Trio Camille and Buxtehude Consort

The artist as entrepreneur

Two musical go-getters, pianist Matt Bengtson and baritone John Fowler, enhance Philadelphia's musical life while creating opportunities for themselves and their colleagues.

Tom Purdom

Apr 05, 2011 · Articles · 4 minute read

Contemporary music: Two concerts

After the revolution

Philip Glass and George Rochberg may have revolutionized new music, but their work seems almost mannered next to two younger composers who took advantage of their rebellion.

Tom Purdom

Apr 05, 2011 · Articles · 3 minute read

Concert Operetta's "Carp' and "Galatea'

Here come the waltzes

Who introduced the waltz to 19th-Century European romantic theater? Guess again— it wasn't Johann Strauss.

Steve Cohen

Apr 04, 2011 · Articles · 3 minute read

Curtis Opera's 'Cunning Little Vixen'

If we could talk to the animals

Janácek's The Cunning Little Vixen is so brimful with melodies and lush orchestration that it ought to be part of the standard operatic repertoire. Since that won't happen— philosophical allegories lack mass appeal—Curtis deserves our gratitude for reviving it.

Steve Cohen

Apr 03, 2011 · Articles · 2 minute read

Tempesta di Mare's "Characters of the Dance'

Dancing, from Bach to Stallone

Tempesta di Mare combined a first-class Bach performance with a lesson in Baroque dance forms, not to mention a mysterious connection to Sylvester Stallone's Rocky.

Tom Purdom

Mar 29, 2011 · Articles · 4 minute read

Astral Artists showcases Aaron Jay Kernis

Renaissance traps, successfully avoided

Aaron Jay Kernis finished his two-year stint as Astral Artists' first composer in residence with two spectacular pieces that starred a spectacular soprano.

Tom Purdom

Mar 22, 2011 · Articles · 3 minute read

Orchestra 2001 plays Hindemith

Orchestra 2001's odd couple

Hindemith and folk songs? It's an odd juxtaposition, but the two halves created a thoroughly enjoyable Saturday night outing.

Tom Purdom

Mar 22, 2011 · Articles · 4 minute read

Robert Levin deconstructs Mozart

Mozart's stumbling block

As the pianist/professor Robert Levin demonstrated, everything came easily to Mozart the young genius until he had to tackle fugue composition. For the first time, he had to push his imagination. From this process, Mozart's true voice emerged.

Mar 22, 2011 · Articles · 3 minute read

Piffaro at the court of Ferrara

When violinists roamed the streets

Philadelphia's own Renaissance wind band joins forces with a traveling violin band to recreate the first outbursts of the modern multi-section orchestra.

Tom Purdom

Mar 15, 2011 · Articles · 3 minute read

Orchestra's two flute concertos

Inspiration sans charisma

With Charles Dutoit sidelined, the Orchestra's principal flutist, Jeffrey Khaner, provided the necessary star power by performing premieres of two flute concertos, one of them nearly 400 years old.

Dan Rottenberg

Mar 08, 2011 · Articles · 1 minute read