Emerson String Quartet reviewed by Boston Globe

Read Jeremy Eichler's review of Sunday afternoon's Celebrity Series concert by the Emerson String Quartet (login req'd), the ensemble's last in Boston with David Finckel in the cello chair.

David Finckel's Long Goodbye

Cellist David Finckel makes his last appearance in Boston with the Emerson String Quartet this Sunday. He has been doing some thinking as he makes other "final" appreances on his tour. Here is a sample:

"What am I really leaving? Is it three incredible colleagues, who have inspired, educated and supported me for three decades? Certainly yes, but what about that little roadside stand off the Taconic Parkway where every fall, on my way to South Mountain Concerts in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, I have bought tomatoes?"

Read all of The Long Goodbye

Globe reviews Emerson Quartet with Sir James Galway

Matthew Guerrieri's review of Friday evening's concert by the Emerson String Quartet and Sir James Galway (brought to you by your friendly neighborhood Celebrity Series) appeared in today's Boston Globe. Here is a bit of Mr. Geurrieri's take:

"Most concerts are curated with the aim of an e-pluribus-unum revelation of unexpected affinities. The Emerson String Quartet and Sir James Galway flipped the pattern for their star-summit Celebrity Series program on Friday; one could surmise logical connections, but the experience was more high-minded variety show — swinging from light to dark, from cheer to tragedy and back again."

Read all of Galway's flute and Emerson's strings combine for quite a show.

Reviews of the Emerson String Quartet

Here is a collection of reviews of the Emerson String Quartet's December 4 recital at Jordan Hall:

The Boston Globe (Jeremy Eichler)

The Arts Fuse (Caldwell Titcomb)

The Boston Phoenix (Lloyd Schwartz)


FYI: These reviews were not late - I'm late in posting them.

Samuel Barber: composing in, football out

"Dear Mother: I have written to tell you my worrying secret. Now don’t
cry when you read it because it is neither yours nor my fault. I
suppose I will have to tell it now, without any nonsense. To begin with
I was not meant to be an athlete. I was meant to be a composer, and
will be I’m sure. I’ll ask you one more thing .—Don’t ask me to try to
forget this unpleasant thing and go play football.—Please—Sometimes
I’ve been worrying about this so much that it makes me mad (not very)."
-Samuel Barber, at age 9

The Emerson String Quartet will perform Samuel Barber's Adagio for String Quartet, Opus 11, and selections by Ives, Janacek and Shostakovich on Friday, December 4 at Jordan Hall. The performance will not be followed by a game of touch football (as far as we know), but you are welcome to organize one.