I’m home again and finally got my first decent night’s sleep in three days. As I flip through my notes and organize my thoughts on the first weekend of the Bard Music Festival, here’s a write-up in the New York Times.

I too remarked on the striking layout of the musicians in Bohuslav Martinů’s powerful “Double Concerto for Two String Orchestras, Piano, and Timpani,” which serves as a visual analogue to the dramatic content of the music. I have several recordings of the piece, which I first encountered when programming it blindly on one of my morning shows many years ago, thinking “Martinů… concerto grosso… this should be delightful…” Note: NOT to be used as background music for parfaits and scones! This is searing, full-bodied music that can stand toe-to-toe with the finest works of Béla Bartók, BEST APPRECIATED IN CONCERT.

It was especially impressive on Friday night, coming as it did, directly after intermission, on a program in which the first half was made up of instrumental, vocal, and chamber works. Going from the Piano Quartet No. 1 – every bit as worthy as the Double Concerto, in its way – had the impact of viewing a 35 mm film and then having the screen suddenly open up to the dimensions of Cinemascope. Even followed, as it was, by Martinů’s Symphony No. 2, the Double Concerto was the true climax of the evening. That said, I would have no hesitation whatsoever about programming the Symphony No. 2 on a morning radio show!

More soon. For now, enjoy the Times article. “Martinů and His World” will continue next weekend at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY.

Michael Beckerman is one of the festival’s scholars-in-residence. I’m sharing his link to the free article, as my subscription doesn’t seem to want to cooperate!