MUSIC REVIEWS
Bach and Brahms: Songs of Faith and Songs of Love at SummerFest
La Jolla SummerFest’s Bach and Beyond III program (Wednesday, Aug. 21) drafted a chorus and four vocalists to consider both the trials of love in Brahms’ “Neues Liebeslieder Walzer,” Op. 65, and those of faith in J. S. Bach’s Sacred Cantata No. 99, “Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan.”
Read MoreThree World Premières with a Side of Bartók
When it comes to commissioning new music, the odds for success are no better than those of the casual vacationer visiting a Las Vegas casino and hitting the jackpot. But La Jolla Music Society’s impressive three world premieres Friday (Aug. 16) at SummerFest 2013 beat those odds hands down and offered thrilling Bartók as a bonus.
Read MoreSummerFest Welcomes the Ambassadors of Early Music
Early music finally arrived in great style at La Jolla SummerFest Tuesday (Aug. 13) with a concert by Nicholas McGegan’s Arcadian Academy, a vibrant quintet of period instrumentalists under McGegan’s astute direction. These players served up a tasty buffet of sonatas by G. F. Handel and Henry Purcell, as well as a slew of lesser-known Italian and English 17th-century composers.
Read MoreSummerFest Chamber Music at the Loft: A Foretaste of Heaven
For the first time, SummerFest gave a concert in the intimate venue of The Loft at UC San Diego. This smart program of modernist chamber music performed by musicians in casual attire proved a resounding success Friday, Aug. 9. The only possible criticism would be the question, “Why didn’t someone think of trying this sooner?”
Read MoreAudacious Schnittke Overshadows Predictable Bach at SummerFest
Many music-lovers deem Johann Sebastian Bach’s music to be the wellspring of the great catalogue of western music that is performed and enjoyed today. Although such an assertion can be the start of a lively debate, SummerFest Music Director Cho-Liang Lin put himself firmly in
Read MoreJohn Reischman & the Jaybirds for one impeccable night
Seamless technique and golden tone are the hallmarks of mandolinist John Reischman, who returned to San Diego Saturday night, along with his captivating band The Jaybirds. As the crow flies, it’s about 1,132 miles from San Diego to British Columbia, where Reischman and most of the band are based. That sort of explains why they haven’t played here since 2006. But given the exquisite yet understated performance, their many fine recordings, and the wildly growing popularity of bluegrass and similar strains, I cannot understand why they did not fill the little church venue in Normal Heights.
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