The reviews are in:

Boston Globe: Boston Phil starts off 45th season with style

"Braunstein’s distinguished background as a former Berlin Philharmonic concertmaster shone through as he enchantingly wove in and out of the orchestral fabric. Delineating Elgar’s dizzying parade of gorgeous melodies one moment, he drew back into the symphonic texture the next, pooling his sound into the Philharmonic’s as it confidently tackled the intricate score." -Leo Sarbanes, Read the full review here.

Boston Musical Intelligencer: Boston Philharmonic: Hi Ho Silver

"The soloist was Guy Braunstein, who has long enjoyed a career as both soloist and orchestral player. Elgar’s lush concerto found him making his Boston debut by filling the spotlight without being consumed by it. His lyrical passages flickered with a Kreisler-like delicacy. But his inclination to push and pull the tempo at will made the score’s climactic points emerge with natural fervor. In that, Braunstein and Zander took the expansive approach of Yehudi Menuhin, whereby every corner of the concerto’s 50-minute span is filled with detail. Through it all, Braunstein worked like a painter, his tone by turns silvery and grainy to capture the emotional sweep of each moment. The Allegro ebbed and flowed, the soloist a steady ballast against waves of orchestral forces that Zander coaxed in response." -Aaron Keebaugh  Read the full review here.

Boston Classical Review: Zander, BPO off at a gallop for 45th season

"The final Allegro con Brio movement was definitely not lacking in the prescribed “brio,” especially as the violins and woodwinds seemed to enjoy traipsing through the lighter passages with timpanist Edward Meltzer strongly accenting the rhythms. Zander’s tempo choices brought new colors and interpretations to a familiar Beethoven piece. It is small musical decisions like this that can turn an old warhorse of a piece into something fresh and new, a trick that Zander and the BPO surely have more of up their sleeve this season." -Maya Shwayder Read the full review here. 

Photos by Hilary Scott