BSO — 2026/03/21

 FYI https://classical-scene.com/2026/03/06/andris-nelsons-to-retire/#comment-48715

This evening WCRB broadcasts a concert of music by Schumann and Tchaikovsky. Here's their description: https://www.classicalwcrb.org/show/the-boston-symphony-orchestra/2026-01-08/the-romance-of-schumann-with-yunchan-lim-and-the-bso

Saturday, March 21, 2026
8:00 PM

In a program that embodies the heightened emotions of the Romantic spirit, 2022 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition winner Yunchan Lim returns to Symphony Hall for Robert Schumann’s Piano Concerto, followed by Tchaikovsky’s musical interpretation of a Lord Byron drama, the “Manfred” Symphony.

Andris Nelsons, conductor
Yunchan Lim, piano

Robert SCHUMANN Piano Concerto
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY Manfred

The BSO's performance detail page tells us more, and if you go to the page itself and click on the arrows, you can access program notes and performer bios. https://www.bso.org/events/mar-19-22-schumann-tchaikovsk?performance=2026-03-21-20:00

Boston Symphony Orchestra Andris Nelsons, conductor Yunchan Lim, piano SCHUMANN Piano Concerto       intermissionTCHAIKOVSKY Manfred  

Vaulted to worldwide prominence as the youngest-ever winner of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Yunchan Lim returns to Symphony Hall for Robert Schumann’s lyrical, introspective Piano Concerto, written for his wife Clara, one of the most admired pianists of the 19th century. Inspired throughout his life by literary sources, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky wrote his Manfred — actually a four-movement symphony — based on Lord Byron’s Gothic verse play of the same name about a nihilistic nobleman wandering the Alps in search of meaning.

The Globe has a review/news story https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/03/20/arts/bso-andris-nelsons-heros-welcome-symphony-hall/?p1=BGSearch_Overlay_Results which praises the performance. There is also an admiring review in the Intelligencer https://classical-scene.com/2026/03/20/champions-cross-symphony-hall/ which does not ignore the context.

Even without the added drama, this seems to be a concert well worth listening to.

Tanglewood — 2025/08/16-17

 A fairly standard couple of concerts remain for our listening pleasure this weekend. I'm sorry I got distracted and didn't post about the Friday offering.

August 16, 2025

Three front rank nineteenth century composers provided the music for this evening's program. Here's WCRB's description: https://www.classicalwcrb.org/show/the-boston-symphony-orchestra/2025-05-27/handlers-boston-symphony-debut-with-hadelich-at-tanglewood

Saturday, August 16, 2025

8:00 PM

BSO Assistant Conductor Anna Handler makes her Tanglewood and BSO debuts, conducting three major works from the Western classical tradition: Brahms’s Tragic Overture, Schumann’s Symphony No. 4, and Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with GRAMMY-winning violinist Augustin Hadelich.

Anna Handler, conductor
Augustin Hadelich, violin

Johannes BRAHMS Tragic Overture
Robert SCHUMANN Symphony No. 4
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY Violin Concerto

See details of Augustin Hadelich's performances as the BSO's Artist-in-Residence during the 2025-2026 season.

To hear a preview of this program with conductor Anna Handler, use the player above.

The WCRB page has an audio interview with the conductor which could be interesting. There is no transcript, though.

The BSO's performance detail page https://www.bso.org/events/bso-august-16-augustin-hadelich?performance=2025-08-16-20%3A00 has the usual links to performer bios and program notes.

August 17, 2025

Tomorrow's concert, which we can hear at 7:00 p.m., Boston Time, gives us music by and about Sibelius along with a piano concerto. WCRB's synopsis follows: https://www.classicalwcrb.org/show/the-boston-symphony-orchestra/2025-05-27/thibaudet-and-liszts-second-piano-concerto-at-tanglewood

Sunday, August 17, 2025
7:00 PM

Superstar pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet joins Dima Slobodeniouk in the Berkshires to perform Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 2 on a program that also features two works by Sibelius and Threnody, an homage to the Finnish composer, written by William Grant Still.

Dima Slobodeniouk, conductor
Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano

William Grant STILL Threnody (In Memory of Jan Sibelius) 
Franz LISZT Piano Concerto No. 2
Jean SIBELIUS Valse triste 
SIBELIUS Symphony No. 3

For links to the performer bios and program notes, go to the BSO's performance detail page:

https://www.bso.org/events/bso-august-17-jean-yves-thibau?performance=2025-08-17-14%3A30

These should be two very enjoyable evenings.

Tanglewood — 2024/08/17-18

 I'm sorry I didn't post yesterday I was distracted by the Red Sox game. I hope you thought about Tanglewood without my prompt. If you listened, you heard the Prokofiev Violin Concerto and Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony, which should have been enjoyable. This evening at Tanglewood, they're giving "Jurassic Park in Concert." WCRB will rescue us from that with an "encore broadcast" from last summer. Here's their summary:

Saturday, August 17, 2024
8:00 PM

In an encore broadcast, Dutch pianists Lucas and Arthur Jussen are the soloists in Mendelssohn’s Concerto in E minor, and Kazuki Yamada leads the BSO in the Symphonie fantastique by Berlioz.

Kazuki Yamada, conductor
Lucas and Arthur Jussen, pianos

Felix MENDELSSOHN Concerto in E for two pianos and orchestra
Hector BERLIOZ Symphonie fantastique

This concert was originally broadcast on August 6, 2023 and is no longer available on demand.

An "excellent choice," as some waiters seem to say regardless of what you ordered. I'd certainly rather hear this than Jurassic Park. Your opinion may differ.

The BSO's performance detail page no longer has the program notes for the concert, but the performer bios are still linked and could be interesting reading.

The Sunday concert looks quite good as well. Here's what WCRB says:

Sunday, August 18, 2024
7:00 PM

In a Boston Symphony concert from Tanglewood, Yo-Yo Ma is the soloist in Robert Schumann’s Cello Concerto, and BSO Assistant Conductor Earl Lee leads the orchestra in Carlos Simon’s “Fate Now Conquers” and Beethoven's Symphony No. 7.

Boston Symphony Orchestra
Earl Lee, conductor
Yo-Yo Ma, cello

Carlos SIMON Fate Now Conquers
Robert SCHUMANN Cello Concerto
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7

To hear a preview of the concert and Earl Lee's reflections on his two years as a BSO Assistant Conductor, use the player above, and read the transcript below:

TRANSCRIPT:

Brian McCreath I'm Brian McCreath at the Koussevitzky Music Shed with Earl Lee, here for his last concert as Assistant Conductor with the Boston Symphony. Earl, thank you for a little bit of your time today

As you see, there's an interview with the conductor which you can read or listen to. I read it, and it's pretty interesting. Hearing might be even better because you can hear what he sings at one point.

The orchestra's performance detail page gives the same basic information along with links to performer bios and program notes:

Tanglewood

Koussevitzky Music Shed, Lenox/Stockbridge, MA 

Boston Symphony Orchestra
Earl Lee, conductor
Yo-Yo Ma, cello

Carlos SIMON Fate Now Conquers
SCHUMANN Cello Concerto
-Intermission-
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7

This afternoon’s concert is generously supported by Dr. Dorothy A. Weber, in memory of Stephen R. Weber.

This afternoon's performance by Yo-Yo Ma is generously supported by Nancy and Jay Nichols.

The program note for "Fate Now Conquers " is particularly informative. I'm looking forward to hearing it. Of course the rest of the concert is very popular repertory.

So there are two good concerts in store. Enjoy.

BSO — 2023/11/11

 Sorry I missed last week.

Here's WCRB's synopsis of this week's concert:

Saturday, November 11, 2023
8:00pm

Encore broadcast on Monday, November 20

Finnish conductor Hannu Lintu leads the BSO in Peter Lieberson’s Drala, inspired by the Tibetan Buddhist term describing life-source, as well as Schumann’s brooding and majestic Symphony No. 4. Leonidas Kavakos returns to Symphony Hall to perform Alban Berg’s final finished piece, the Violin Concerto, written in response to the death of Alma Mahler's daughter.

Hannu Lintu, conductor
Leonidas Kavakos, violin

Peter LIEBERSON Drala
Alban BERG Violin Concerto
Robert SCHUMANN Symphony No. 4

Leonidas Kavakos appears courtesy of Sony Classical, a label of Sony Music Entertainment

In a preview conversation, Hannu Lintu describes the connections among the three pieces on this program, the story behind Berg's Violin Concerto, with its dedication to Manon Gropius and the meaning behind the Bach chorale embedded in its last movement, and why his Finnish musical background draws him to Schumann's Fourth Symphony. To listen, use the player above, and read the transcript below.

Meanwhile, the BSO's performance detail page gives us this (along with links to the program notes):

Hannu Lintu, conductor 
Leonidas Kavakos, violin 

LIEBERSON Drala
BERG Violin Concerto
Intermission
SCHUMANN Symphony No. 4

How do you see the world? Drala, a BSO commission by American composer Peter Lieberson, premiered in 1986 and takes its title from a Tibetan Buddhist term. The word “drala” has many meanings, one of which relates to deepening and expanding one’s perception of the world. Finnish conductor Hannu Lintu leads the BSO and frequent guest Leonidas Kavakos in Alban Berg’s final finished piece; quoting poignantly from Bach, this haunting 1935 Violin Concerto was written in response to the death of a friend’s daughter. In closing, Robert Schumann’s majestic Symphony No. 4, which draws inspiration from Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony in its use of recurring musical themes to tie together the work’s four movements.

The Globe reviewer didn't like the first piece but seems to have enjoyed the rest.

The Intelligencer's reviewer loved the first piece, but was unhappy with the Schumann.

Based on all that, I'm not expecting to enjoy "Drala." In general, I don't care for Berg, but the violin concerto may be less bad than some of his stuff. So for me, the best part will come after intermission, with the Schumann symphony. See what you think, f you listen.

BSO/Classical New England — 2023/10/28

 The BSO isn't at Symphony Hall this week, so WCRB is giving us an "encore broadcast" of a concert from last April. Herewith the particulars as they give them:

Saturday, October 28th, 2023
8:00pm

In an encore broadcast, BSO Assistant Conductor Earl Lee conducts Unsuk Chin’s powerful tribute to Beethoven, subito con forza, and Robert Schumann’s Symphony No. 2, as well as Mozart’s brooding Piano Concerto No. 20 featuring soloist Eric Lu in his Boston Symphony debut.

Earl Lee, conductor
Eric Lu, piano

Unsuk CHIN subito con forza
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 20, K. 466
Robert SCHUMANN Symphony No. 2

This concert was originally broadcasted on April 8th, 2023 is no longer available on demand.

Hear a preview with conductor Earl Lee using the audio player above, and read the transcript below.

TRANSCRIPT:

Brian McCreath I'm Brian McCreath at Symphony Hall with Earl Lee, Boston Symphony Assistant Conductor. Earl,

For whatever reason, I failed to post about it back in April. Fortunately, the BSO performance detail page for the concert is still available, with active links to the program notes and the following general blurb:

BSO Assistant Conductor Earl Lee, making his full-program Symphony Hall debut, is joined by acclaimed young Chinese American pianist Eric Lu for Wolfgang Mozart’s passionate, stormy D minor piano concerto. The title of South Korean-born composer Unsuk Chin’s brief, exciting concert opener translates as "suddenly, with power." Composed during one of his periods of chronic depression, Robert Schumann’s Second Symphony is nevertheless wonderfully affirmative and optimistic in character.

Eric Lu’s performance Friday afternoon is supported by the May and Dan Pierce Guest Artist Fund.

---

Earl Lee, conductor
Eric Lu, piano

Unsuk CHIN subito con forza
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K.466
Intermission
SCHUMANN Symphony No. 2

The review in the Globe is favorable; I can't find one in the Intelligencer.

It seems that if this isn't quite up to the level of "must listen," you could certainly do worse.

BSO/Classical New England — 2021/12/18

 This evening WCRB is giving us the Juky 25 concert from Tanglewood. Here's what they've posted about it:

Saturday, December 18, 2021
8:00 PM

In an encore broadcast from the 2021 Tanglewood season, Yefim Bronfman returns to the Berkshires as the soloist in Beethoven’s impassioned Piano Concerto No. 3, and Andris Nelsons conducts the Boston Symphony Orchestra in a rhapsodic work by Iman Habibi, tonight at 8pm.

Andris Nelsons, conductor
Yefim Bronfman, piano

Iman HABIBI Jeder Baum spricht
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 3
SCHUMANN Symphony No. 4

Hear an interview with Yefim Bronfman and CRB's Brian McCreath in the audio player above.

The link to the interview is here: https://www.classicalwcrb.org/show/the-boston-symphony-orchestra/2021-06-11/bronfman-harnessing-the-power-of-beethoven

Here's what I said about it in advance:

Sunday, July 25, 2021.  There will be two "warhorses" of the repertoire on Sunday after we sit through a new piece. Here's WCRB's synopsis:

Sunday, July 25, 2021
7:00 PM

Yefim Bronfman returns to the Berkshires as the soloist in Beethoven’s impassioned Piano Concerto No. 3, and Andris Nelsons conducts the Boston Symphony Orchestra in a rhapsodic work by Iman Habibi, Sunday at 7pm.

Andris Nelsons, conductor
Yefim Bronfman, piano

Iman HABIBI Jeder Baum spricht
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 3
SCHUMANN Symphony No. 4

(Some emphasis added.)

You can't go wrong with Beethoven piano concertos and Schumann symphonies. The program note for "Jeder Baum spricht" — which you can find via the link on the performance detail page — doesn't give me great hope. When a contemporary composer is inspired by one of the classical masters, it's never as good as the original. Sometimes it turns out to be something I'd like to hear one more time or even become familiar with, but more often once is enough or too much (which is also true of new pieces in general). The thing is, you never know until you've listened to it that first time. So I'll have WCRB on at [8:00].

As I noted last week, the BSO has decided to make their performance detail pages fram last summer at Tanglewood inaccessible, so I'm afraid you won't be able to see the program note for "Jeder Baum spricht" or anything else on the program. The brief review in the Musical Intelligencer tells us a bit about "Jeder Baum spricht" and has good words for the performance of the Beetoven and the Schumann. I haven't found a review of the conert in the Globe, but here is an interview with the composer. I heard the piece when it was broadcast last July, but I have no clear memory of it. I don't think I was very favorably impressed. But it's short, and the reast of the show should be good. So I'll give it a listen until my brother calls from Japan.

BSO/Classical New England — 2021/06/05

 Here's WCRB's page about this evening's BSO rebroadcast.

Encore broadcast from October 14, 2017

Saturday night at 8 in an encore broadcast of the BSO, Hilary Hahn is the guest soloist in Dvorák’s jovial Violin Concerto, and Gustavo Gimeno leads Schumann’s verdant “Spring” Symphony.

Gustavo Gimeno, conductor

Hilary Hahn, violin

LIGETI Concert Românesc
DVORÁK Violin Concerto
SCHUMANN Symphony No. 1, Spring

Hilary Hahn talks with CRB's Brian McCreath about Dvorák's concerto, the wide range of creative projects she undertakes, and, specifically, her encore commissions, "In 27 Pieces." For audio, use the player above. Transcript:

Brian McCreath [00:00:00] I'm Brian McCreath from WCRB with Hilary Hahn, who is […]

You can read the transcript of the Hahn-McCreath interview by going to the WCRB page I've linked.

At the time of the concert, I wrote the following:

The Boston Symphony Orchestra's [performance] detail page synopsizes this week's program as follows:

Spanish conductor Gustavo Gimeno and American violinist Hilary Hahnjoin forces for Dvořák's Violin Concerto, composed in 1879 for the great Joseph Joachim. At times lyrical, Dvořák's concerto also contains passages of great energy based on music from his Czech heritage, especially in the delightful, dance-like finale. Also based on music from Central Europe, György Ligeti's early "Romanian Concerto" is a Bartók influenced orchestral work from early in the great Hungarian composer's career. Robert Schumann's First Symphony is bursting with energy, power, and optimism.

(Emphasis added.)

The reviews in both the Boston Globe and the Boston Musical Intelligencer were quite favorable, both overall, and particularly with regard to Hilary Hahn (with the Intelligencer gushing). I was there on Thursday and found it all enjoyable to listen to, although there was nothing that I'd consider spectacular, just good playing. The third horn in the Ligeti was played offstage through a door that was ajar. Mike Winter seemed slightly embarrassed to come onstage for a bow when other soloists were asked to stand, and he stayed to the side, just inside the door.

You can hear it all this evening over WCRB radio or internet at 8:00 p.m., Boston Time. Their homepage has links to additional information about their programs, including future BSO concerts and other special programs. […]

Enjoy!

The link to the performance detail page still works as of now.

You can hear two pieces from the standard repertory preceded by an unfamiliar piece if you listen. Again, I recommend listening.

BSO/Classical New England — 2021/05/01

 This week WCRB gives us the first BSO Saturday concert of 2017. Here's how they summarize it:

Saturday at 8pm, in an encore broadcast from 2017, virtuoso musicians of the Boston Symphony Orchestra take center stage at Symphony Hall in works by Vivaldi, Krommer, Jolivet, Rota, and Schumann.

Saturday, May 1, 2021
8:00 PM

Ken-David Masur, conductor
Cynthia Meyers, piccolo
William R. Hudgins and Michael Wayne, clarinets
Thomas Rolfs, trumpet
Toby Oft, trombone
James Sommerville, Michael Winter, Rachel Childers, and Jason Snider, horns 

Vivaldi - Piccolo Concerto in C, RV 433
Krommer - Concerto No. 2 for two clarinets and orchestra, Op. 91
Jolivet - Concertino for trumpet, piano, and strings
Rota - Trombone Concerto
Schumann - Concert Piece for four horns and orchestra

This concert is no longer available on demand.

In a conversation at Tanglewood, BSO piccolo player Cynthia Meyers describes her musical path to the BSO to Ron Della Chiesa in an interview recorded at Tanglewood:

As you see, there is an interview with the piccolo player. If you don't want to listen, a transcript follows what I've copied here.

At the time, I wrote about it as follows (edited to remove material no longer relevant):

The orchestra returns to Symphony Hall this week with an unusual program, featuring wind players of the orchestra as soloists in generally unfamiliar works. The BSO performance detail page describes it as follows:

Soloists from the ranks of the Boston Symphony Orchestra take center stage in this highly unusual, far-ranging program led by BSO Assistant Conductor Ken-David Masur. BSO piccoloist Cynthia Meyers performs Vivaldi's delightful Piccolo Concerto in C. BSO principal clarinet William Hudgins and clarinetist Michael Wayne are soloists in Mozart-contemporary Franz Krommer's Concerto No. 2 for two clarinets. BSO principal trumpet Thomas Rolfs is soloist in French composer André Jolivet's Concertino for trumpet, piano, and strings, a dynamic, three-movement work from 1948. BSO principal trombone Toby Oft plays the Trombone Concerto of Italian composer Nino Rota-best known for scoring Coppola's The Godfather but a versatile and prolific composer of concert and stage works as well. Finally, Robert Schumann's Konzertstück ("Concert-piece") for four horns provides an exhilarating showcase for principal horn James Sommerville and his virtuoso colleagues Rachel Childers, Jason Snider, and Michael Winter.

(Most emphasis added.)

I was there for the performance on Thursday, and I found it all pleasant enough — except for the Jolivet, which I'd call "not unpleasant." As originally programmed, the Jolivet concerto was to finish the first half, but I guess they decided it would be better not to have the Vivaldi and Krommer adjacent. I thought everybody played very well, except for a couple of wobbles in the horns. The Jolivet trumpet concert was "modern." The others, including the Rota, were normal music. But none of them were particularly memorable. In the Krommer clarinet concerto, I imagined the Hudgin's tone was a bit brighter, and Wayne's a bit mellower. The BMInt reviewer suggests something similar. So it was a great night for the wind players to have some time in the spotlight. I'm glad I was there for it, and I think you be glad to have listened, if you do.

The reviews are favorable. The Globe noted the occasional problems with the horns. The Boston Musical Intelligencer gives a fairly good synopsis of the music (and likes the Jolivet much more than I did).

The horn soloists in the Intelligencer photo are, l.-r., Snider, Winter, Childers, and Sommerville. Clint Hutchinson, flute player, is in the center, just slightly behind Ms. Childers. In the back, behind Mr. Hutchinson, is assistant tympanist Daniel Bauch. The conductor, Ken-David Masur, is standing on the right, and in the back row behind him are two trumpeters, but I'm never sure which is which.

Anyway, you can listen, beginning at 8:00 p.m., Boston Time, over WCRB.[…]

So there's an interesting concert available here, competing with the Warhorse Orgy on WHRB and the Red Sox-Rangers game on WEEI. You can hardly go wrong.

BSO/Classical New England — 2020/11/07

 This week's encore broadcast is the concert originally performed five years ago — November 7, 2015 — one week after the one we heard last week. Maybe this will be the pattern for a while.

WCRB summarizes the concert as follows:

Saturday at 8pm in an encore broadcast of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Ken-David Masur leads Schumann's Symphony No. 3, the "Rhenish," as well as the American premiere of Unsuk Chin's Mannequin and Liszt's Totentanz, with piano soloist Louie Lortie.

(Some emphasis added.)

WCRB lists the pieces is reverse order of performance. Read the transcript of the interview with the conductor if/when you have time.

And here, suitably edited, is what I wrote five years ago:

This week we have one work that is considered standard repertory but one I don't often hear, Liszt's Totentanz, one piece getting its American premiere in these concerts, Mannequin by Unsuk Chin, and an old favorite, Symphony No. 3, "Rhenish," by Schumann. Indulging their penchant for describing the pieces in an order other than that in which they'll be performed, the writers of the BSO program description page,describe the concert as follows:

BSO Assistant Conductor Ken-David Masur leads the second BSO co-commission of the season, Korean composer Unsuk Chin's Mannequin in its American premiere. Mannequin was inspired by a short story by the great 19th-century German music critic and fantasist E.T.A. Hoffmann. Opening the program is Franz Lizst's dark and virtuosic Totentanz, played by French pianist Louis Lortie. Totentanz is considered among the most difficult pieces in the standard repertoire for piano and orchestra. Closing these concerts is Robert Schumann's innovatively structured paean to the Rhine River, the composer's Symphony No. 3.

Join the conversation online by using #BSOLiszt for this concert series or #BSO1516 on your social networks to discover the excitement of the season and connect with one another!

(Some emphasis added.)

…

Reviews were mixed. The Globe's was generally favorable, but found Maestro Masur's conducting in the older pieces unexciting. The Boston Musical Intelligencer really liked the "Totentanz," and found no fault with the conductor there, while joining the Globe in disappointment with his leadership in the Schumann. As for "Mannequin," the reviewer found little difference between the four movements.

I was there on Thursday and found the Liszt spectacular. The Chin piece was suitable as a depiction of a frightened frame of mind, but apart from the music-box-like elements in the first movement, there didn't seem to be much difference between the four — at least not at first hearing. I'll listen tonight over the radio and see if there's more distinction between the scenes. I wonder if the large variety of percussion, including some unconventional items, was really necessary. Still, since it was suitable as a depiction of a frightened mood, I applauded the composer enthusiastically. As for the Schumann, it's really enjoyable music to listen to, and I didn't find any fault with how it was conducted: I just liked hearing it.

So I think it worth your while to listen this evening, November 7, at 8:00, Boston Time (EST), … over the radio or internet streaming of WCRB. As you know if you've been following my posts on the BSO, WCRB also has a BSO page of their own. …

Anyway, I was glad to be at the concert, and I'm looking forward to hearing the first two pieces this evening before my kid brother's call from Tokyo ….  As is usually the case, I recommend listening to this one.

8:00 p.m., EST, WCRB.

BSO/Classical New England — 2020/06/27

This evening, WCRB says they are giving us the concert originally performed on November 23, 2019, but they describe the concert of November 30. I hope it's the one they describe, because I really like the Brahms Second Serenade. Here's what I wrote about the concert at the time:

In 2008 I heard the Second Serenade by Brahms conducted by James Levine at Symphony Hall. I was delighted (which is not a word that normally fits my reaction to music of Brahms). If you listen, I'm confident you'll like it too. It opens the program, which continues with two pieces by Schumann. So we have a respite from music of the 20th and 21st centuries. Here's the synopsis from the performance detail page:

The German pianist and conductor Christian Zacharias returns to Symphony Hall as both conductor and pianist in a rarity for piano and orchestra by Robert Schumann, his Introduction and Allegro appassionato, which his wife Clara premiered with the Gewandhaus Orchestra of Leipzig in 1850. The BSO has only played it on two occasions, both at Tanglewood more than 50 years ago. Schumann’s Symphony No. 4 was actually the second symphony he wrote. He completed its original version in 1841, just after finishing his Symphony No. 1, but was dissatisfied with it, publishing its revised, final form only a decade later. Schumann’s use of recurring thematic ideas creates an innovative, interconnected overall form. Opening the program is Brahms’ five-movement Serenade No. 2, substantial in length but generally light in mood, like the Classical-era serenades that were the composer’s models. Brahms omits violins from the orchestra for this piece, resulting in a mellow, dark-hued tone.

(Emphasis added.)

The reviewer in the Intelligencer liked the concert, especially the Schumann and recommends listening to it. I haven't found a review in the Globe yet.

I join with the reviewer in recommending that you listen to this one. It should be good all the way through (although I'm not actually familiar with the Schumann pieces). The show begins on WCRB at 8:00 p.m., EST[…].

Not to be missed. Enjoy!

A review appeared later in the Globe and, unlike the Intelligencer, the reviewer wasn't entirely satisfied with the way the Schumann pieces were handled, but had no complaint about the Brahms. I still recommend listening. You're in for some good stuff.And don't forget that WCTB and the BSO both have links to further background on their detail pages.

BSO/Classical New England — 2020/03/14

My apologies for not posting about the past two weekends' concerts. I was away on February 29 and too busy with preparations for the trip (a weekend retreat) to make a post. A week ago, basically I got distracted with other activities (shopping, meal preparation, meetings) that I forgot to post.

Last Saturday's concert was worth hearing, so I recommend catching the rebroadcast on March 16 at 8:00 p.m. Boston Time (EDST). It included a recent piece by Anna Thorvaldsdottir, a Prokofiev piano concerto, and a Sibelius Symphony. See the performance detail page for more information. There was a favorab;e review in the Intelligencer; the Globe review was mixed.

Now on to the business at hand. The BSO had no concert scheduled this weekend, so WCRB is reaching into their archive to bring us the concert of Saturday, August 18, 2019, at Tanglewood. Here's what they say about it:

Saturday night at 8, in an encore broadcast from the 2019 Tanglewood season, Kirill Gerstein is the soloist in the mighty Piano Concerto No. 2 by Brahms, and François-Xavier Roth leads the BSO in Schumann's Symphony No. 2.

Saturday, March 14, 2020
(encore broadcast Monday, March 23)
8:00 PM

Boston Symphony Orchestra
François-Xavier Roth, conductor
Kirill Gerstein, piano

BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 2
SCHUMANN Symphony No. 2

And here's a link to the performance detail page. It was favorably reviewed in the Globe.

So enjoy.

BTW, the orchestra has cancelled its concerts for the rest of March, so we'll be getting rebroadcasts for (at least) the next two weeks.