The Royal Philharmonic and pianist Thibaudet prove that the Hungarian half of its program can stand respectably next to the traditionally weighty Brahms German half.
The Redwood Symphony offers Lorin Maazel's "symphonic synthesis" of the whole Ring cycle: It's like an hour-long Richard Strauss tone poem, except it's by Wagner.
The Sphinx Virtuosi opened the Stanford Lively Arts' season in a concert that was an exercise in overcoming cultural stereotypes by an orchestra of complete professionalism, winning personality, and a commitment to understanding works by old masters.