Reviews

Sublime Sounds Strike Cabrillo

Jeff Dunn - August 11, 2009

How do you tell a hack orchestrator from a master? One composes a new sequence of sounds, the other a sequence of new sounds. And if the sequence itself has a certain cohesive inevitability about it, you have a ground-breaking masterpiece. Two of these were served up to an enthusiastic audience Friday night at the opening of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in Santa Cruz, thanks to invitations from Music Director Marin Alsop.

Review

Around the World of Cabrillo

Benjamin Frandzel - August 11, 2009

The Cabrillo Festival’s second night brought program music of various sorts to the full house that on Saturday filled the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium. Music Director Marin Alsop and her high-energy orchestra provided sharp, dynamic performances of three works that drew on eclectic sources of inspiration and were generally quite accessible.

Review

Grand Ensemble Marks Merola Così

Jason Victor Serinus - August 10, 2009

The extra excitement of Merola Opera’s performance of Mozart’s Così fan tutte could be felt on both sides of the metaphorical footlights. As the house lights dimmed on Sunday at the outset of the production in Fort Mason’s intimate Cowell Theatre, you could almost hear the anticipatory questions in people’s minds: Were they about to witness one or more major stars in the making?

Review

Living Legend at Menlo

Be'eri Moalem - August 10, 2009

Whoever thinks that the California scene is too relaxed for the best kind of classical music-making (especially in August, in the suburbs of San Francisco, where the parking is plentiful, the sun shines every day, and the wine flows plentifully) should have been at the Music@Menlo concert Saturday night, at the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church.Silicon Valley, known for cutting-edge high-tech innovat

Review

A Full Plate of Previn

Jason Victor Serinus - August 10, 2009

To celebrate André Previn's 80th birthday, Deutsche Grammophon has released André Previn: A Celebration, a six-CD set chock full of his recordings for the DG and Decca labels. Chosen by Previn, the performances highlight his accomplishments as both a conductor and composer of classical instrumental and vocal works.

Review

Deeply Touched by Menahem Pressler

Jerry Kuderna - August 3, 2009

“We are looking for someone who will touch us deeply, in a way that we cannot forget.” These words, spoken by the pianist Menahem Pressler in a documentary about the Van Cliburn competition, came to mind while listening to his solo recital at this summer’s Music@Menlo Festival.

Review

Seriously Mendelssohn

David Bratman - August 3, 2009

A cycle of the Mendelssohn string quartets: It sounds like a reasonable programming idea, yet it isn’t done very often. Felix Mendelssohn wrote seven full quartets, plus a small assortment of individual movements, just about the right amount of music for a set of three concerts.

Review

Good Vibrations

Dan Leeson - July 28, 2009

Following what I had expected to be the preconcert lecture for the Music@Menlo evening presentation of "Midsummer Night Dreams," I found myself listening to an extravagant performance of the Dvořák Terzetto in C Major, followed by a breathtaking presentation of Brahms' Clarinet Trio in A Minor.

Review

Mozart and a Master

Jerry Kuderna - July 27, 2009

It seemed fitting that the conclusion of the 35th season of the Berkeley-based Midsummer Mozart Festival, coinciding with the number of years of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s life, would include an early symphony from his youth in Salzburg and conclude with his last, the glorious, seemingly unsurpassable “Jupiter.”

Review

Together? And How!

Jason Victor Serinus - July 27, 2009

Those of us who attended violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg’s opening concert as music director and concertmaster of the New Century Chamber Orchestra (NCCO) can hardly forget her bracing and authoritative playing.