View 2023-2024 media reviews, quotes, and articles about the Boston Philharmonic, and Benjamin Zander.
The Boston Musical Intelligencer: BPO: Transcendent Mozart, Searing Bruckner
"Deljavan’s solo exposition, far from conjuring Don Giovanni, seemed to have in mind The Marriage of Figaro, which premiered just a month after the concerto. This is not to say he and Zander weren’t on the same page — rather that together they created a complementary exploration of the two operas. Deljavan’s classical-shading-into-romantic sensibility felt perfect for this work. He brought to the Allegro weight and inflection, a tonal arsenal that ranged from rich to melting, and rippling, rhapsodic passagework. His solo development was a study in wistful nostalgia; his cadenza, going from torrential to reflective in an eyeblink, had the feel of an improvisation that summed up the movement in 90 seconds." -Jeffrey Gantz. Read the full review on the Boston Musical Intelligencer site.
The Arts Fuse: Concert Review: Boston Philharmonic Orchestra plays Mozart and Bruckner
"But so nuanced were his and the orchestra’s phrasings and so clearly simpatico his partnership with the conductor, that there was never a question of the rightness of the night’s interpretation. Here’s an artist, one realized, who ought to be a regular presence in Boston’s concert life... As if to emphasize the point, Deljavan provided a distinguished, expansive encore in the form of Schubert’s Allegretto in C minor (D. 915). Here, in microcosm, was a reprise of his Mozart, just completely unaccompanied: radiant, rhapsodic, otherworldly. Those latter adjectives applied equally well to Friday’s Bruckner... Zander is an accomplished Brucknerian and Friday’s performance, one [of] the only high-profile commemorations of the symphonist’s bicentennial in town this year, proved fittingly sweeping and vigorous." - Jonathan Blumhofer. Read the review on The Arts Fuse.
"The Boston Philharmonic and conductor Benjamin Zander celebrate Austrian composer Anton Bruckner’s 200th birthday with the colossal Symphony No. 9, which was unfinished at the time of the composer’s death. Pianist Alessandro Deljavan joins the orchestra for Mozart’s haunting Piano Concerto No. 24. April 26, 8 p.m. Symphony Hall. Pre-concert talk at 6:45. Livestream also available. 617-236-0999, www.bostonphil.org" -A. Z. Madonna, The Boston Globe.
"Alfonso Piacentini, Zander’s assistant conductor, stopped by to ask if Zander was ready to play Mozart. Pianist Alessandro Deljavan had landed that morning from Italy and was inside the house, Zander explained. They would practice in the evening for a Symphony Hall concert Friday, which would begin with Deljavan’s playing of Mozart and end with Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 9. “It’s profoundly reverent and religious music which has a power of healing,” Zander said. “When we come out of the rehearsals, we’re all feeling enlivened and elevated, more in touch with our humanity than we possibly ever get. It’s extraordinary.” -Alma Barak. Read the full article at CambridgeDay.com.
The Patch: Boston Philharmonic Orchestra Celebrates Bruckner's 200th Birthday!
"The Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Maestro Benjamin Zander, concludes its 45th season with a spectacular concert commemorating the 200th anniversary of Austrian composer Anton Bruckner’s birth. The season’s grand finale opens with renowned pianist Alessandro Deljavan performing Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 24 in C Minor with the Orchestra and closes with Bruckner’s unfinished—and final—masterpiece, the Symphony No. 9. Zander’s popular “Guide to the Music,” which is open to all ticket holders, precedes the concert at 6:45 PM. The concert will also be available for live streaming..." -Ellen Gitelman
Boston.com: Here’s how you can get involved in your Boston neighborhood this April
"Take a musical interpretation class from the Boston Philharmonic
Experience Boston’s famous philharmonic orchestra at a morning music class. Hosted by conductor and master educator Benjamin Zander, young musicians will have the opportunity to expand their knowledge of music interpretation and sharpen their understanding of their instruments. April 6 from 10 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; 700 Boylston St., Back Bay; Free" -Zipporah Osei. Read the full article on Boston.com.
WBUR: A comprehensive guide to springs classical music performances
"Benjamin Zander’s final program of the season with his justly renowned Boston Philharmonic Orchestra consists of two of the most profound works of classical music: Mozart’s darkly insinuating Piano Concerto No. 24 in C-minor, with the magnificent Alessandro Deljavan; and, marking the 200th anniversary of Bruckner’s birth, his unfinished Ninth Symphony, an overwhelming spiritual epic (April 26).
Zander will also lead the impressive Boston Philharmonic Youth Symphony Orchestra in another inspired pairing of concerto and symphony — this time Schumann’s Cello Concerto, with cellist Zlatomir Fung making a welcome return, and Mahler’s immense and autobiographical Symphony No. 5, another Zander specialty (May 3)." -Lloyd Schwartz, Read the full article at WBUR.org.
Music Connection: SHINY EYES DEBUTS SF BAY AREA STUDIO WITH SOMMER CABLE
"The studio's name was inspired by the conductor Benjamin Zander, musical director of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra. In a talk on the transformative power of classical music, Zander tells the story of realizing that his role as a conductor was to awaken possibility in other people. He could tell if he was succeeding by looking in their eyes." -Music Connection: Read the full article here.
Liza Ferschtman performed Alban Berg's Violin Concerto with the Boston Philharmonic and Benjamin Zander.
Musical America: In Boston Benjamin Zander Turns (Back) to Mahler 1 at 85
"The conductor’s latest Mahler First was remarkable and also surprising...What was surprising was how the opening “tuning” of the universe and Mahler’s depiction of nature coming to life, with its underground rumblings and cheery bird-calls, felt less observed than retrospective, like the memory of something long past, at the beginning of time. Even those offstage brasses—Mahler’s recollection of the nearby barracks of his childhood—sounded more muffled than usual, as if this was music emanating from before memory itself. Zander reinforced this long perspective with a delicious ease of rubato, even in the explosive country dance that begins the second movement, then even more so in the tender, almost swooning music that interrupts the swagger." -Lloyd Schwartz. Read the article on Musical America.com.
The Arts Fuse: Concert Review: The Boston Philharmonic Performs Ravel, Berg, and Mahler
"Playing with rich tone and bracing focus, Ferschtman dispatched the solo part with blistering intensity. The first movement’s lyrical, dancing figurations were all well directed, while the finale’s violent opening pages seethed. Meantime, its culminating, mellifluous episodes soared....Throughout, the violinist displayed a remarkable capacity to project her instrument through and above the orchestra. True, Zander led an accompaniment that was, on the whole, lucid and well balanced. Even so, Ferschtman’s ability to achieve maximum volume without once forcing her sound or corrupting the beauty of her tone production (both in the Berg and in her encore of Eugene Ysaÿe’s “Sunrise”) was exceptional...The Philharmonic was Ferschtman’s equal partner for much of the reading..." -Jonathan Blumhofer. Read the full review here.
Boston Musical Intelligencer: Zander & BPO Realize Composers’ Visions
"Liza’s violin sang with clarity and sweetness...Prompted for an encore, Liza selected the first movement, Sunrise / l’Aurore, from Ysaÿe’s Sonata for solo violin no. 5 in G Major, op. 27, to add a note of hope on the second anniversary of the war in Ukraine." -Dinah Bodkin. Read the full article on The Boston Musical Intelligencer site.
The Boston Classical Review: Boston Philharmonic goes from grief to triumph at Symphony Hall
"Ferschtman meditated on the twinned themes of grief and hope in her encore, which she prefaced by noting the second anniversary of the war in Ukraine. Her performance Ysaÿe’s Sonata for solo violin, Sunrise/L’Aurore embodied, with its cyclical arpeggiation, the hope that comes from persistence. The encore was the perfect combination of Ravel and Berg, linking the abstract and affective in a moving conclusion...The BPO’s performance here was superb. Mahler’s First is a Zander specialty, which was fully obvious in Saturday night’s performance. The orchestra, too, was at the height of its powers here. If the ensemble held back its might in the Ravel, the Mahler was a stunning testament to the ensemble’s force. "-Katherine Horgan. Read the full article at BostonClassicalReview.com.
The Boston Globe: The Ticket Things to do in Boston this weekend
BOSTON PHILHARMONIC The Boston Philharmonic family of orchestras has a busy few weeks coming up. First, the Boston Philharmonic itself performs Mahler’s monumental Symphony No. 1, alongside Berg’s Violin Concerto with violinist Liza Ferschtman (Feb. 24). Then, in celebration of founder and conductor Benjamin Zander’s 85th birthday, the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra presents what Zander called “the most varied and demanding BPYO concert ever,” featuring music by Britten, Ives, and Ravel, along with Ukrainian pianist Anna Fedorova as soloist in Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 (March 3). Symphony Hall. 617-236-0999, www.bostonphil.org -A. Z. Madonna, read the full article at The Boston Globe.com
WBZ Radio Jordan Rich interview with Benjamin Zander about Saturday's Ravel/Berg/Mahler concert
It airs live Saturday, February 24 on WBZ 1030 at 7:55 AM.
JewishBoston: Boston Philharmonic Orchestra With Violinist Liza Ferschtman
"Violinist Liza Ferschtman, the daughter of Russian Jews who lives in the Netherlands, will be the featured soloist in the “Berg Violin Concerto” at The Boston Philharmonic Orchestra’s first concert of 2024. Conductor Benjamin Zander will provide his popular pre-concert “Guide to the Music” talk at 6:45 p.m." -Read the full article at JewishBoston.com.
Podcast interview of Benjamin Zander by Jordan Rich
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-mic-with-jordan-rich-podcast/id1274234593
and on iHeart:
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/256-on-mic-podcast-31098460/
"Benjamin Zander has been a groundbreaking leader in the classical music field for decades. Founder of the Boston Philharmonic and the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, Maestro Zander has an undying love and respect for classical music, having performed and recorded all over the world. We will be highlighting upcoming Boston Symphony Hall shows in our conversation today along with his adoration for Gustav Mahler and the impact of classical music on the soul, truly inspiring!" -Jordan Rich
The major difference between the ‘best’ and the ‘average’ is that the ‘best’ get as much pleasure from practice as performance - Benjamin Zander
-Hector Scott. Read the full article at TheStrad.com
The Arts Fuse: Coming Attractions: February 11 through 26 — What Will Light Your Fire
Liza Ferschtman plays Berg
Presented by Boston Philharmonic Orchestra
February 24 at 8 p.m.
Symphony Hall, Boston
The BPO returns to action with symphonic selections by Maurice Ravel and Gustav Mahler sandwiching a performance of Alban Berg’s Violin Concerto. The latter’s soloist, Liza Ferschtman, made waves when she first played with the orchestra in 2019; her return promises fireworks. Benjamin Zander conducts. — Jonathan Blumhofer. Read the full article on The Arts Fuse.org.
Forbes.com: How to True Professional Fulfillment
As 2024 commences, here are two transformative quotes of which to be aware:
First, from one of the greatest conductors of all time, Benjamin Zander: "I have a definition of success. For me, it's very simple. It's not about wealth and fame and power. It's about how many shining eyes I have around me." -John Evans. Read the full article at Forbes.com
Musical America: Boston's Top 10 Musical Events, 2023
Number 7-8 and Number 4:
"7-8 (a tie). I fell in love with classical music as a child listening over and over to popular pieces not often played anymore. This year two of these chestnuts got superlative performances. Benjamin Zander and the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra played a scintillating William Tell Overture, with an excellent cello section led by Rafael Popper-Keizer, a sublime English horn solo by oboist Peggy Pearson, and breathtaking ensemble work...
4 Benjamin Zander is legendary for his Mahler. Last spring conducting his Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, he led a magnificent Das Leid von der Erde, with stentorian German heldentenor Stefan Vinke (known especially for his numerous performances of Wagner's Seigfried) and the achingly poignant British contralto Dame Sarah Connolly, who late in her career is still at the top of her form. " -Lloyd Schwartz. Read the full article on Musical America.com here. Photo by Hilary Scott.
WBUR: A guide to Greater Boston's winter wonderland of classical music
"Legendary Boston music director Benjamin Zander, on the verge of his 85th birthday, has put together a perfectly constructed program featuring Mahler, the composer for whom he’s most admired (Feb. 24). Zander begins with Ravel’s brief and touching yet anti-sentimental “Pavane for a Dead Princess” and Berg’s heartbreaking Violin Concerto, dedicated to “the memory of an angel” (the 21-year-old Manon Gropius), with (for the right reasons) the highly praised Dutch violinist Liza Ferschtman. This all leads us into Mahler’s autobiographical First Symphony, perhaps the greatest and most kaleidoscopic first symphony in the classical repertoire.
Zander returns to Symphony Hall with his amazing Boston Philharmonic Youth Symphony Orchestra in a program that contrasts Benjamin Britten’s roiling “Four Sea Interludes” from his opera “Peter Grimes” with Charles Ives’s haunting “Three Places in New England” (March 3). These will share a program with more familiar repertory: the Tchaikovsky First Piano Concerto, with Ukrainian pianist Anna Fedorova, and Ravel’s maybe too gorgeous “Daphnis and Chloe” Suite No. 2." -Lloyd Schwartz. Read the full article at WBUR here.
"Benjamin Hochman was the soloist in the last. Playing with a light touch and impressive textural clarity, he delivered a fresh, inviting performance that was highlighted by a rapturous account of the Concerto’s transcendent second movement...Zander and the Philharmonic provided a warm, well-directed accompaniment, one that was often appealingly conversational and impressively balanced with the pianist. " -Jonathan Blumhofer, Read the article on The Arts Fuse.
Boston Musical Intelligencer: BPO Memorializes Roz Zander
"Hochman played with an ease and relaxation so appropriate to the music. The second movement, intentionally reminiscent of the theme of the second movement of Beethoven’s String Quartet in A Minor, Op. 132, sounded every bit as beautiful as Zander had promised in his talk. The final movement presented ample opportunity for Hochman to showcase flashy technique, but he rather approached it with humor, ease, and some restraint. Hochman dispatched his encore, the Sarabande from Bach’s Partita for Keyboard No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 826, with long phrases and perfect control, and not a moment of dryness. " -Nathaniel Eiseman, read the full article at classical-scene.com.
"Benjamin Hochman was making his Boston debut Friday with Bartók’s Piano Concerto No. 3. Hochman approached the instrument with the ease and cool confidence of a lounge singer about to serenade you, except that serenade was 23 minutes of high musical drama." -Maya Shwayder, read the full article at Boston Classical Review.com.
"Hochman led the work with refreshing calm, clarity, and friendliness: almost every note seemed to wear a smile. In his hands, the opening melody with its unpredictable warbles felt like a natural conversation starter. And the Philharmonic proved a receptive partner, particularly in the second movement’s “Andante religioso,” where gorgeously blended chorale textures from strings, winds, and soloist were carried by a gentle breeze. " -Leo Sarbanes, read the full article on The Boston Globe.com.
Boston Musical Intelligencer: Boston Philharmonic: Hi Ho Silver
"The soloist was Guy Braunstein, who has long enjoyed a career as both soloist and orchestral player. Elgar’s lush concerto found him making his Boston debut by filling the spotlight without being consumed by it. His lyrical passages flickered with a Kreisler-like delicacy. But his inclination to push and pull the tempo at will made the score’s climactic points emerge with natural fervor. In that, Braunstein and Zander took the expansive approach of Yehudi Menuhin, whereby every corner of the concerto’s 50-minute span is filled with detail. Through it all, Braunstein worked like a painter, his tone by turns silvery and grainy to capture the emotional sweep of each moment. The Allegro ebbed and flowed, the soloist a steady ballast against waves of orchestral forces that Zander coaxed in response." -Aaron Keebaugh, read the full article on the Boston Musical Intelligencer site.
Boston Globe: Boston Phil starts off 45th season with style
"Braunstein’s distinguished background as a former Berlin Philharmonic concertmaster shone through as he enchantingly wove in and out of the orchestral fabric. Delineating Elgar’s dizzying parade of gorgeous melodies one moment, he drew back into the symphonic texture the next, pooling his sound into the Philharmonic’s as it confidently tackled the intricate score." -Leo Sarbanes, Read the full article on Boston Globe.com
Boston Classical Review: Zander, BPO off at a gallop for 45th season
"The brisk tempo choices continued as the BPO barreled through the explosive third movement, keeping the energy up at times where it sometimes flags during the middle movements. The final Allegro con Brio movement was definitely not lacking in the prescribed “brio,” especially as the violins and woodwinds seemed to enjoy traipsing through the lighter passages with timpanist Edward Meltzer strongly accenting the rhythms.
Zander’s tempo choices brought new colors and interpretations to a familiar Beethoven piece. It is small musical decisions like this that can turn an old warhorse of a piece into something fresh and new, a trick that Zander and the BPO surely have more of up their sleeve this season." -Maya Shwayder, Read the article on Boston Classical Review
The Arts Fuse:Concert Preview: The Boston Philharmonic Orchestra’s 45th Season Opener
"Guy Braunstein, who last appeared in Boston in 2014, makes his BPO debut...As far as Zander is concerned, Braunstein is the ideal soloist for the Elgar. “No one plays [the piece] like he does,” the conductor declared after Monday night’s rehearsal at Cambridge’s Holy Trinity Armenian Church. “Elgar wrote it for [Fritz] Kreisler and his playing was so flexible and soulful. Nowadays, everybody listens to Zukerman or Hilary Hahn…but they’re strict and rigid by comparison. Guy plays like Kreisler or Ivry Gitlis…I think Elgar would be quite pleased with his interpretation.” -Jonathan Blumhofer, Read the full article on The Arts Fuse.
Stylist: 7 books to read to give you a new perspective on the corporate world
The book will leave you with a new focus: you’ll be left looking for ways to contribute to the world in a more positive way while also nurturing a more accepting mindset when it comes to your own achievements and place in your career. -Meg Walters, Read the full article on Stylist.co.uk.
Boston Globe: Milestones at Symphony Hall, fun beneath the Colosseum, and binoculars for the birds
MUSIC MILESTONES AT SYMPHONY HALL
Celebrate Boston Philharmonic’s 45th season at Boston’s Symphony Hall along with the 85th birthday of the founder and conductor Benjamin Zander. The ensemble of student, professional, and amateur musicians will be performing carefully curated programs of symphonic masterworks, including Beethoven, Shostakovich, Mahler, Bruckner, and more. The season includes four Boston Philharmonic Orchestra concerts and three Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra concerts, kicking off Oct. 20 and ending May 3. Prior to each concert, Zander will offer a deeper understanding of the works in the program with his legendary “Guide to the Music” talks. -Necee Regis. Read the article at BostonGlobe.com.
Boston Herald: Classical music old & new on Boston’s fall calendar
"Oct. 20, Symphony Hall
The Boston Philharmonic gets its 45th season started with this diverse program featuring Rossini’s “Willam Tell” Overture, Elgar’s Violin Concerto, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7. Sure, go for the big names, but we’ll wager Elgar will move you just as much. Often regarded as the English composer’s masterpiece, it’s an ideal balance of virtuosity and passion, histrionic blaze and lyrical restraint. Bostonphil.org" -Jed Gottleib. Read the full article in the Boston Herald.
WBUR: A comprehensive guide to fall's classical music performances
"One of the most striking qualities of Benjamin Zander’s concerts with the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra is less what he chooses to play (usually familiar classical and modern masterpieces) than how he puts his programs together. Zander’s popular and eloquent pre-concert talks appeal to both novice and sophisticated audiences..." -Lloyd Schwartz. Read the full article including the video on WBUR.org.
10 classical music attractions to enliven your autumn
"BOSTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA The Boston Philharmonic fetes the 85th birthday of founder/conductor Benjamin Zander with two fall concerts, the first featuring Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 and former Berliner Philharmoniker concert master Guy Braunstein in Elgar’s Violin Concerto (Oct. 20) and the second a 20th-century program of Britten, Bartók, and Shostakovich (Nov. 17). The Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra gets in on the action, too, with an all-German program of Wagner, Hindemith, and Brahms(Nov. 5). 617-236-0999, www.bostonphil.org" -A. Z. Madonna, read it on The Boston Globe.
