Elemental: New York Phil begins season with multi-composer commission

Joshua Bell and Jaap van Zweden

Jaap van Zweden conducts the New York Philharmonic

By David Wolfson, 30 September 2023

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“Bell somehow managed to be both affable and ferociously intense on this journey”

Reviewed at Lincoln Center: Wu Tsai Theater, David Geffen Hall, New York City on 29 September 2023

Kevin Puts, Edgar Meyer, Jake Heggie, Jennifer Higdon, Jessie Montgomery, The Elements

Copland, Symphony no. 3

New York Philharmonic

Jaap van Zweden, Conductor

Joshua Bell, Violin

Elim Chan takes the New York Philharmonic to the ball

Susan Stempleski, 27th May

The Hong Kong-born conductor conducts a masterful performance of selections from Prokofiev’s Cinderella and Philharmonic Principal Carter Brey bids farewell in Saint-Saëns’ First Cello Concerto.

****1

Memorable Mendelssohn from Marek Janowski and the New York Phil

Susan Stempleski, 21st May

Principal Trumpet Christopher Martin plays Haydn before the esteemed German maestro conducts a vibrant Scottish Symphony.

****1

Barbara Hannigan makes a powerful connection in La Voix humaine

Thomas May, 23rd April

The Canadian soprano and conductor fuses live performance and video in a taut, volatile account of Poulenc’s punch-packing monodrama with the New York Philharmonic, sharing the bill with Strauss’ valedictory Metamorphosen.

****1

A vocally perplexing economics assignment from David Lang

No’a L. bat Miri, 19th March

The New York Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel deliver the world premiere of Lang's The wealth of nations, inspired by Adam Smith's famous treatise.

***11

Weinberg rarity overshadows John Williams at the New York Philharmonic

Cameron Kelsall, 1st March

John Williams put butts in seats with the New York debut of his Piano Concerto, but the NY Phil's first performances of Mieczysław Weinberg’s Symphony no. 5 stole the show.

****1

Contours in motion: Kavakos and Rouvali at the New York Philharmonic

Edward Sava-Segal, 20th February

Bartók and Rachmaninov are shaped through rhythmic precision and structural concentration in the New York Philharmonic's latest subscription concert.

****1

More reviews...

David Wolfson

David Wolfson holds a PhD in composition from Rutgers University, and has taught at Rutgers University, Montclair State University and Hunter College. He is enjoying an eclectic career, having composed opera, musical theatre, touring children’s musicals, and incidental music for plays; choral music, band music, orchestral music, chamber music, art songs, and music for solo piano; comedy songs, cabaret songs and one memorable score for an amusement park big-headed-costumed-character show. You can find more information here.

Elemental: New York Phil begins season with multi-composer Joshua Bell commission