BSO — 2026/02/07

 There are three pieces on this evening's Boston Symphony concert, the second inspired by the third. Here's WCRB's synopsis: https://www.classicalwcrb.org/show/the-boston-symphony-orchestra/2026-02-14/esa-pekka-salonen-the-bso-and-bruckners-romantic

Saturday, February 14, 2026
8:00 PM

Conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen returns to lead the BSO for the first time since 2012 with the highly anticipated American premiere of his own Horn Concerto, a BSO co-commission composed for Stefan Dohr, principal horn of the Berlin Philharmonic. The concerto draws on material from Anton Bruckner’s soaring, brass-friendly Symphony No. 4, Romantic.

Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor
Stefan Dohr, horn

Luigi BOCCHERINI & Luciano BERIO Ritirata notturna di Madrid
Esa-Pekka SALONEN Horn Concerto (American premiere; BSO co-commission)
Anton BRUCKNER Symphony No. 4, Romantic

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

In a wide-ranging interview, Esa-Pekka Salonen describes the twists and turns of composing a concerto for the instrument he played as a young musician, the BSO's unexpected role in shaping his first impressions of orchestral music, his goals for the 2026 Festival of Contemporary Music at Tanglewood, and what he learned from the late architect Frank Gehry. To listen, use the player above, and read the transcript below.

INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT (lightly edited for clarity):

Brian McCreath I'm Brian McCreath at Symphony Hall with Esa-Pekka Salonen, 

The BSO's performance detail page says the following: https://www.bso.org/events/feb-12-14-salonen-bruckner?performance=2026-02-14-20:00

Boston Symphony Orchestra Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor Stefan Dohr, horn BOCCHERINI/BERIO Ritirata notturna di Madrid  Esa-Pekka SALONEN Horn Concerto (American premiere; BSO co-commission)       intermissionBRUCKNER Symphony No. 4, Romantic  

Before Esa-Pekka Salonen became one of the world’s most renowned conductors, he started his musical life as a working horn player and progressive composer. He brings his musical worlds together in leading the American premiere of his Horn Concerto composed for Stefan Dohr, principal horn of the Berlin Philharmonic. The concerto draws on material from Anton Bruckner’s magisterial, brass-friendly Fourth Symphony, which Salonen has programmed for the second half of this concert. Bruckner’s soaring symphonies are frequently described as “cathedrals in sound.”

This time there are links to the program notes. (Thank you, BSO.) Go to the page and click on the arrow after the name of the piece.

Finally there is this review in the Intelligencer: https://www.classical-scene.com/2026/02/13/city-country/ The reviewer has an interesting approach, overall favorable. The comments suggest that this is must listening, especially the Bruckner.

Tanglewood — 2024/08/24-25

 Regrettably, I failed to alert you to the Friday evening Tanglewood concert. It began with the Chopin Piano Concerto No. 1, and concluded with Elgar's Enigma Variations. To my taste it may have been the best concert of the weekend. My Dad bought a record of the Chopin (Eduard Kilenyi as soloist), and I always liked it, especially the third movement; and the Enigma is enjoyable. I hope you found it on your own. If not it should become available "on demand" fairly soon.

This the the final week of BSO at Tanglewood. Here's what's still to come.

 I don't fiind anything on WCRB's website about this evening's concert. here's what the BSO says on their performance detail page:

Boston Symphony Orchestra 
Karina Canellakis, conductor 
James Ehnes, violin
Tanglewood Festival Chorus 
 James Burton, conductor

BEETHOVEN The Creatures of Prometheus Overture 
BRAHMS Schicksalslied
-Intermission-
CHAUSSON Poème, for violin and orchestra 
RAVEL Tzigane, for violin and orchestra
RAVEL Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2

Tonight’s concert is generously supported by Rabbi Daniel Freelander and Rabbi Elyse Frishman, in memory of their daughter Devra Freelander.

This evening's performance by the Tanglewood Festival Chorus is supported by the Alan J. and Suzanne W. Dworsky Fund for Voice and Chorus.

Unfortunately, Leonidas Kavakos has had to withdraw from this performance due to a shoulder injury sustained earlier this month, from which a full and complete recovery is anticipated. We are very fortunate that James Ehnes is able to step in on short notice. The program remains unchanged. 

Sat, Aug 24, 2024, 8:00pm EDT

Correction: With another approach, I was able to find the following from WCRB:

Saturday, August 24 , 2024
8:00 PM

Conductor Karina Canellakis returns to Tanglewood to lead the BSO and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus in rhapsodic music by Brahms and Ravel, and violinist James Ehnes is the soloist in Chausson’s “Poème” and Ravel’s “Tzigane.”

Boston Symphony Orchestra
Karina Canellakis, conductor
James Ehnes, violin
Tanglewood Festival Chorus,
James Burton, conductor

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN Overture to The Creatures of Prometheus
Johannes BRAHMS Schiksalslied
Ernest CHAUSSON Poème
Maurice RAVEL Tzigane
RAVEL Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2

If you want to know more about any of those pieces, check out the program notes at the BSO site. IMO none of this is exactly must listen music, but nothing unpleasant either.

The season finale has included the Beethoven 9th for a number of years. This year we get apiece by Bruckner to open the concert. WCRB specifies:

Sunday, August 25, 2024
7:00 PM

In a time-honored Tanglewood tradition, soloists Ambur Braid, Jess Dandy, Elgan Llŷr Thomas, and Davóne Tines join the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and its “Ode to Joy,” conducted by Ludovic Morlot. The concert opens with a sacred motet by Bruckner, titled “Behold a great priest.”

Boston Symphony Orchestra
Ludovic Morlot, conductor
Ambur Braid, soprano
Jess Dandy, contralto
Elgan Llŷr Thomas, tenor
Davóne Tines, bass
Tanglewood Festival Chorus
James Burton, conductor

Anton BRUCKNER Ecce sacerdos magnus
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9

Again, the BSO performance detail page offers more information, including links to program notes:

Boston Symphony Orchestra
Ludovic Morlot, conductor (Beethoven)
James Burton, conductor (Bruckner)
Ambur Braid, soprano 
Jess Dandy, contralto 
Elgan Llŷr Thomas, tenor
Davone Tines, bass-baritone
Tanglewood Festival Chorus

BRUCKNER Ecce sacerdos magnus
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9

This evening's performance by the Tanglewood Festival Chorus is supported by the Alan J. and Suzanne W. Dworsky Fund for Voice and Chorus.

Regrettably, Hannu Lintu has canceled his Tanglewood appearances, after recently sustaining a leg injury. We are grateful that Ludovic Morlot is available at short notice to conduct the BSO’s performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.

Sun, Aug 25, 2024

When I was a boy, "Ecce sacerdos magnus (Behold a high priest" was used to accompany the entrance of a bishop into a church and as the opening chant of a Mass honoring a saint who was a bishop. It's unfortunate that the program note doesn't give the text, but this article gives it. Here's a wki article about the piece. It should be interesting. I presume all are at least generally aware of the Beethoven.

As the Tanglewood season ends, there's still good listening this weekend.

BSO/Classical New England — 2022/09/03

 Tanglewood Season is over and the Symphony Hall Season doesn't resume until later this month so, as usual, WCRB will fill the Saturday evening time slot with rebroadcasts of past concerts. This evening's is worth hearing, IMO. WCRB tells us:

Saturday, September 3, 2022
8:00 PM

Tonight at 8, German pianist Martin Helmchen returns to Symphony Hall as the soloist in Mozart’s effervescent Piano Concerto No. 17, and Herbert Blomstedt leads the BSO in Bruckner’s colossal "Romantic" Symphony.

Herbert Blomstedt, conductor
Martin Helmchen, piano

MOZART Piano Concerto No. 17 in G, K.453
BRUCKNER Symphony No. 4, Romantic

This concert is no longer available on demand.

Concert originally broadcast live from Symphony Hall on Saturday, February 19, 2022.

Hear a preview of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 17 with Martin Helmchen with the audio player above, and read the transcript below:

Brian McCreath I'm Brian McCreath at Symphony Hall with Martin Helmchen, who is happily back in Boston. And on his first trip to the United States since the pandemic began. Martin, thanks so much for your time today.

Martin Helmchen Yes, thank you. It's great to be back. Wonderful.

My post last February was very brief, and I never gave the promised additional material. I've finally figured out how to access the archive, which is on the BSO database HENRY, which my brother helped create. Here's a link to the program booklet for the February 19 concert, so you can read about the pieces. The descriptions run from p. 17/18 to p. 27/28 (depending on whether you're looking at the page numbers in the pdf ssidebar or the numbers on the full page images). It seems that there is also an encore after the Mozart, — a piece by Bach — but of course it's not listed in the booklet.

The Boston Musical Intelligencer has a rave review from early music master Joel Cohen. The review in the Globe is also highly favorable (but the encore on Thursday — Mozart — was different from the one on Saturday —Bach). You can also listen to or read the interview with Martin Helmchen from the WCRB page linked at the beginning of this post.

As what I wrote back then suggests, I was at the Thursday performance, and marvelled at Maestro Blomstedt's ability to conduct that massive symphony without opening the score. But more importantly, it was a performance that held my attention, which isn't always the case with Bruckner's lengthy works. So I unreservedly recommend this concert.

BSO — 2022/02/19

 WCRB says:

Saturday, February 19, and Monday, February 28, 2022

8:00 PM

Tonight at 8pm, German pianist Martin Helmchen returns to Symphony Hall as the soloist in Mozart’s effervescent Piano Concerto No. 17, and Herbert Blomstedt leads the BSO in Bruckner’s colossal "Romantic" Symphony.

Herbert Blomstedt, conductor
Martin Helmchen, piano

MOZART Piano Concerto No. 17 in G, K.453
BRUCKNER Symphony No. 4, Romantic

To hear a preview of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 17 with Martin Helmchen, click on the player above, and read the transcript below.

I'll add to this later. Now I'll just say I never liked hearing something by Bruckner as much as this performance.

BSO/Classical New England — 2021/02/27

This evening WCRB gives us the Boston Symphony concert of April 9, 2021. Here's what they say about it:

Saturday at 8pm, in an encore broadcast from 2016, Andris Nelsons leads the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Bruckner's Symphony No. 3, and now-former Concertmaster Malcolm Lowe and Principal Violist Steven Ansell are the soloists in Mozart's Sinfonia concertante.

Saturday, February 27, 2021
8:00 PM

Andris Nelsons, conductor
Malcolm Lowe, violin
Steven Ansell, viola

MOZART Sinfonia concertante in E-flat for violin
   and viola, K.364
BRUCKNER Symphony No. 3 (1889 version)

They don't add any interviews or links to other background material. There is some in what I wrote at the time, although I've had to edit out references to items that ar no longer accessible:

We get two very different works this week: Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante for violin, viola, and orchestra, and Symphony №3 by Bruckner in the 1889 version. Boston Symphony principals Malcolm Lowe and Steven Ansell perform the violin and viola solos, while Music Director Andris Nelsons conducts the concert. The orchestra's performance detail page […] give[s] the following description:

BSO concertmaster Malcolm Lowe and principal viola Steven Ansell join Andris Nelsons and the BSO for one of Mozart's greatest concertos, the Sinfonia concertante for violin and viola. Mozart wrote this exemplar of Classical form and style during a lengthy trip to Paris. Bruckner's Symphony No. 3 was originally composed in 1872 but was subjected to a number of revisions by the composer (the present version being the "1889 version"). The symphony everywhere reveals its deep debt to Richard Wagner, to whom Bruckner dedicated the work "in deepest reverence.

(Emphasis in original.)

I was there for the Thursday concert and, to my surprise, found both pieces enjoyable. It was no surprise with the Mozart. Watching the performers did add to the enjoyment. But I was expecting the Bruckner to become tedious. A colleague once quoted a critic as saying that Bruckner's symphonies are like a walk in the woods: you see many nice things, but nothing happens. But somehow on Thursday evening it held my attention and did not seem too long. It was interesting music. As far as I could tell, both pieces were well played. I was especially impressed by the solos by James Somerville on horn and Elizabeth Rowe on flute.

The review in the Boston Globe is favorable — faintly so for the Bruckner. The reviewer spends more time describing the Mozart. So far, there is no review in the BMInt.

I definitely recommend listening on WCRB at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday. […]

Need I say more?

BSO/Classical New England — 2020/10/03

This evening WCRB presents the Boston Symphony concert of February 22, 2020. Here's what I posted back then:

And we're back live from Symphony Hall this evening. Here's the description on the orchestra's performance detail page (where you can also find links to background material, as well as a listing of the order in which the works are actually to be performed):

The eminent violinist Pinchas Zukerman conducts this beautifully balanced program, which also features him as soloist in Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3, one of the composer’s earliest masterpieces, written when he was 19. Richard Strauss’ surprisingly deft, precocious Serenade for 13 winds dates from 1881, when he was only 17. The Bruckner Adagio, played here by string orchestra, is the second movement of his String Quintet, his most substantial piece of chamber music. Concluding these concerts is Haydn’s Symphony No. 49, from 1768, which may be derived from music he wrote for the theater (the nickname was not the composer’s). The BSO’s only previous performances of this piece were in 1979 at Symphony Hall and 1988 at Tanglewood.

(Emphasis added.)

The program was given, without the Bruckner, on Friday evening; and there is a favorable review in the Boston Musical Intelligencer. There is nothing yet in the Globe, and I wasn't there last night.

I don't think I've ever heard the pieces by Strauss and Bruckner, but I'm looking forward to hearing them this evening, and of course the Haydn and Mozart are very good. So tune your computer or your radio to WCRB at 8:00 p.m, Boston Time for some good music. ….

Subsequently, a review appeared in the Globe in which the reviewer found the whole concert (on Friday, which omitted the Bruckner) plodding, lacking in the panache, verve, joie de vivre, élan vital, and the certain je ne sais quoi which should characterize BSO performances. Hopefully they were more with it in the Saturday performance which we'll hear.

My memory of the original performance is hazy, but I seem to remember it was good, so I still suggest listening in.

BSO — 2020/02/22

And we're back live from Symphony Hall this evening. Here's the description on the orchestra's performance detail page (where you can also find links to background material, as well as a listing of the order in which the works are actually to be performed):

The eminent violinist Pinchas Zukerman conducts this beautifully balanced program, which also features him as soloist in Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3, one of the composer’s earliest masterpieces, written when he was 19. Richard Strauss’ surprisingly deft, precocious Serenade for 13 winds dates from 1881, when he was only 17. The Bruckner Adagio, played here by string orchestra, is the second movement of his String Quintet, his most substantial piece of chamber music. Concluding these concerts is Haydn’s Symphony No. 49, from 1768, which may be derived from music he wrote for the theater (the nickname was not the composer’s). The BSO’s only previous performances of this piece were in 1979 at Symphony Hall and 1988 at Tanglewood.

(Emphasis added.)

The program was given, without the Bruckner, on Friday evening; and there is a favorable review in the Boston Musical Intelligencer. There is nothing yet in the Globe, and I wasn't there last night.

I don't think I've ever heard the pieces by Strauss and Bruckner, but I'm looking forward to hearing them this evening, and of course the Haydn and Mozart are very good. So tune your computer or your radio to WCRB at 8:00 p.m, Boston Time for some good music. They will rebroadcast it on March 2, also at 8:00.

BSO — 2019/02/16

The BSO's program detail page has all the usual links to background information for this evening's concert, which it describes as follows:

Andris Nelsons and the BSO are joined by the firebrand Chinese pianist Yuja Wang for Schumann's Piano Concerto, a work blending the composer's unique Romantic lyricism and brilliance. The concerto began as a single-movement Fantasia written for his wife Clara, who was considered one of the great virtuosos of the age. Bruckner's magisterial Symphony No. 9, a work left just short of completion at the composer's death in 1896, shows the continuing influence of Wagner in its harmonic language and scope, with the particular Austrian grace and gift for counterpoint for which Bruckner was known.

(Emphasis added.)

I was there on Thursday and found it all worth  hearing. I had been afraid I'd get tired of the Bruckner because of its length, but it held my interest. The Schumann was very pleasant.

The reviewers had different reactions, especially to the Bruckner. The Globe reviewer liked the Schumann concerto's backstory, the music, and, in general, the performance — just the thing for St. Valentine's Day. She clearly is not fond of the Bruckner symphony, but thought that Nelsons and the orchestra performed it very well. On the other had, in the Musical Intelligencer the reviewer finds that Nelsons conducted the Bruckner very poorly., while the Schumann was satisfactory. I think you'd have to be more familiar than I am with the symphony to be aware of the things the reviewer is complaining about in Nelsons' approach.

So my recommendation is to just enjoy the music for what it is: a lovely concerto followed by a great big soundfest with lots of brass. WCRB, 8:00 p.m. EST repeated on February 25. (Last week's Wilson, Szymanowski, and Copland will be rebroadcast this coming Monday, the 18th.)

Enjoy!

BSO/Classical New England — 2018/06/23

This week WCRB is replaying the concert of November 25, 2017. Andris Nelsons conducts Piano Concerto No. 1 by Beethoven and Bruckner's Symphony No. 4. The piano soloist in the Beethoven is Rudolf Buchbinder. My post on that date gives links to the orchestra's performance detail page and reviews of an earlier performance of the program. They should give plenty of background information, if you want it.

I like the Beethoven piano concertos, and Bruckner's symphonies are fairly easy to listen to, even if they tend to be long. So I think you'll like what you hear if you tune your radio or your computer to WCRB this evening at 8:00, EDST.

BSO — 2017/11/25

This week we get "the two B's:" Beethoven and Bruckner. Add piano soloist Rudolf Buchbinder, and we have "the three B's" — although not the ones people usually mean by that phrase. Here, to give greater precision, is the description from the BSO's program detail page:

BSO Music Director Andris Nelsons and eminent Austrian pianist Rudolf Buchbinder pair up for Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1, a robustly elegant work with which Beethoven made his name as a composer-performer of extraordinary abilities and personality in mid-1790s Vienna. Anton Bruckner wrote his warm, majestic Fourth Symphony in 1874, but as with many of his works he subjected it to extensive revision. Though the 1881 premiere of the second version under Hans Richter in Vienna brought one of the composer's greatest successes, a third version of the score dates from 1888.

(Some emphasis added.)

That page has the usual audio previews, program notes, and performer bios.

I didn't hear either of the previous performances, but the reviews are in. The one in the Globe is entirely favorable. The two (!) in the Boston Musical Intelligencer (the first here, and the second here) have some disappointments, but also found a lot to like. The first review has lengthy descriptions of both pieces which could take the place of the official program notes from the orchestra.

As always, the concert will be streamed and broadcast live over WCRB at 8:00 p.m., Boston Time, with the usual rebroadcast/stream on Monday, December 4, also at 8. As you can see from their homepage, they offer a lot of other recorded concerts and other music-related material which may be of interest, in addition to their regular programming.

Bruckner's symphonies are on the long side, but not hard to listen to, so I think this should be an enjoyable evening.

BSO/Classical New England — 2017/09/09

This week, WCRB's Saturday evening Boston Symphony broadcast (also streamed) is the concert performed on April 15 of this year. It consists of Piano Concerto No. 20 in d minor by Mozart, with Mitsuko Uchida as soloist. After intermission the orchestra plays Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 6. Music Director Andris Nelsons is on the podium.

I posted briefly about it at the time, but since I hadn't attended an earlier performance of the program, I had no comments of my own. I did include this synopsis from the Orchestra's performance detail page

Japanese pianist Mitsuko Uchida, one of the foremost Mozart pianists of  our age, plays the composer's mysterious, stormy, proto-Romantic D minor piano concerto, a work owing much to the composer's sensitivity to operatic drama and emotion. Bruckner's seldom heard Symphony No. 6, written between 1879 and 1881, was the work he considered his boldest, though only the second and third movements were performed during his lifetime. Gustav Mahler led all four movements-but with cuts-in 1899, in Vienna; the first complete, uncut performance was given in 1901, in Stuttgart. Energetic, lyrical, and expansive, the Symphony No. 6 is a uniquely absorbing example of the composer's monumental symphonic style.

 as well as links to reviews.

The show begins at 8:00 p.m. Boston Time on Saturday, September 9, 2017. Enjoy!

BSO/Classical New England — 2017/05/20

In this week's BSO broadcast/webstream, as WCRB tells us on their homepage:

Nelsons Conducts Bruckner

May 20, 2017: In an encore broadcast, Music Director Andris Nelsons conducts the Symphony No. 3 by Bruckner, and Concertmaster Malcolm Lowe and Principal Violist Steven Ansell are the soloists in Mozart's Sinfonia concertante.

(Emphasis added.)
The Mozart comes first, the Bruckner after intermission. The concert was given on April 9, 2016, and I posted about it at the time. I enjoyed both parts and recommended listening. You can check the original post for specifics and links,

The concert will be broadcast and streamed on May 20 at 8:00 p.m., Boston Time (no Monday repeat).

The schedule of remaining encore broadcasts is here.

Enjoy.

BSO — 2017/04/15

Although this week's program was part of my subscription, I didn't go because I was attending the Holy Thursday Mass. The BSO program detail page gives the usual links, including this week a video podcast about Bruckner. And here's what they say about the concert:

Japanese pianist Mitsuko Uchida, one of the foremost Mozart pianists of  our age, plays the composer's mysterious, stormy, proto-Romantic D minor piano concerto, a work owing much to the composer's sensitivity to operatic drama and emotion. Bruckner's seldom heard Symphony No. 6, written between 1879 and 1881, was the work he considered his boldest, though only the second and third movements were performed during his lifetime. Gustav Mahler led all four movements-but with cuts-in 1899, in Vienna; the first complete, uncut performance was given in 1901, in Stuttgart. Energetic, lyrical, and expansive, the Symphony No. 6 is a uniquely absorbing example of the composer's monumental symphonic style.

(Some emphasis added.)

Music Director Andris Nelsons will be on the podium.

We have the clash of the reviewers. The Globe found a lot of fault with the way both pieces were performed, whereas the Boston Musical Intelligencer was very pleased.

So, it's up to you to decide for yourself. You can listen this evening on WCRB at 8:00 p.m., Boston Time. I probably won't be home from church in time for the Mozart, and my brother will probably call from Japan while the Bruckner is on, so I'll have to listen to the rerun on April 24 (also at 8:00). As you surely know if you're a regular reader, the 'CRB website has lots of material linked to the home page — including a podcast about this concert and other offerings on the station. You also know that within broadcast range, you can hear them at 99.5 FM, otherwise via webstream.

BSO — 2016/04/07-12

We get two very different works this week: Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante for violin, viola, and orchestra, and Symphony №3 by Bruckner in the 1889 version. Boston Symphony principals Malcolm Lowe and Steven Ansell perform the violin and viola solos, while Music Director Andris Nelsons conducts the concert. The orchestra's performance detail page has the usual links to performer bios (click the thumbnail pics), podcast previews, audio previews and program notes. They also give the following description:

BSO concertmaster Malcolm Lowe and principal viola Steven Ansell join Andris Nelsons and the BSO for one of Mozart's greatest concertos, the Sinfonia concertante for violin and viola. Mozart wrote this exemplar of Classical form and style during a lengthy trip to Paris. Bruckner's Symphony No. 3 was originally composed in 1872 but was subjected to a number of revisions by the composer (the present version being the "1889 version"). The symphony everywhere reveals its deep debt to Richard Wagner, to whom Bruckner dedicated the work "in deepest reverence.

(Emphasis in original.)

I was there for the Thursday concert and, to my surprise, found both pieces enjoyable. It was no surprise with the Mozart. Watching the performers did add to the enjoyment. But I was expecting the Bruckner to become tedious. A colleague once quoted a critic as saying that Bruckner's symphonies are like a walk in the woods: you see many nice things, but nothing happens. But somehow on Thursday evening it held my attention and did not seem too long. It was interesting music. As far as I could tell, both pieces were well played. I was especially impressed by the solos by James Somerville on horn and Elizabeth Rowe on flute.

The review in the Boston Globe is favorable — faintly so for the Bruckner. The reviewer spends more time describing the Mozart. So far, there is no review in the BMInt.

I definitely recommend listening on WCRB at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday. It will be rebroadcast on Monday, April 18. (On the 11th the rebroadcast will be last week's Beethoven and Mahler.) Also see their BSO page for links to their podcast, "The Answered Question," including an interview with Maestro Nelsons, and other information about available BSO performances over the station.

If you're nearby, you might want to get a ticket for the performance this evening or the final one on Tuesday, the 13th.

BSO — 2015/01/15-17 — Updated

This week, the Boston Symphony gives us music of Mozart and Bruckner. I was in the hall on Thursday, and I definitely recommend this one. Here's how the orchestra's performance detail page describes it:

Acclaimed for his performances of the Classical repertoire, German pianist Lars Vogt returns to Symphony Hall as soloist with Andris Nelsons and the BSO in Mozart's proto-Romantic C minor piano concerto. Composed in the spring of 1786 and premiered by the composer in Vienna, the C minor is unique in its strangeness and restlessness, and features a fascinating theme-and-variations finale. Following intermission, Andris Nelsons conducts Anton Bruckner's magisterial Symphony No. 7, still probably the most popular of that composer's works. Bruckner wrote his Seventh Symphony, often likened to "a cathedral in sound," between 1881 and 1883, and it was premiered in Leipzig in 1884.

(Some emphasis added.)
Also, go to the performance detail page for links to performer bios, program notes, and audio previews.

There is a very favorable review in the Boston Globe, although I didn't notice the lack of directness or the "micro-inflections" the reviewer perceived in the Mozart. As of this writing, the Boston Musical Intelligencer hasn't weighed in yet. When they do, I'll let you know. *

My impression was that the Mozart was well done, if less angst-filled than the program notes had led me to expect. In the Bruckner, there was much beauty, much power, and never a problematic moment. There might have been one or two false notes from the horns, but nothing that interfered with enjoyment of the piece. Four members of the horn section played the Wagner tubas Bruckner called for, meaning that outsiders had to be added to cover all but two of the horn parts. Before the performance, Andris Nelsons spoke impromptu to the audience. He noted that this represents the beginning of a multi-season survey of Bruckner's work. He said many people think first of length of the works when they think of Bruckner. For him, though, he was "infected" with love of music at age five when he heard music of Wagner at a concert. From Wagner, he came to Bruckner and finds in Bruckner's music a channel to God (raising his right hand and pointing above). He hoped that he was infecting the orchestra and that we would have a similar experience to his and also become infected. (He must have mentioned the connection to God three times.) I really admire Maestro Nelsons for daring to speak of music, particularly this music, as drawing the listener to God. It reminds me of the story of Bruckner stopping his lecture and kneeling to pray when he heard the Angelus bell from a nearby church. But, talk doesn't matter if the music isn't well-played. My mistake in listening is trying to follow analytically, remembering all I can from the program notes and connecting it to what I'm hearing. Even so, this was perhaps the first time I've been at a performance of a Bruckner symphony without beginning to feel it was going on too long. The music held my interest all the way through. I wish the program were being given again on Tuesday: I'd get a ticket and go hear it again. As it is, I'm looking forward to hearing the Mozart on Saturday and the Bruckner on the January 26 rebroadcast.

Listen on radio or on line over WCRB beginning at 8:00 p.m. Saturday, Boston Time. And you can hear it also via the repeat on Monday, January 26, at 8:00 p.m. For the remaining schedule for BSO broadcasts and links to interviews about this concert (and the rebroadcast of last week's on January 19), go to the station's BSO page.

*UPDATE: The BMInt review has appeared. It was largely favorable, but the first comment was highly critical, finding that Maestro Nelsons "micromanaged" the Bruckner unhelpfully and that the brass had an off night.