Saturday, February 3, 2018

BSO — 2018/02/03

This week's Boston Symphony has works by Mozart and Shostakovich. As always, the orchestra's program detail page offers links to performer bios, audio previews, program notes, and a brief description of the concert:
Andris Nelsons conducts Mozart and Shostakovich featuring soprano Kristine Opolais [and bass Alexander Tsymbalyuk] 
The BSO presents one of Shostakovich's most unusual symphonies, No. 14, which continues the BSO's complete cycle of Shostakovich symphonies being recorded for future release on Deutsche Grammophon. Composed in 1969 and dedicated to Benjamin Britten, No. 14 requires the smallest instrumental forces of any Shostakovich symphony-string orchestra with ten percussionists. Opening the program is music of a very different stripe, Mozart's wonderfully amiable Gran Partita for winds. This sevenmovement serenade dates from about 1782 and is considered by many the finest work of "Harmoniemusik"- music for wind band-ever written.
(Some emphasis added.)

The reviews also give information about the pieces. The one in the Globe finds less fault with the performances than does the one in the Intelligencer. Although the Thursday performance was part of my subscription, when it was time to leave, I didn't feel like making the trek into Boston, so I have nothing to add to the above information. After reading the reviews, I'm sorry I missed it. I'll listen to WCRB this evening and on February 12 at the usual time. Note the other programming listed on the station's website.

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