one quartet,' he says.
It's also Bolcom's homage to Mendelssohn's great Octet - also on tonight's
program - written when he was all of 16. 'It's one of the few pieces I know that
makes the hairs on the back of my head stand up. Even Mozart at 16 wasn't as
great as that. It's like angels wrote it.'"
Read all of He was eclectic before eclecticism was cool.
The Guarneri String Quartet and the Johannes String Quartet have made a program change to their February 15 Jordan Hall concert. The program, listed below, now includes titles for two of the three Boston premieres on the program:
Esa-Pekka Salonen, Homunculus (written for Johannes String Quartet) *
Derek Bermel, Passing Through (written for the Guarneri String Quartet)*
William Bolcom, Octet: Double Quartet*
Mendelssohn, Octet in E-flat Major, Opus 20
*Boston Premiere
