Okay, I fell asleep during Match of the Day last night – sacrilege – and my slumber also took care of live relays from Boston and Detroit. The former, https://www.classicalwcrb.org/show/the-boston-symphony-orchestra/2026-02-14/esa-pekka-salonen-the-bso-and-bruckners-romantic, I hope to catch when Classical Radio Boston makes it available in its archive, as will invariably happen.
I was luckier with Detroit, for although the broadcast had finished when I awoke at about 3:30 – dead of night – it was possible to rewind. The start of Gabriela Lena Frank’s Dances immediately reminded of how the ‘Symphonic Dances’ (Kostal/Ramin) from West Side Story opens. The second Frank piece is a rip-off from the third movement of Bartók’s Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta – I hope that’s acknowledged, otherwise a plagiarism court case begins soon. Finally, sounds-like Ginastera (Argentina), as mentioned by Jader Bignamini before conducting. I was pleased to hear Joan Tower’s A New Day, for Alisa Weilerstein, essentially lyrical, intriguingly elusive, and I’d like to catch it again soon. Beethoven Four was fast (bustling, keenly accented) from Bignamini, especially the Finale, mechanical, if played with commendable unanimity, especially by the unfazed/poised violins (Kimberly Kaloyanides Kennedy, concertmaster). Slow(ish) movement best. Try Kletzki, below, for a more playful Finale.
“SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14 AT 8 PM ET
Alisa Weilerstein, one of today’s foremost cellists, performs a concerto written for her by Joan Tower and co-commissioned by the DSO. Tower’s work shows a range of influences, from the rhythms she heard during her childhood in South America to the driving pulse found in the music of Beethoven—whose energetic Fourth Symphony concludes the concert.
GABRIELA LENA FRANK Three Latin-American Dances
JOAN TOWER A New Day (DSO Co-commission)
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 4″ [DSO]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_New_Day_(composition)
Czech Phil/Paul Kletzki; Finale starts 26:30…