Reviews and occasional notes on classical music

Reviews and occasional notes on classical music

"Music, both vocall and instrumental, so good, so delectable, so rare, so admirable, so super excellent, that it did even ravish and stupifie all those strangers that never heard the like." - Thomas Coryat, after hearing 3 hours of music at the Scuola di San Rocco in Venice, 1608.

Sunday, November 1, 2015

Vivid 21st Century Music

From November 12, 2013:


Magnus Lindberg brings both Romantic and modernist themes and tropes into the 21st century in the three works included on this Da Capo disc. It's encouraging to see such impressive new music being presented to audiences of one of America's great orchestras, especially considering the relatively warm response from those in attendance during these live recordings. The 2nd Piano Concerto was written as a large-scale work for Yefim Bronfman, and he plays it with the requisite heroic gusto. The other two works - Al Largo and EXPO - are also vivid and cogently argued expressions. They demand attention, and Alan Gilbert brings out the orchestra's fire and virtuosity to splendid effect. It's great that such an interesting composer as Magnus Lindberg has this kind of support for his new music. Kudos to the New York Philharmonic, Alan Gilbert and Da Capo for bringing it to us.

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