In Thursday’s (7/28) Wall Street Journal, David Mermelstein writes, “One of the best places in this country to hear classical music in summer lies in the shadow of the Tetons, the uncommonly majestic mountain range standing in the westernmost portion of this sparsely populated and rugged state. That in itself is not surprising: Excellent warm-weather performances of works from the classical canon can also be heard in Aspen and Vail, in the Colorado Rockies. And if we’re twinning music and natural beauty, then the summer festivals of Tanglewood, in Massachusetts, and Marlboro, in Vermont, stake their own strong claims. But the Grand Teton Music Festival, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this season, is different. … The Teton Music Festival, which this year began in early July and runs through Aug. 20, is a place where some of this country’s best orchestral players gather annually to make music with each other. It is, as several longtime participants noted, a safe haven for them to revive flagging spirits after a busy season. … Some 250 orchestral players will pass through here this year, performing a mix of chamber and orchestral music from warhorses (symphonies by Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart and Tchaikovsky) to premieres (works by Sebastian Currier, Jennifer Higdon and Matthias Pintscher).”
Posted July 28, 2011
