Archive for the ‘RSS Feeds’ Category
The cult of El Sistema keeps playing on
A new book cheers the spread of an orchestra movement that can’t quite be pinned down
Latest on Forbes: Itzhak Perlman on Warner, Tim Page on Itzhak
At the root of the lengthy missive over on Forbes is a review of Warner’s box set of Itzahk Perlman’s recordings for the EMI/Warner and Erato/Telarc labels, released to honor this great violinist of our times on his 70th birthday (in 2015). After waffling on the merit of many of these recordings and soliciting the help of the very dear Tim Page (who had not even properly convalesced then, and
Book of the Day: A Spare Life, by Lidija Dimkovska
Don’t miss Lidija Dimkovska when she visits The Ivy on Friday, October 7, at 7:00!
Sometimes it becomes crystal-clear just how much of the world’s literature we miss out on in the U.S. Case in point: Lidija Dimkovska’s masterly saga A Spare Life, which was published in 2012 and won the European Union Prize for Literature in 2013, but is just now appearing stateside. Suffice it to say, far better late than never!
Today’s Book of the Day is A Spare Life.
On Washington Classical Review: NSO Gala
Charles T. Downey, NSO gala raises $1 million and fetes opening of African-American Museum
Washington Classical Review, September 26
In the Post: BSO, Thibaudet play Gershwin
Gershwin, Concerto in F / Rhapsody in Blue, J.-Y. Thibaudet, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, M. Alsop (Decca, 2010)
Charles T. Downey, With new members in BSO, striving for a cohesive sound in season opener at Strathmore (Washington Post, September 26)
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s season at its second home, the Music Center at Strathmore, opened Saturday evening. Before the second half,
Ivy Bestsellers – September 26, 2016
Ann Patchett lands in the #1 spot for the second week in a row.
Ann Patchett tops our bestseller list once again.
Forbes Classical CD of the Week
…The low strings hum like bumble-bee war-drones on a fuzzy mission of humanity. The timpani are bone-dry and caught in uncanny detail. It’s a joy how Decca recorded this extraordinarily well-sounding orchestra…
-> Classical CD of the Week: Classical CD Of The Week: Nelson Freire’s Bumble-Bee-Beethoven
L.Beethoven, Piano Concerto No.5, Piano Sonata op.111,
N.Freire/Gewandhausorchester/
A Traditional ‘Marriage of Figaro’
Joshua Hopkins and Lisette Oropesa in The Marriage of Figaro, Washington National Opera (photo by Scott Suchman)
Many thanks to Robert R. Reilly for this review from the Kennedy Center.
On Saturday night, September 24, 2016, the Washington National Opera’s performance of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro was simulcast to Nationals Park for the annual Opera in the Outfield. In addition to a full
Forbes Classical CD of the Week
…The latter is very late-period Smetana, where mental trouble, probably due to syphilis, was already rearing its ugly head. It was written just a year before Smetana—long deaf by then—died in Prague’s Kateřinky Lunatic Asylum. The torn quality can remind, if faintly, of late Schumann—but the language firmly retains its Central European accent. The Talich Quartet’s warm, direct sound and rich
CD Review: Office of San Minias
Charles T. Downey, CD reviews: Early music on the cutting edge
Washington Post, September 15
Officium Sancti Miniatis (Florence, Arcivescovado, s.c.), Coro Viri Galilaei, Ensemble San Felice
(released on July 8, 2016)
Bongiovanni GB5193-2 | 107’03”
[CD booklet]
The music we call Gregorian chant was not a monolithic, unified repertory. Melodies and texts varied widely from place to place,
