Tomsic reviewed by the Globe

Dubravka Tomsic's Friday evening recital was reviewed by David Perkins for Monday's Boston Globe:

"She has been back often, in recital and with the BSO, and her Jordan Hall concert in the Celebrity Series of Boston had the worshipful aura of a great operatic diva's return. She played generously, long and beautifully. And she was generously received."

Read all of A skillful touch, albeit relaxed

Why is me a monster?

From McSweeney's

Tomsic encores

Here are Dubravka Tomsic's encores from last night's Jordan Hall recital:

Scarlatti, Sonata in G Major

Chopin, Waltz in C# minor

Villa-Lobos, "Le Polichinelle"

Bach-Siloti, Prelude in B minor

Silly video, but Tomsic is her usual fantastic self

The music is Beethoven's Piano Sonata Op. 27, No. 2, the third movement of the famous Moonlight Sonata. Dubravka Tomsic is the pianist. This is completely silly and amateur (and maybe funny, depending on your taste), but I include it here because of Tomsic's performance. She's just too good to pass up.

And she is coming to Jordan Hall tomorrow.

Alisa Weilerstein plays Kodaly for the camera

I'm sure I don't have to tell you that Ms. Weilerstein will be playing a concert at Jordan Hall on Sunday, May 4. Nor do I have to tell you that she will be playing the Kodaly cello sonata, surely just as passionately as in the above video. No, I don't have to tell you, you have a sixth sense for passionate musicianship. This message is for those who are unaware.

Princeton Record Exchange lives

Barry Wiesfeld's Princeton Record Exchange is going strong despite the hard times in the "brick and mortar" record business. My theory: people love to browse and people love to hold it in their hands, then walk out with it. The New York Times (no less) parts the curtains of this musty sub-culture:

"'A lot of people who come here are obsessed,' said Mr. Weisfeld, a resolutely
low-tech guy wearing an incongruous orange Yahoo! cap. 'I’ll give you an
example. One year, we got a very bizarre collection, world music, international
music, whatever you call it, very unusual stuff. We let our customers know, and
we sold 500 of the 1,000 in three days. They’re not people looking for Michael
Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ or something by Billy Joel.'"

Of course, Mr. Weisfeld does have a web site, the man's not crazy.

Read "Serious Dinosaur" Thriving in Download Age, in The New York Times

Tiempo Libre's Latin party

Tiempo Libre made their Celebrity Series debut Saturday night at Berklee Performance Center. The music was fiery, the band was tight and professional in the best sense, in short, the band lived up to its billing (IMHO).

I can't pretend to understand the ins, outs and complexities of timba or son, the groups primary tributaries, (but I pledge to study . . . loudly . . . in the car . . . with the windows down) but the music was sprinkled with references that spoke to a very broad spectrum of influences - and a very wide-ranging music collection. Saxophonist Eduardo Quintana in particular illustrated my point with solos convincingly referencing bebop, modal and Latin jazz - this was not simply wailing away with feeling, though there was plenty of feeling.

Not that we needed any proof, but Tiempo Libre proves that people in Miami Beach have more fun (more of the time) than people in Boston. You wouldn't argue the point if you were there.