Riccardo Chailly

Visiting Toronto on Monday, I went to the Yorkville record shop where I usually leave some of my money and bought the CD you see above. Details here. I haven’t been much of a fan of symphonic Gershwin. Orchestras sometimes seem to view his music as a chance to take a vacation from serious work. But my antipathy began to wear down when I heard Marc-André Hamelin play the Concerto in F with the NAC Orchestra in 2008. It’s pure Gershwin, but it’s also worthy of a fine orchestra and a great soloist.