Monthly Archives: January 1991

To the list of once-renowned composers currently and undeservedly in limbo, the name of Bohuslav Martinu surely belongs. During his time in America as a refugee from Hitler’s holocaust, Martinu was much performed; it seemed as if orchestras waited in … Continue reading →

When did any of us last hear William Walton’s Viola Concerto in live performance? Probably a lifetime or two ago; concertos for viola are rare birds indeed. That made Yuri Bashmet’s supremely beautiful performance of the work, with Andrew Davis … Continue reading →

Last season Peter Serkin, most intrepid and interesting of all American pianists, embarked on a truly brave mission. He commissioned short new works from a dozen major composers around the world, and toured the country with a program consisting of … Continue reading →

Among the many good reasons for looking in on the latest chapter in the ongoing family picnic known as “The Godfather,” musical matters rank high. Even in the two previous episodes the surge and onrush of events always seem to … Continue reading →

Listening to new music is, to a large extent, a process of redefinition. The composer presents you with an array of unfamiliar sounds, and asks you to expand your personal musical vocabulary to embrace his innovative idwas. It sometimes works. … Continue reading →

An old friend has been in town these last few days, and has made himself welcome. Bernard Rands, former professor of composition at U.C.-San Diego, Pulitzer winner (for his “Canti di Sole”), currently Boston based, brought a glowing new orchestral … Continue reading →

Outside, the world showed signs of coming apart; inside — in UCLA’s Royce Hall on Wednesday night, to be specific — all was well. Itzhak Perlman is more than just our best player of the violin; he is also a … Continue reading →

Felix Mendelssohn’s Octet for Strings, out of which eight members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic played the living daylights at the University of Judaism’s Gindi Auditorium on Monday night, stirs the listener’s spirit in two quite different ways. First there … Continue reading →

Any lingering doubts as to the high place of Witold Lutoslawski among today’s progressive composers can now be set aside. Thursday night the great Polish composer led the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a program of his own music, and drew … Continue reading →