Caroline Goulding is sitting in Finouk, a café on the Grabenstrasse in the picturesque German town of Kronberg im Taunus, near Frankfurt. The young American violinist is there in late March with her recital partner, German pianist Danae Dörken, and they’re on their way to rehearsal for concerts next month in Bautzen and Berlin as well as prepping for a recording session. But … [Read more...]
Late reviews: South Florida Symphony, Cameo Chamber Players
South Florida Symphony Orchestra (Nov. 15, Crest Theatre, Delray Beach) One of Sergei Prokofiev’s last works was his Sinfonia Concertante (Op. 125), a reworking of his earlier Cello Concerto and one of the most challenging such pieces in the repertoire. The American cellist Zuill Bailey, a repeat guest with the South Florida Symphony, returned to that ensemble’s … [Read more...]
Late review: Seraphic Fire, Sebastians glory in early Handel
Some of the most satisfying concerts of Seraphic Fire’s now-substantial history have included the music of George Frideric Handel. In addition to its regular holiday run-throughs of the Christmas portion of the Baroque composer’s Messiah, there have been revelatory readings of his oratorio Israel in Egypt, and five years ago, a lovely reading by a chamber spinoff of some of … [Read more...]
Late review: Delray SQ vividly brings Herrmann, Ravel to opener
Bernard Herrmann was proud of the film scores he wrote for Alfred Hitchcock, and some of the music the American composer created in the 1950s and 1960s for the British master of suspense has become justly celebrated in its own right. The Delray String Quartet opened its 11th season Nov. 2 at the Colony Hotel in Delray Beach with a program of three works that included a suite … [Read more...]
Late review: In Grieg sonatas, Joshua Bell finds riches
The splendid American violinist Joshua Bell has been making something of a study of the three sonatas of Edvard Grieg in his regular recital tours. Although the Third Sonata is the most well-known of the three, he was very excited about the Sonata No. 2 when he took it out on a tour a few years back, as he told me during an interview at the time; he said in some ways he liked … [Read more...]
Late reviews: Recent concerts, in brief
Editor’s note: Here are three reviews from recent concerts; posting has been delayed by technical difficulties. Three clarinetists in a trio de force for Farberman concerto Lynn Philharmonia (Oct. 25, Wold Performing Arts Center, Boca Raton) One of the important insignia of the new regime of conductor Guillermo Figueroa at the Lynn Philharmonia is his determination to offer … [Read more...]
Late review: South Florida Symphony at the Crest
Editor’s note: Here is a late orchestral review from last month. Technical difficulties prevented it from being posted until now: South Florida Symphony (March 11, Crest Theatre, Delray Beach) The South Florida Symphony has had something of a rocky history over the past couple years, with short funding and repeated complaints about overdue payments to its freelance personnel. … [Read more...]
For ‘Millions of Miles,’ fourth time might be the charm
Greenacres playwright Elliott Taubenslag knows how to write roles that attract major names. More than 20 years ago, he wrote a bittersweet romantic comedy called Millions of Miles for Kay Medford, the late character actress who originated memorable mothers in Bye Bye Birdie and Funny Girl. Although she toured in Taubenslag’s play and it was booked into a theater on Broadway, … [Read more...]