United States anon., Bernstein, Barber, Françaix, Strauss, Ravel: Richard Woodhams (oboe), Curtis Symphony Orchestra / Miguel Harth-Bedoya & Carlos Ágreda (conductors), Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center, Philadelphia, 5.2.2017. (BJ)
Philadelphia
Enthusiastic Ovation for Young French Pianist, Standing in for André Watts
United States Weber, Beethoven, Franck: Lise de la Salle (pianist), Philadelphia Orchestra/Fabio Luisi (conductor), Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center, Philadelphia, 3.2.2017. (BJ)
Queyras and Melnikov Ideally Matched in Talent
United States Schumann, Beethoven, Webern, Rachmaninoff: Jean-Guihen Queyras (cello), Alexander Melnikov (piano), Perelman Theater, Kimmel Center, Philadelphia, 27.1.2017. (BJ)
Musicians from Marlboro Live up to the Festival’s Reputation
United Kingdom Haydn, Beethoven, Vaughan Williams: Nicholas Phan (tenor), Michelle Ross & Carmit Zori (violins), Rebecca Albers (viola), Alice Yoo (cello), Lydia Brown (piano), Perelman Theater, Kimmel Center, Philadelphia, 26.1.2017. (BJ)
Jeremy Denk Illuminates All of Western Musical History for Today’s Listeners
United States Various Composers: Jeremy Denk (piano). Perelman Theater, Kimmel Center, Philadelphia, 20.1.2017. (BJ)
The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Brilliant Three-Week Salute to Paris, ‘City of Light and Music’
United States The Paris Festival: Various composers: Soloists, Philadelphia Orchestra / Yannick Nézet-Séguin (conductor), Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center, Philadelphia. 14/21/26.1.2017. (BJ)
Great Music—Buried Under Too Much Tone
United States Vaughan Williams, Tchaikovsky, Schubert, Mozart, Gounod, Musorgsky, Lehmann, Fauré, Brahms, Strauss: Ben Wager (bass), Jeffrey Miller (piano), Benjamin Franklin Hall, American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia, 18.1.2017. (BJ)
Alluring Sweetness and Warmth from the Johannes Quartet
United States Mozart, Bartók, Brahms: Johannes Quartet (Soovin Kim & Julianne Lee [violins], Choong-Jin Chang [viola], Peter Stumpf [cello]), Kim Kashkashian (viola), Marcy Rosen (cello) Perelman Theater, Kimmel Center, Philadelphia, 8.1.2017. (BJ)