Critic’s Choice
There are times when the experienced (and possibly slightly jaded) critic needs to admit that the obvious choice is best.
Daniel Barenboim and the Staatskapelle Berlin’s ongoing Bruckner cycle at Carnegie Hall is a unique event. Beyond the titillation of mere uniqueness, and the opportunity for extended exposure to an important body of work that is infrequently heard, the performances so far have been consistently strong.
They’ve also been balanced, or diluted, depending on one’s point of view, by the accompanying Mozart concertos or concertante works. This Saturday, however, there is room for only one name on the program: Bruckner himself. Barenboim will lead the Staatskapelle in the composer’s massive, plangent, at times overwhelming Symphony No. 8. Not for nothing is it nicknamed “Apocalyptic.” Something unique will certainly be revealed.
Daniel Barenboim leads the Staatskapelle Berlin 8 p.m. Saturday night in Bruckner’s Symphony No. 8. carnegiehall.org
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