As always, the Bard Music Festival is almost too much of a good thing. I’m not complaining – I wouldn’t have it any other way – but it sure is a lot to take in, and between all the travel and the intensive listening, the day after should be a day of rest!

I’ll probably post about it in more detail soon (I’m writing an article about it), but for now, here’s a piece in the New York Times, if you missed it, about the first weekend’s concerts. I sat directly across the aisle from the writer as he scribbled in his program.

While I more or less agree with his general impressions, I had a totally different experience of the Saturday night concert, which featured “Job, A Masque for Dancing,” the Concerto for Two Pianos, and the Symphony No. 4. Have I heard more shattering performances of the symphony? Yes, I have, but this one came at the end of a very demanding evening. I myself left the hall feeling somewhat bedraggled. That Leon Botstein and his orchestra acquitted themselves so well in three very difficult pieces (both for performers and, cumulatively, for listeners), by juxtaposing them to such provocative effect, is a testament to what this festival does best.

More importantly, I don’t know when I will ever encounter “Job” or especially the concerto again in concert. Everyone involved with the festival has my sincerest gratitude. There are a couple of photos in the Times article at the link.

Next year at Bard? Berlioz and His World!

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