"I hope that the piece (On the Transmigration of Souls) will summon human experience that goes beyond this particular event (9/11)." ~ John Adams "Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy." ~ Ludwig van Beethoven Tucson Symphony Orchestra – 6 April 2018 A very sweet finale to the remarkable Inaugural Season of Music Director, José Luis Gomez , was set up by the programming of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, the 'Ode to Joy'. And, in fact, the exhilarating success of this concert went beyond, with few exceptions, the expectations of even the most ardent local fanatics. Two perspectives dominated my experience here. One, the outstanding, if not definitive, rendition of Adams' 'On the Transmigration of Souls', was literally shocking. The o rchestral sonorites, many intentionally harsh or seething, were yet always generously rendered and sensuous. The sheer mastery, by the Tucson Symphonic Chorus and the Arizo...
Gendel's Reviews of Music and Life