BSO — 2025/11/22

 Unfamiliar music forms the first part of this evening's concert, a recent composition followed by a largely unknown concerto from mid 20th Century. Neither is too tough to take (at least for me). After intermission we get something much more familiar. Here's what WCRB has on their website: https://www.classicalwcrb.org/show/the-boston-symphony-orchestra/2025-09-10/joshua-bell-the-bso-and-de-hartmanns-violin-concerto

Saturday, November 22, 2025
8:00 PM

BSO Assistant Conductor Anna Handler leads the rarely heard Violin Concerto by Thomas de Hartmann, with soloist Joshua Bell. The program also spotlights two works of vivid storytelling: Grace-Evangeline Mason’s 2021 work The Imagined Forest and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition.

Anna Handler, conductor
Joshua Bell, violin

Grace-Evangeline MASON The Imagined Forest
Thomas DE HARTMANN Violin Concerto
Modest MUSSORGSKY (orch. RAVEL) Pictures at an Exhibition

In an interview with CRB's Brian McCreath, Anna Handler describes the experience of being called to step in to conduct this program on short notice, her trust in colleagues both within the BSO and from the wider musical world, and her fascination with Ravel's orchestration of Pictures at an Exhibition. To listen, use the player above, and read the transcript below.

Learn more about the Boston Symphony Orchestra's 2025-2026 season on their site.

INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT (lightly edited for clarity):

Brian McCreath I'm Brian McCreath at Symphony Hall with Anna Handler, who is our conductor for the Boston Symphony this week, which wasn't the case a week ago or so, but Anna, thank you for your time today. I appreciate it.

Anna Handler Thank you for having me. It's a very, very interesting and exciting moment in my development and my life right now.

Brian McCreath And the reason for that is that the originally scheduled conductor couldn't be here because of an injury apparently. But here you are

The interview is quite interesting as it goes on to tell of the circumstances of the confuctor's learning that she would have to confuct rehearsals as well as the concert performances, and how she scrambled to be reaady.

The BSO performance detail page gives us the following, with links to performer bios and program notes: https://www.bso.org/events/nov-20-22-mason-hartm-mussor?performance=2025-11-22-20:00

Boston Symphony Orchestra Anna Handler, conductor Joshua Bell, violin Grace-Evangeline MASON The Imagined Forest  DE HARTMANN Violin Concerto       intermissionMUSSORGSKY (orch. RAVEL) Pictures at an Exhibition  

Violin superstar Joshua Bell performs Thomas de Hartmann’s Violin Concerto, a rediscovered gem full of drama, technical virtuosity, and beautiful motifs. Grace-Evangeline Mason’s The Imagined Forest takes the audience on a journey through the fantasy, folklore, and danger of the woodlands. Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition with its distinct storytelling, hilarious characters, and epic finale, unfolds like a vivid musical gallery, each movement painting a scene. BSO Assistant Conductor Anna Handler leads this program in her Symphony Hall debut. 

I was at the Friday afternoon concert and found the music of the first half quite tolerable, even if I wouldn't have imagined a forest listening to the first piece. Joshua Bell was outstanding in the concerto, at times playing so softly I could just barely hear him in the back of the auditorium.

The Globe reviewer https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/11/22/arts/bso-anna-handler-joshua-bell/?p1=BGSearch_Overlay_Results was very pleased. There is no review yet in the Intelligencer.

In some ways, this is a major event. In other ways, it is second tier, but still very good, music exceptionally well performed. I definitely think it's worth a listen.