BSO/Classical New England — 2023/09/02

 The "encore broadcasts" continue. This week we get a chance to hear the concert of November 26, 2022. Here's the description from WCRB:

In an encore broadcast, BSO Assistant Conductor Anna Rakitina conducts the suite from Elena Langer’s Figaro Gets a Divorce and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, and Inon Barnatan is the soloist in the crown-jewel of Rachmaninoff’s works, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.

Anna Rakitina, conductor
Inon Barnatan, piano

Elena LANGER Figaro Gets a Divorce Suite
Sergei RACHMANINOFF Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Modest MUSSORGSKY Pictures at an Exhibition (orch. Ravel)

This concert was originally broadcast on November 26th, 2022 and is no longer available on demand.

In a conversation with CRB's Brian McCreath, pianist Inon Barnatan describes his love for Rachmaninoff's music, how the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini is unique among the composer's works for piano, and what he's learned as Music Director of the La Jolla SummerFest. To listen, use the player above, and read the transcript below.

TRANSCRIPT:

Brian McCreath I'm Brian McCreath at Symphony Hall with Inon Barnatan, who is back with the BSO for the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, one of my favorite pieces by Rachmaninoff, and so, Inon, thanks a lot for your

I wrote about it at the time, and the links in my post still work, so you can go there to read the review in the Intelligencer — unimpressed by the Langer, enthusiastic for the Rachmaninoff, and finding fault with the Mussorgsky. You can also see the program notes which are available at the BSO's performance detail page. The explanation of the pictures might make the Mussorgsky more understandable. The Globe ended up publishing a favorable review a few days after I posted.

So there you have it: two familiar pieces, one very well performed, after a newish item that's no great shucks. If my brother weren't going to call at the time, I'd be tempted to listen to the Rachmaninoff "Rhapsody," and follow the Red Sox game before and after that, but I don't think it'd be a big mistake to listen to the wole thing.