Friday’s chamber music concert in Jordan Hall made plenty of musical points, but also a few extra-musical ones. For starters, Boston audiences don’t get to hear enough from Marc-Andre Hamelin, a pianist of international standing who lives in the Boston area. Somehow reinforcing this point was his appearance on Friday’s program, essentially as a visiting artist in his own city.
Hamelin is making a North American tour with the venerable Takács Quartet, presented this weekend by the Celebrity Series of Boston. At least the happy occasion for this assemblage of chamber musicians was Shostakovich’s Piano Quintet, a dazzling blockbuster of a piece that doesn’t get performed as often as one might expect.
Comments
There are many problems with The Celebrity series.
Not the least is the way they treat their patrons. It is really sad that they didn't leave the Britten on the program. We need to hear those things.
Also Celebrity series has a habit of putting a single performer in Symphony Hall. when Jordan would be a better place. Sad.