classical music
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A week of big orchestral concerts ahead for coverage in The New York Times, and, as ever, plenty that I'd like to see were sleeplessness (well, additional sleeplessness) or cloning available options. Wednesday, March 12: New York PhilharmonicAvery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center; 7:30pm; $39–$59 Alan Gilbert and the Phil continue the outstanding cycle of Carl…
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We had already agreed in principle that the entire structure of the piece would be derived from Mozart’s 40th Symphony, and that obviously, “White Metal” should carry a variation of the concept “Black Metal” and the term “white noise”.—Miguel Prado Having declared last week in my initial Wandelwatching post that this series of essays is…
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Talea Ensemble at the Austrian Cultural Forum, March 4, 2014The New York Times, March 6, 2014 My report on a Talea Ensemble performance at the Austrian Cultural Forum New York, one of many fruitful intersections between those two important institutions. Since there was no Times photographer on hand, I've chosen an older video of Talea's…
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Nicholas Phillips Classical Playlist: Stephanie Blythe, Eva-Maria Houben, Nicholas Phillips and MoreNew York Times ArtsBeat, March 5, 2014 My contributions: HOUBEN: ‘Lost in Dreams — Works for Piano’ Eva-Maria Houben, pianist (Edition Wandelweiser) ‘AMERICAN VERNACULAR — NEW MUSIC FOR SOLO PIANO’ Nicholas Phillips (New Focus Recordings) CAMPBELL: ‘Things You Already Know’ Christopher Campbell and ensemble…
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After more than a month off the beat—and after a quiet soft-start (in multiple senses) with the very impressive opening event of the new series Music for Contemplation last Saturday night—I'm finally heading back out into concert life. There are three events on my agenda this week: two on assignment for The New York Times,…
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Eva-Maria Houben Silence in music was not the cessation of sound, or even a gesture: it was a different sound, one with more density than those sounds made by instruments.—Michael Pisaro If my social-media communities are any indication, Wandelweiser is finally arriving here in New York City. Formed in 1992 by composers Antoine Beuger and Burkhard…
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A comprehensive list of the recordings I've covered in Classical Playlist on The New York Times ArtsBeat blog since the series started on November 6, 2013, in reverse chronological order. I've listed only my own contributions here; click on each header for the complete ArtsBeat post. Classical Playlist: George Antheil, Haydn, Sibelius and MoreMarch 19,…
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Classical Playlist: Jenny Lin, Joshua Rubin, David Aladashvili and MoreThe New York Times ArtsBeat, February 19, 2014 My contributions: ‘THERE NEVER IS NO LIGHT’ Joshua Rubin, clarinetist; Cory Smythe, pianist (Tundra/New Focus) PAINE: Orchestral Works Ulster Orchestra, conducted by JoAnn Falletta (Naxos) WORTHINGTON: ‘Even the Light Itself Falls’ ensemble et cetera (Populist; available via Bandcamp)…
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Classical Playlist: Danish String Quartet, Thomas Meglioranza, Gidon Kremer and MoreThe New York Times ArtsBeat, February 12, 2014 My contribution: ‘THE GOOD SONG’ Thomas Meglioranza, baritone; Reiko Uchida, pianist (self-released; available via CD Baby)
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Inscape*, by Jennifer White-Johnson Classical Playlist: Andrew Parrott, Jeroen Van Veen, Ildar Abdrazakov and MoreThe New York Times ArtsBeat, February 5, 2014 My contributions: ‘SPRUNG RHYTHM’ Inscape*; Abigail Lennox, soprano (Sono Luminus) MONTSALVATGE: ‘Madrigal’ and Other Works Sasha Cooke, mezzo-soprano; Tim Fain, violinist; Perspectives Ensemble, conducted by Angel Gil-Ordoñez(Naxos)
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Suzanne Ciani Having taken 2013 off to venture into world domination elsewhere around the globe, the Unsound Festival plants its flag anew in New York City in early April. I wrote about this groundbreaking Polish fest and its founder, Mat Schulz, for The New York Times in 2010, so I'll refer you to that article…
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Oskar Merikanto, "Annina"Lyrics by Daniel FallströmJorma Hynninen, baritone; Ralf Gothóni, pianofrom Best of Merikanto (Finlandia) Annina, viel' valvotko, kulta, Annina,tulen luoksesi venhollain,tulen luoksesi venhollain.Ei taloista välky nyt tultacanalezza se loistavi vain, se vain. Annina, ma hiljalleen soudan Annina,niin kevyt on aironi tää,niin kevyt on aironi tää,vaikk' äitisi valvois, sun noudan,hän venhett' ei kuule, ei nää,…
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The New York Times building, by Richard Drew/AP I'd intended to make the previous "Days between" post the last…until such time as I once again fall so badly behind that I can't locate the 10 to 15 minutes it takes to flog a bit of my writing for The New York Times here on my…
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The third and, for now, last next to last in a brief series, this post collects all of my writing for The New York Times between my report on the American Symphony Orchestra concert of November 17 and the collective article "Critics Weigh In on Standout Operas of Recent Decades," both of which I posted…
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New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players, by Richard Termine/The New York Times New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players: Patience at Symphony Space, January 3, 2014The New York Times, Jan. 6, 2014 Don't know that I would call Patience my favorite Gilbert & Sullivan operetta, as did a friend of mine on Facebook – I love…
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Yefim Bronfman with the New York Philharmonic, by Hiroyuki Ito/The New York Times New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall, January 2, 2014The New York Times, Jan. 4, 2014 My first concert review of 2014: a terrific program featuring the New York Philharmonic with its current artist in residence, pianist Yefim Bronfman, in a concerto…
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"Tomorrow's Valhalla: Critics Weigh in on Standout Operas of Recent Decades"The New York Times, January 5, 2014 As longtime perusers of this blog already know, I always enjoy features in which all the classical-music reviewers for The New York Times are asked to mix it up on a single topic. I missed posting the recent…
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Kate Soper and Gelsey Bell, by Kobi Davis Welcome to 2014—and what a crazy weekend for contemporary American opera in NYC January 11-12 is turning out to be. Not only will the second PROTOTYPE Festival be in full swing (about which more to come), but Morningside Opera will present Here Be Sirens, a new chamber…
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Morgan Krauss and Rebekah Heller Rebekah Heller and Ryan Muncy at Spectrum, December 14, 2013Night After Night exclusive I first encountered the music of Morgan Krauss almost exactly one year ago in Chicago, during the valiant "(Re)New Amsterdam" benefit concert organized by Marcos Balter and Doyle Armbrust at the Empty Bottle. The day was long…
Night After Night 