Concert Review: A Mighty Shout of Joy

Trinity Church ends its two-month Revolutionaries festival.
by Paul J. Pelkonen

The logo of this year's Revolutionaries festival at Trinity Church.
© 2016 Trinity Church of Wall Street.

Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 should not be taken, or performed lightly. This unwieldly but popular symphony is an occasion piece, performed at the opening or close of a major festival or sung to commemorate an historic event. The performance Friday night at Trinity Church met both qualifications, as five ensembles pooled their resources to perform the Ninth alongside Alberto Ginastera's equally imposing setting of Psalm 150.

Concert Review: Due South vs. True North

1B1 plays Ginastera at Trinity Church.

by Paul J. Pelkonen

Jan Bjøranger (in black) leads the chamber orchestra 1B1 at Trinity Church. Photo by the  author.

When one thinks of an ideal location to hear art music in New York City in the middle of a busy Thursday afternoon, there are few better than Trinity Church. In recent years, the old church at the head of Wall Street has started shedding its reputation as a stolid bastion of Bach and Handel and started experimenting with modern music.