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Emanuel Ax plays the 'Emperor' Concerto

Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto, performed by Emanuel Ax with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Mann Center, June 21, 2006. www.philorch.org.

All this, plus the Yankees and the summer solstice, too.

Dan Coren

Jul 03, 2006 Articles 1 minute read

Fresh insight into Eschenbach

In an old recording of Beethoven’s last piano sonata, our critic finds a link between Christoph Eschenbach and Thomas Mann’s fictitious stammering organ professor Wendell Kretschmar. And then he encounters Mitsuko Uchida.

Dan Coren

Jul 03, 2006 Articles 7 minute read

Pay to play on the Kimmel's organ

Contrary to what you read in the Inquirer, the Kimmel's "Pay to Play" organ event was no mere public-relations exercise. It was a showcase for a serious but often disrespected constituency: organists and composers of organ music.

Dan Coren

Jun 03, 2006 Articles 7 minute read

The Kimmel organ's debut

It was a pleasure to find a full and enthusiastic house at a Philadelphia Orchestra concert. But it took a novelty act to do it. The Kimmel organ’s debut concert itself was a sedate affair, notwithstanding the Gallic charm of Olivier Latry.

Philadelphia Orchestra. Christoph Eschenbach conducting, Olivier Latry, organist. May 11-13, 2006. at Kimmel Center. www.philorch.org.

Dan Coren

May 29, 2006 Articles 5 minute read

OCP's 'Marriage of Figaro'

Due to budget constraints, the new watchword at the Opera Company of Philadelphia is “conservative.” That’s a blessing for some operas— like this Mozart masterpiece— that simply need to be held up to the light.

The Marriage of Figaro. By Mozart; Opera Company of Philadelphia production directed by Robert Driver, conducted by Corrado Rovaris. May 5-21, 2006, at Academy of Music, (215) 893-3600 or www.operaphilly.com.

Daniel Webster

May 22, 2006 Articles 3 minute read

Penn's student orchestra shines

Yet another surprising source of good symphonic music— this from students who don’t even attend a conservatory.

Penn Symphony Orchestra. Brad Smith, conductor. At Irvine Auditorium, April 23, 2006. www.sas.upenn.edu/music.

Dan Coren

Apr 26, 2006 Articles 3 minute read

Muti: Celebrity conductor adored by undemanding patrons.

Why I canceled my Orchestra subscription

The Philadelphia Orchestra has never sounded better. Nevertheless, after scrutinizing our Friday “B” Orchestra series for 2006-07 and the competing Kimmel series schedule, we had to decide if the Orchestra was really worth more than $800 of our disposable income.

Dan Coren

Apr 26, 2006 Articles 7 minute read

Curtis Opera's 'Albert Herring'

Britten's serio-comic work blossoms when presented with the care that Curtis musicians manage to wrap and deliver their performances.

Albert Herring. By Benjamin Britten, directed by Chas Rader-Shieber. Curtis Opera Theatre production at Prince Music Theater, April 14-15, 2006. www.curtis.edu/html/50300.shtml#3

Daniel Webster

Apr 24, 2006 Articles 3 minute read

Shostakovich rediscovered (except in Philadelphia)

He speaks to us now as the representative artist of his time, a composer whose work uniquely documents both the vast tragedy of his century’s suffering and his own private anguish. Yet his centennial year has passed with little notice in Philadelphia, where Shostakovich was once uniquely welcomed.