The French Early Music ensemble's easy virtuosity frees it to inject plenty of fun into its concerts, enlivening the music with dramatic flair.
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Music Review: Luca Buratto – ‘Live at Honens 2015’
The collection of live performances captured on this double album suggests a bright future for this versatile, intelligent, and soulful young pianist.
Read More »Opera Review (Off-Broadway NYC): ‘L’Amant Anonyme’ by Chevalier de Saint-Georges
Glorious music and wonderful singing more than compensate for a weak story in this comic opera by the first classical composer of African ancestry.
Read More »Concert Review and Interview: Lev ‘Ljova’ Zhurbin at Brooklyn’s National Sawdust
Artists like violist Zhurbin, belonging to a generation of New York musicians who are grown up and have families of their own, look to develop the musician’s ideal of the hip nightlife performance venue into one that allows their friends and fans to bring their kids.
Read More »Concert Review: ‘L’Épitome Musicale: French Music for Viol Consort’ with LeStrange Viols (NYC 3/3/16)
Five superb musicians who play the treble, tenor, and bass members of the viola da gamba (or viol) family gave us baroque music from France, including some unexpected adaptations and arrangements.
Read More »Concert Review: Music of Gity Razaz (NYC, 2/20/2016)
Two recent works by composer Gity Razaz received inspiring performances at Brooklyn's trendy new-music venue National Sawdust.
Read More »Concert Review: Composer Portraits – Ashley Fure (International Contemporary Ensemble, NYC 2/4/16)
Ashley Fure's non-melodic, mostly non-rhythmic music makes you think, and her focus on the physicality of instruments – the wood and strings and glue and metal – gives her work, especially her newest pieces, a visceral appeal too.
Read More »Concert Review: Juilliard415 with Jordi Savall – ‘Shakespeare & Cervantes: Dreams and Follies’ (NYC 1/30/2016)
The 'eminence grise' of Early Music led the Juilliard School's main Early Music group in an crowd-pleasing concert with readings, all in tribute to the music of the time of Shakespeare and Cervantes.
Read More »Concert Review: Folger Consort and Stile Antico with Arcadia Viols (NYC, 1/24/16)
Defying the Blizzard of 2016, the combined ensemble presented early and new music celebrating Shakespeare.
Read More »Music Review: Javier Perianes and Cuarteto Quiroga – ‘Granados and Turina: Piano Quintets’
If you're not familiar with these early modern Spanish composers, this sensitively played album is a fine place to start.
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