By Robert Croan Most classical string quintets add a second viola to the standard string quartet combination of two violins, viola and cello. Several repertory works by Mozart and Brahms, for example, employ this combination. Less common are quintets with a cello as the fifth instrument, with the notable exception of a large number by Boccherini (remember the piece played in … [Read more...]
A splendid afternoon of PB Opera on the waterfront
Saturday saw huge crowds braving the “cold” 70-degree weather and troublesome winds that blew sheet music everywhere at the outdoor Meyer Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach for Palm Beach Opera’s second winter concert on the waterfront. On the stroke of 2 p.m., conductor Greg Ritchey brought down his baton for a rousing National Anthem, like you’ve never heard before, from … [Read more...]
Merling Trio persuasive in Dvorak at Duncan
As the cellist Bruce Uchimura said, the world is a better place for having once had Antonin Dvořák in it. Uchimura, a member of the Kalamazoo, Mich.-based Merling Trio, offered his tribute to the great Czech Romantic composer during the trio’s appearance Wednesday afternoon on the Classical Café series at the Duncan Theatre’s Stage West. On the second half of that program, the … [Read more...]
Romanenko provides a marvelous afternoon of Bach
The six cello suites of J.S. Bach are monumental in every significant way, which means that Saturday afternoon’s traversal of all six in a Lake Worth church was itself a monument for local audiences. And Alexei Romanenko, who brought these great works to a decent-sized pre-season crowd at Calvary United Methodist, showed that he has all the skill, taste and imagination he … [Read more...]