Reviews

Nikolaj Znaider
Review

Dr. Brahms, Meet Mr. Nielsen

Jeff Dunn - December 5, 2008

The San Francisco Symphony program was simple and twain: just two works from the same Late Romantic era, divided by an intermission — works as different as Jekyll and Hyde.

Change in the Garret

Jason Victor Serinus - December 2, 2008
Miracles do repeat themselves ... sometimes. Reportedly, the heartwarming sweep of San Francisco Opera music director designate Nicola Luisotti's magnificent conducting became even more revelatory after opening night as he proceeded to push SFO's first cast (Gheorghiu, Beczala, Kelsey, Amsellem, Gradus) of Puccini's La Bohème to its limits.
Paul Haas
Review

Maestro of Disguise

Janos Gereben - November 26, 2008

Halloween has long gone, but Berkeley Symphony music director candidate Paul Haas arrived wearing a disguise. Thursday night at Zellerbach Auditorium: that of a competent, careful, and traditional wandsman with barely enough energy befitting his relative youth (37).

Spirited Rejoicing, Bitter Mourning

Anna Carol Dudley - November 25, 2008
Chora Nova made a "Voyage of Discovery" Saturday night to the First Congregational Church in Berkeley, introducing its audience to composers usually encountered mainly in Baroque music workshops.
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Review

Maestro of Disguise

Jeff Dunn - November 25, 2008
Halloween has long gone, but Berkeley Symphony music director candidate Paul Haas arrived wearing a disguise Thursday night at Zellerbach Auditorium: that of a competent, careful, and traditional wandsman with barely enough energy befitting his relative youth (37).
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Review

Sweet Farewell, Hearty Hello

Michelle Dulak Thomson - November 25, 2008
It was a grand design for a concert: two string quartets, one relatively young and the other making its farewell tour, playing three new works (one quartet for each, an octet for the two together), with Mendelssohn's beloved Octet to close. But owing to the death of Johannes Quartet violist Choo-Jin Chang's brother early last week, the ensemble's double bill at San Francisco's Herbst Theatre with

Goldfingers

Anatole Leikin - November 25, 2008
Moriz Rosenthal (1862-1946), a great Polish virtuoso and a scathingly acerbic wit, once remarked, on learning that his fellow pianist Artur Schnabel had been rejected by the army as a draftee, "Well, what did you expect? No fingers!" The Brazilian-born pianist Arnaldo Cohen definitely has fingers.

Singing With Love

Jason Victor Serinus - November 25, 2008
Moments arise when the usual checklist of critical absolutes gets set aside and you just listen and sit back and enjoy. Such was the case at the first of two fall concerts by the San Francisco Bay Area Chamber Choir (SFBACC).
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Review

Music With Two Faces

Heuwell Tircuit - November 25, 2008
The program at Old First Church on Sunday afternoon was titled "Alla Zingarese," but the program of the Laurel Ensemble actually covered the two principal aspects underlying traditional Hungarian music: the native folk music and the better-known Romany traditions.
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Review

Making a Case For the Unusual

Kwami Coleman - November 25, 2008
Two groups with like-minded ideals visited Stanford University last week. Imani Winds and Miami String Quartet compelled their modest-sized audience in Dinkelspiel Auditorium to join them on a spirited and inspired, if unfamiliar, musical journey. From the first to the last sounding notes both ensembles played brilliantly, with vigor, dedication, and flair.