Night After Night

Deep feeling.

Alisa Weilerstein and Inon Barnatan at Zankel Hall
The New York Times, December 11, 2008

Resurrection.

Gilbert Kaplan conducts the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall
The New York Times, December 10, 2008

Remember this one, then go here, here and especially here. We'll revisit this topic shortly.

Conservative movements.

American Symphony Orchestra at Avery Fisher Hall
The New York Times, December 9, 2008

Angels in the architecture.

Kronos Quartet at Zankel Hall
The New York Times, December 8, 2008

Begging everyone's indulgence, but it's been another one of those weeks in which I never had a spare moment to get my Times reviews posted here. (The reason why I feel compelled to catch up right now -- literally in the middle of the night -- I'll explain in a forthcoming post.)

Dark night of the soul.

Piotr Anderszewski at Carnegie Hall
The New York Times, December 5, 2008

It is entirely possible, in retrospect, that I might actually have understated the terrifying isolation and despair Anderszewski brought out in the final movement of Beethoven's Op. 130 110. As I told one of my editors on the phone yesterday, I was so shaken during and immediately after the performance that I wondered if perhaps I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Now, since the recital was recorded for commercial release, I wonder if I'll feel the same way when I hear again under different circumstances what Anderszewski did to me here. And, if so, would I ever want to listen to the disc more than once?

Update: Turns out I was more messed up than I suspected. A very kind correspondent from Boston gently pointed out that the sonata in question was Beethoven's Op. 110, not the Op. 130 string quartet. "I know it must have just been a brain cramp," my benefactor wrote. "Sounds as though you were pretty overtaken by the performance." You can say that again. Thanks for the assistance; I phoned a mea culpa into the paper this morning.

Community affairs.

Lost Dog New Music Ensemble plays Sequenza 21 at Waltz-Astoria
The New York Times, December 3, 2008

Conversation pieces.

Electrum Duo at Bargemusic
The New York Times, December 1, 2008