Rembrandt in Detroit

I just went to the new Rembrandt exhibition at the Detroit Institute of Arts, that incredible treasure of a museum in the center of a city of abandoned factories and foreclosed homes.

Baroque in Cleveland

A great concert by the master Ton Koopman with the Cleveland Orchestra... My review from ClevelandClassical.com



http://www.clevelandclassical.com/111811tconov17rev

The Cleveland Orchestra.  Severance Hall, Thursday, Nov. 17, 2011. Ton Koopman, guest conductor. Music of J. S. Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major, BWV 1046; "Wedding" Cantata, "Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten," BWV 202, with Teresa Wakim, soprano; Sinfonia in B minor from Cantata 209, "Non sa che sia dolore," BWV 209; Sinfonia in D minor from Cantata 42, "Am Abend aber desselbigen Sabbats," BWV 42; Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068.

 

Nicholas Jones

While Bach is primarily known as a composer of music for the church, there is more to that multi-faceted genius. Thursday evening, under the spirited direction of guest conductor and baroque specialist Ton Koopman, the Cleveland Orchestra gave us the secular Bach, a playful and inventive composer free from the restraints of the weekly church service, writing music by turns courtly, sensual, introspective, and exuberant.