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    Stephen Sondheim, as Great a Composer as He Was a Lyricist

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    Our chief classical music critic remembers playing and teaching the unforgettable scores of “Sweeney Todd,” “Sunday in the Park With George” and other shows.“Sweeney Todd” had been open for a few months on Broadway when, one Saturday afternoon in June 1979, I passed by the theater where it was playing. I assumed that Stephen Sondheim’s latest musical was sold out, but I decided to take a chance and see if I could get a ticket to the matinee.Amazingly, there was a great one available — fourth row center. I was unshaven, in jeans and a T-shirt, carrying a stuffed backpack. I didn’t care. Elated, I took my seat.Then who walks in and sits directly in front of me? John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Would I be distracted by their presence?Not a bit. Even two cultural gods faded before the engulfing beginning of “Sweeney.”Sondheim, who died on Friday at 91, establishes the work’s dark, gothic mood in strange, chromatically wandering organ music right at the start. Then the deafening blast of a factory whistle breaks in, and the orchestra starts the prologue, a subdued, murmuring minor-mode riff over which the hushed chorus sings: “Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd.”I was immediately riveted by the grim, suspenseful drama of the music. Even in those opening moments, the musician in me wanted to know more. What were those harmonies, the chords that the rippling figure was tracing? What were those notes that seemed to escape from the orchestra and jab me with touches of dissonance? When the bass line that grounds the music took a sudden low plunge, it seemed, briefly, like the harmonic floor had opened a chasm. I had to get the score, to study the music, to see if I could figure out what was going on.Twenty-two years later, by then the chief classical music critic for The New York Times, I found myself seated at a piano, playing that opening music to “Sweeney” in front of its composer and asking Sondheim questions about it. During that Times Talks event in 2001, I also played other extraordinary passages from the show — like the moment early on when Sweeney, obliquely telling the young sailor Anthony the story of his tragic life, sings, in understated phrases, “There was a barber and his wife,” over a slow accompaniment that echoes the prologue.Then, Sweeney adds, “And she was beautiful.” At that final word — “beautiful” — the chord below, which repeats three times, is piercingly, hauntingly dissonant. A graduate seminar in music theory could devote considerable time to deciphering the elusive harmony. It has always struck me as a counterintuitive touch. Shouldn’t the wife’s beauty be conveyed through something more melting, more radiant?Yet, as we learn, it was this young woman’s beauty that made her the prey of the lecherous, powerful Judge Turpin. In our interview, Sondheim acknowledged that the moment had this subtext, yet denied that he had calibrated the effect; he said he had just followed his musical instincts.I also played excerpts from “Merrily We Roll Along,” never his most popular but perhaps my desert-island Sondheim musical, and one of his most appealing, ingeniously intricate and moving scores. All the songs are “interconnected through chunks of melody, rhythm and accompaniment,” as he put it in the liner notes for the original cast recording.I tried to show the audience how those chunks break down and fit together. Sondheim mostly just smiled and listened, nodding and saying, basically, “Yep, that’s it.” He never liked to discuss the inner workings of his music in front of the public. This was his business, he felt.He did offer detailed analyses of several of his works in a series of interviews in 1997 with Mark Eden Horowitz, a music specialist from the Library of Congress, later published as an essential book, “Sondheim on Music.”If you want specifics, this is your source. Of a passage in “Passion,” Sondheim says that two chords “represent the entire progression” of the sequence.“I write long-line stuff in either whole notes or half notes,” he added. “A whole note could represent four bars, eight bars, 12 bars, 16 bars,” but the “glue has to be harmonic” — “has to be spinning out the triad and spinning out the harmony.”Between my first time seeing “Sweeney” — I went back twice! — and getting to know him personally in the late 1990s, Sondheim was a singular presence in my life and work. When I taught music theory at Emerson College in Boston, I used Sondheim songs like “The Miller’s Son” (from “A Little Night Music”) and “Barcelona” (from “Company”) as illustrations of how he, while hewing to a tonal musical language, activated harmonies and folded elements of jazz and Impressionist styles in his own distinctive, exhilarating voice.In the early ’90s, at several memorial services for friends who had died of AIDS, I played “Good Thing Going,” a wistful song about recalling imperfect but cherished relationships. “Marry Me a Little,” cut from the original production of “Company” but beloved in later revivals as the protagonist’s statement of determination and despair, was another piece I relished performing; I still use the demanding perpetual-motion piano part as an exercise to keep my finger technique limber.In 2010, I made an 80th birthday tribute video to him for the Times website, in which, among other excerpts, I played and analyzed the wondrous chords at the start of “Sunday in the Park with George.” Here, the hero, Georges Seurat, speaking to the audience, explains the elements of painting, how the artist must bring “order to the whole” through design, composition, balance, light — and, finally, harmony. Each word is accompanied, almost musically illustrated, by a variant of a five-note arpeggio figure that uncannily embodies each concept. The chord for light is so piercing and bright you almost want to squint.In 2016, I posed to Sondheim the question of why such a master composer so seldom wrote a purely instrumental work. Yes, he was one of the greatest lyricists in the history of musical theater. But wasn’t he tempted to put words aside now and then, and just compose, say, a piano sonata?He answered that it wasn’t really the words that generated his musical ideas. “I express the character,” he said. “Let’s see what happens to him. I express it musically.” He was endlessly fascinated by the “puzzle of music,” he added. But when he gets solely into music, the “puzzle takes over.”I’ve been thinking since his death about a trip to the Bronx Zoo my husband and I took in the spring of 2019 with Sondheim and his husband, Jeff Romley. They were passionate animal lovers, and my cousin Kathleen LaMattina works and lives there with her husband, Jim Breheny, the zoo’s director. In a special room, these honored guests could pet sloths and penguins, and even get close to a cheetah, under a staff member’s calm control. I have pictures of Sondheim feeding leafy tree branches to a giraffe.I’m looking as I write this at the piano-vocal score to “Sweeney Todd” Sondheim signed for me the first time he came to dinner, in 1997.“To Tony,” his inscription reads. “With thanks for the enthusiasm.”That enthusiasm will never diminish, and the thanks will always go the other way. More

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      Covid Restrictions Are Back at Some of Europe's Theaters

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      Strict controls on playhouses and music venues are returning as the continent deals with a new coronavirus wave.For months, Europe’s opera, music and theater fans have been flocking to packed venues as if the coronavirus pandemic was fading from view. Now that feeling of freedom is receding for many.In Vienna, all performances are now banned until at least Dec. 13, after Austria imposed a lockdown to deal with a rise in coronavirus cases. The Dec. 5 premiere of the Vienna State Opera’s new production of “Don Giovanni,” directed by Barrie Kosky, will be televised from an empty house.In Munich, performances are still taking place at the city’s storied Bavarian State Opera despite a surge in cases in Bavaria. Only vaccinated patrons or those who have recovered from Covid-19 are allowed in, and they must also all show proof of a negative coronavirus test and wear a medical-grade mask. According to new rules announced Tuesday, venues in Bavaria can admit only 25 percent of their maximum capacity.In Milan, there are no restrictions on audience numbers at venues including La Scala, and no social distancing requirements — but only vaccinated audience members are allowed in.The confusing picture across the continent has been getting more complicated by the day in recent weeks as national and regional governments respond to a new wave of cases and as an alert about a new variant prompts concern. On Wednesday, Germany reported 79,051 new cases — its highest daily number since the pandemic began.After months of relative normalcy, Europe’s opera houses, concert halls and theaters are reintroducing measures all too familiar from earlier phases of the pandemic, restricting audience numbers and mandating testing, if not canceling shows outright. Some cultural workers at venues where the doors are still open are concerned that they might not stay that way for long.Leipzig Opera’s production of “Hänsel and Gretel” has been canceled for the rest of the company’s season because of coronavirus measures.Oper LeipzigDespite the new prevention measures, the mood was “very different” from previous lockdowns, said Ulf Schirmer, the general music director of Leipzig Opera, in eastern Germany. All performances in the city of Leipzig are banned until Jan. 9.“We’ve learned so much from past lockdowns,” Schirmer said, “we now know what to do.”Leipzig Opera would lose 1 million euros, about $1.1 million, by refunding tickets for canceled performances across all shows, Schirmer added. The company could cope with that, he said, because it receives a significant government subsidy and has sufficient reserves.Other venues throughout the continent, where the pace of cancellations and restrictions has been accelerating since last month, might not be in such a secure position. Latvia was one of the first countries to impose new restrictions on cultural life, when it ordered performance venues shut from late October as part of a national lockdown. Since then many other countries and regions have imposed new, if varied, restrictions. This month, the Netherlands went into a partial lockdown that let performances continue in front of seated audiences but forced other venues such as bars and restaurants to close by 8 p.m. Austria initially introduced a lockdown for unvaccinated people that included barring them from attending cultural events, before announcing a nationwide lockdown days later.Some venues that remain open in Europe are putting in place extra safety measures, even without government mandates. In Berlin, performance venues are allowed to operate at full capacity, as long as attendees show proof that they are vaccinated, recovered or provide a negative test, and wear a mask. But Sarah Boehler, a spokeswoman for the Sophiensaele, a theater in the city, said her venue would also require a negative test in addition to either proof of vaccination or recovery. The theater expected that city officials would require such a measure “in a week or two anyway,” she said, adding it was better to get ahead of the curve.There is one place that looks unlikely to see new restrictions on cultural life: Britain, where governing lawmakers have spoken since July of the need to live with the virus. New coronavirus cases have averaged around 40,000 a day for the past month, and one of the government’s leading scientific advisers this week said the country was “almost at herd immunity.”In England, theater and opera goers are not required to wear masks, or show proof of vaccination. Instead, each venue can decide its own requirements. Many West End theaters ask for proof of vaccination, and most encourage spectators to wear masks, but enforcement varies.This month, a revival of “Cabaret,” starring Eddie Redmayne at the Playhouse Theater, went further than other London shows by requiring attendees to show a negative test result to gain entry. The Ambassador Theater Group, which owns the venue, said in a statement that “the intimacy of the production,” in which the audience sits close to the actors, was behind the decision. But no other theaters have appeared to follow its lead.The composer and theater impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber on Tuesday told the BBC he would be happy to mandate masks and proof of vaccination at the six theaters he owns in London. “If that was what was necessary to keep our theaters open without social distancing, I think that’s a very small price to pay,” he said.Even if few in Britain’s theater world anticipate new restrictions, elsewhere in Europe, where governments are weighing actions to curb rising case numbers, industry figures are worried that more closures are on the way.“Everyone is still very concerned there will be another lockdown soon,” said Boehler of the Sophiensaele. “We just hope vaccinated people will be in a position to keep going to the theater.” More

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      Review: On Thanksgiving, Gratitude for a Dependable Violin

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      Joshua Bell, playing Beethoven with the New York Philharmonic, is always enjoyable, though never intense or unexpected.Thanksgiving is a time to feel gratitude for things we take for granted during the rest of the year. So it’s appropriate that the violinist Joshua Bell is appearing this week with the New York Philharmonic.Bell is one of classical music’s biggest, most salable stars, and he tours diligently. But he doesn’t take on new work with the enthusiasm of Renée Fleming, or unveil splashy unions of Bach and social justice like Yo-Yo Ma. Less noticed by the press than those two — and many others far less famous — Bell just plays, rarely veering these days from the absolute center of the standard repertory.But if he just plays, that playing is almost uncannily lovely. On Wednesday at Alice Tully Hall, he made not a single ugly sound in Beethoven’s Violin Concerto. At 53, his face remains preternaturally youthful, and his tone is similarly unlined. If the solo part in this work is often an exuberant unspooling of golden wire, Bell’s wire was always gleaming and smooth, never thin or cutting.When he wasn’t playing, he swayed a bit to the orchestral accompaniment, and sometimes turned from the audience entirely to take in the mass of musicians. (While Jaap van Zweden, the Philharmonic’s music director, was on the podium at Tully, Bell, who has led the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields for almost 10 years, is by now used to leading an ensemble while soloing.) At one point he even made a tiny, enthusiastic stomp on the stage.But while Bell is a genial partner for an ensemble, there is something sedate about him — always enjoyable, never intense or unexpected. He is, for better and worse, dependability itself.He came closest to surprising in the cadenza he created for the first movement, which had ruminative dissonances and lively string crossings. But you would have to be generous to describe even this as truly passionate.The Philharmonic played with mahogany-rich ardor in the strings in that opening movement, and its winds were graceful in the second. In the third, van Zweden paced a burnished Allegro, more aristocratic than fun or wild. That seemed just fine for Bell, whose playing smiles but never grins, and certainly never loses its cool.The program was an inversion of the usual ordering of a concert’s halves. The Beethoven concerto, at 45 minutes the most substantial work, sat alone before intermission; after the pause came Chen Yi’s brief but meaty and varied “Duo Ye” for chamber orchestra, then Stravinsky’s 25-minute “Pulcinella” Suite.Those last two pieces played well together. Written in the 1980s and inspired by a folk performance Chen attended around a bonfire in a Chinese village, “Duo Ye” has vitality in passages for sharp, crisp percussion and mystery in its dreamy duet of violas and vibraphone. Perhaps it was the program’s juxtaposition, but Stravinsky seemed in the air: Some moments in “Duo Ye” evoked a friendlier “Rite of Spring,” others the woodblock-stark angularity of “Les Noces” — both pieces which, like Chen’s, locate in the primitive a genesis of modernism.“Pulcinella” was also a modernist’s look back — but to the graceful energy of early 18th-century Italian music, which Stravinsky transposed into airy yet tender arrangements. Including bright, buoyant playing by the flutist Alison Fierst and by the featured string quintet at the work’s center, the eight sections on Wednesday had holiday conviviality.New York PhilharmonicThis program continues through Saturday at Alice Tully Hall, Manhattan; nyphil.org. More

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      Grammy Nominees 2022: The Full List

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      Artists, albums and songs competing for trophies at the 64th annual ceremony were announced on Tuesday. The show will take place Jan. 31 in Los Angeles.Nominees for the 64th annual Grammy Awards were announced on Tuesday. Jon Batiste leads all artists with 11 nominations; Justin Bieber, Doja Cat and H.E.R. follow with eight; Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo have seven each.The ceremony will be the first since the awards made a major change to its nominating process: In late April, the board of the Recording Academy, the governing body of the Grammys, voted to eliminate the use of anonymous expert committees to whittle down the final ballot in dozens of categories, a practice that had been in place since 1989. The Grammys have been criticized in recent years by prominent artists including Jay-Z, Drake, Kanye West and Frank Ocean, who amplified concerns that Black artists have been routinely passed over in the top all-genre categories. In March, the Weeknd announced a boycott of the Grammys, citing the committees.The ceremony will be held on Jan. 31, 2022, at the Crypto.com Arena (formerly the Staples Center) in Los Angeles.Here is the full list of nominees.Record of the Year“I Still Have Faith in You,” Abba“Freedom,” Jon Batiste“I Get a Kick Out of You,” Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga“Peaches,” Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon“Right on Time,” Brandi Carlile“Kiss Me More,” Doja Cat featuring SZA“Happier Than Ever,” Billie Eilish“Montero (Call Me by Your Name),” Lil Nas X“Drivers License,” Olivia Rodrigo“Leave the Door Open,” Silk SonicAlbum of the Year“We Are,” Jon Batiste“Love for Sale,” Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga“Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe),” Justin Bieber“Planet Her (Deluxe),” Doja Cat“Happier Than Ever,” Billie Eilish“Back of My Mind,” H.E.R.“Montero,” Lil Nas X“Sour,” Olivia Rodrigo“Evermore,” Taylor Swift“Donda,” Kanye WestSong of the Year“Bad Habits,” Fred Gibson, Johnny McDaid and Ed Sheeran, songwriters (Ed Sheeran)“A Beautiful Noise,” Ruby Amanfu, Brandi Carlile, Brandy Clark, Alicia Keys, Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna, Linda Perry and Hailey Whitters, songwriters (Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile)“Drivers License,” Daniel Nigro and Olivia Rodrigo, songwriters (Olivia Rodrigo)“Fight for You,” Dernst Emile Ii, H.E.R. and Tiara Thomas, songwriters (H.E.R.)“Happier Than Ever,” Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)“Kiss Me More,” Rogét Chahayed, Amala Zandile Dlamini, Lukasz Gottwald, Carter Lang, Gerard A. Powell Ii, Solána Rowe and David Sprecher, songwriters (Doja Cat featuring Sza)“Leave the Door Open,” Brandon Anderson, Christopher Brody Brown, Dernst Emile Ii and Bruno Mars, songwriters (Silk Sonic)“Montero (Call Me by Your Name),” Denzel Baptiste, David Biral, Omer Fedi, Montero Hill and Roy Lenzo, songwriters (Lil Nas X)“Peaches,” Louis Bell, Justin Bieber, Giveon Dezmann Evans, Bernard Harvey, Felisha “Fury” King, Matthew Sean Leon, Luis Manuel Martinez Jr., Aaron Simmonds, Ashton Simmonds, Andrew Wotman Aand Keavan Yazdani, songwriters (Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon)“Right on Time,” Brandi Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth and Tim Hanseroth, songwriters (Brandi Carlile)Best New ArtistArooj AftabJimmie AllenBaby KeemFinneasGlass AnimalsJapanese BreakfastThe Kid LaroiArlo ParksOlivia RodrigoSaweetieBest Pop Solo Performance“Anyone,” Justin Bieber“Right on Time,” Brandi Carlile“Happier Than Ever,” Billie Eilish“Positions,” Ariana Grande“Drivers License,” Olivia RodrigoBest Pop Duo/Group Performance“I Get a Kick Out of You,” Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga“Lonely,” Justin Bieber and Benny Blanco“Butter,” BTS“Higher Power,” Coldplay“Kiss Me More,” Doja Cat featuring SZABest Traditional Pop Vocal Album“Love for Sale,” Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga“’Til We Meet Again (Live),” Norah Jones“A Tori Kelly Christmas,” Tori Kelly“Ledisi Sings Nina,” Ledisi“That’s Life,” Willie Nelson“A Holly Dolly Christmas,” Dolly PartonBest Pop Vocal Album“Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe),” Justin Bieber“Planet Her (Deluxe),” Doja Cat“Happier Than Ever,” Billie Eilish“Positions,” Ariana Grande“Sour,” Olivia RodrigoBest Dance/Electronic Recording“Hero,” Afrojack and David Guetta“Loom,” Ólafur Arnalds featuring Bonobo“Before,” James Blake“Heartbreak,” Bonobo and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs“You Can Do It,” Caribou“Alive,” Rüfüs Du Sol“The Business,” TiëstoBest Dance/Electronic Music Album“Subconsciously,” Black Coffee“Fallen Embers,” Illenium“Music Is the Weapon (Reloaded),” Major Lazer“Shockwave,” Marshmello“Free Love,” Sylvan Esso“Judgement,” Ten CityBest Alternative Music Album“Shore,” Fleet Foxes“If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power,” Halsey“Jubilee,” Japanese Breakfast“Collapsed in Sunbeams,” Arlo Parks“Daddy’s Home,” St. VincentBest Contemporary Instrumental Album“Double Dealin’,” Randy Brecker and Eric Marienthal“The Garden,” Rachel Eckroth“Tree Falls,” Taylor Eigsti“At Blue Note Tokyo,” Steve Gadd Band“Deep: The Baritone Sessions, Vol. 2,” Mark LettieriBest Rock Performance“Shot in the Dark,” AC/DC“Know You Better (Live From Capitol Studio A),” Black Pumas“Nothing Compares 2 U,” Chris Cornell“Ohms,” Deftones“Making a Fire,” Foo FightersBest Metal Performance“Genesis,” Deftones“The Alien,” Dream Theater“Amazonia,” Gojira“Pushing the Tides,” Mastodon“The Triumph of King Freak (A Crypt of Preservation and Superstition),” Rob ZombieBest Rock Song“All My Favorite Songs,” Rivers Cuomo, Ashley Gorley, Ben Johnson and Ilsey Juber, songwriters (Weezer)“The Bandit,” Caleb Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill and Nathan Followill, songwriters (Kings of Leon)“Distance,” Wolfgang Van Halen, songwriter (Mammoth Wvh)“Find My Way,” Paul McCartney, songwriter (Paul McCartney)“Waiting on a War,” Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Rami Jaffee, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett and Pat Smear, songwriters (Foo Fighters)Best Rock Album“Power Up,” AC/DC“Capitol Cuts – Live From Studio A,” Black Pumas“No One Sings Like You Anymore Vol. 1,” Chris Cornell“Medicine at Midnight,” Foo Fighters“McCartney III,” Paul McCartneyBest R&B Performance“Lost You,” Snoh Aalegra“Peaches,” Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon“Damage,” H.E.R.“Leave the Door Open,” Silk Sonic“Pick Up Your Feelings,” Jazmine SullivanBest Traditional R&B Performance“I Need You,” Jon Batiste“Bring It on Home to Me,” BJ The Chicago Kid, PJ Morton and Kenyon Dixon featuring Charlie Bereal“Born Again,” Leon Bridges featuring Robert Glasper“Fight for You,” H.E.R.“How Much Can a Heart Take,” Lucky Daye featuring YebbaBest R&B Song“Damage,” Anthony Clemons Jr., Jeff Gitelman, H.E.R., Carl McCormick and Tiara Thomas, songwriters (H.E.R.)“Good Days,” Jacob Collier, Carter Lang, Carlos Munoz, Solána Rowe and Christopher Ruelas, songwriters (SZA)“Heartbreak Anniversary,” Giveon Evans, Maneesh, Sevn Thomas and Varren Wade, songwriters (Giveon)“Leave the Door Open,” Brandon Anderson, Christopher Brody Brown, Dernst Emile II and Bruno Mars, songwriters (Silk Sonic)“Pick Up Your Feelings,” Denisia “Blue June” Andrews, Audra Mae Butts, Kyle Coleman, Brittany “Chi” Coney, Michael Holmes and Jazmine Sullivan, songwriters (Jazmine Sullivan).css-1xzcza9{list-style-type:disc;padding-inline-start:1em;}.css-3btd0c{font-family:nyt-franklin,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:1rem;line-height:1.375rem;color:#333;margin-bottom:0.78125rem;}@media (min-width:740px){.css-3btd0c{font-size:1.0625rem;line-height:1.5rem;margin-bottom:0.9375rem;}}.css-3btd0c 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a{color:#326891;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;-webkit-text-decoration-color:#326891;text-decoration-color:#326891;}.css-qjk116 a:visited{color:#326891;-webkit-text-decoration-color:#326891;text-decoration-color:#326891;}.css-qjk116 a:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Best Progressive R&B Album“New Light,” Eric Bellinger“Something to Say,” Cory Henry“Mood Valiant,” Hiatus Kaiyote“Table for Two,” Lucky Daye“Dinner Party: Dessert,” Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder and Kamasi Washington“Studying Abroad: Extended Stay,” MasegoBest R&B Album“Temporary Highs in the Violet Skies,” Snoh Aalegra“We Are,” Jon Batiste“Gold-Diggers Sound,” Leon Bridges“Back of My Mind,” H.E.R.“Heaux Tales,” Jazmine SullivanBest Rap Performance“Family Ties” Baby Keem featuring Kendrick Lamar“Up,” Cardi B“My Life,” J. Cole featuring 21 Savage and Morray“Way 2 Sexy,” Drake featuring Future and Young Thug“Thot ___,” Megan Thee StallionBest Melodic Rap Performance“Pride Is the Devil,” J. Cole featuring Lil Baby“Need to Know,” Doja Cat“Industry Baby,” Lil Nas X featuring Jack Harlow“Wusyaname,” Tyler, The Creator featuring Youngboy Never Broke Again and Ty Dolla Sign“Hurricane,” Kanye West featuring the Weeknd and Lil BabyBest Rap Song“Bath Salts,” Shawn Carter, Kasseem Dean, Michael Forno, Nasir Jones and Earl Simmons, songwriters (DMX featuring Jay-Z and Nas)“Best Friend,” Amala Zandile Dlamini, Lukasz Gottwald, Randall Avery Hammers, Diamonté Harper, Asia Smith, Theron Thomas and Rocco Valdes, songwriters (Saweetie featuring Doja Cat)“Family Ties,” Roshwita Larisha Bacha, Hykeem Carter, Tobias Dekker, Colin Franken, Jasper Harris, Kendrick Lamar, Ronald Latour and Dominik Patrzek, songwriters (Baby Keem featuring Kendrick Lamar)“Jail,” Dwayne Abernathy, Jr., Shawn Carter, Raul Cubina, Michael Dean, Charles M. Njapa, Sean Solymar, Brian Hugh Warner, Kanye West and Mark Williams, songwriters (Kanye West featuring Jay-Z)“My Life,” Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph & Jermaine Cole, songwriters (J. Cole featuring 21 Savage and Morray)Best Rap Album“The Off-Season,” J. Cole“Certified Lover Boy,” Drake“King’s Disease II,” Nas“Call Me If You Get Lost,” Tyler, the Creator“Donda,” Kanye WestBest Country Solo Performance“Forever After All,” Luke Combs“Remember Her Name,” Mickey Guyton“All I Do Is Drive,” Jason Isbell“Camera Roll,” Kacey Musgraves“You Should Probably Leave,” Chris StapletonBest Country Duo/Group Performance“If I Didn’t Love You,” Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood“Younger Me,” Brothers Osborne“Glad You Exist,” Dan + Shay“Chasing After You,” Ryan Hurd and Maren Morris“Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home),” Elle King and Miranda LambertBest Country Song“Better Than We Found It,” Jessie Jo Dillon, Maren Morris, Jimmy Robbins and Laura Veltz, songwriters (Maren Morris)“Camera Roll,” Ian Fitchuk, Kacey Musgraves and Daniel Tashian, songwriters (Kacey Musgraves)“Cold,” Dave Cobb, J.T. Cure, Derek Mixon and Chris Stapleton, songwriters (Chris Stapleton)“Country Again,” Zach Crowell, Ashley Gorley and Thomas Rhett, songwriters (Thomas Rhett)“Fancy Like,” Cameron Bartolini, Walker Hayes, Josh Jenkins and Shane Stevens, songwriters (Walker Hayes)“Remember Her Name,” Mickey Guyton, Blake Hubbard, Jarrod Ingram and Parker Welling, songwriters (Mickey Guyton)Best Country Album“Skeletons,” Brothers Osborne“Remember Her Name,” Mickey Guyton“The Marfa Tapes,” Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall and Jack Ingram“The Ballad of Dood & Juanita,” Sturgill Simpson“Starting Over,” Chris StapletonBest New Age Album“Brothers,” Will Ackerman, Jeff Oster and Tom Eaton“Divine Tides,” Stewart Copeland and Ricky Kej“Pangaea,” Wouter Kellerman and David Arkenstone“Night + Day,” Opium Moon“Pieces of Forever,” Laura SullivanBest Improvised Jazz Solo“Sackodougou,” Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, soloist“Kick Those Feet,” Kenny Barron, soloist“Bigger Than Us,” Jon Batiste, soloist“Absence,” Terence Blanchard, soloist“Humpty Dumpty (Set 2),” Chick Corea, soloistBest Jazz Vocal Album“Generations,” The Baylor Project“Superblue,” Kurt Elling and Charlie Hunter“Time Traveler,” Nnenna Freelon“Flor,” Gretchen Parlato“Songwrights Apothecary Lab,” Esperanza SpaldingBest Jazz Instrumental Album“Jazz Selections: Music From and Inspired by Soul,” Jon Batiste“Absence,” Terence Blanchard featuring the E Collective and the Turtle Island Quartet“Skyline,” Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette and Gonzalo Rubalcaba“Akoustic Band Live,” Chick Corea, John Patitucci and Dave Weckl“Side-Eye NYC (V1.IV),” Pat MethenyBest Large Jazz Ensemble Album“Live at Birdland!,” The Count Basie Orchestra directed by Scotty Barnhart“Dear Love,” Jazzmeia Horn and her Noble Force“For Jimmy, Wes and Oliver,” Christian McBride Big Band“Swirling,” Sun Ra Arkestra“Jackets XL,” Yellowjackets + WDR Big BandBest Latin Jazz Album“Mirror Mirror,” Eliane Elias With Chick Corea and Chucho Valdés“The South Bronx Story,” Carlos Henriquez“Virtual Birdland,” Arturo O’Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra“Transparency,” Dafnis Prieto Sextet“El Arte Del Bolero,” Miguel Zenón and Luis PerdomoBest Gospel Performance/Song“Voice of God,” Dante Bowe featuring Steffany Gretzinger and Chandler Moore; Dante Bowe, Tywan Mack, Jeff Schneeweis and Mitch Wong, songwriters“Joyful,” Dante Bowe; Dante Bowe and Ben Schofield, songwriters“Help,” Anthony Brown & Group Therapy; Anthony Brown and Darryl Woodson, songwriters“Never Lost,” CeCe Winans“Wait on You,” Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music; Dante Bowe, Chris Brown, Steven Furtick, Tiffany Hudson, Brandon Lake and Chandler Moore, songwritersBest Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song“We Win,” Kirk Franklin and Lil Baby; Kirk Franklin, Dominique Jones, Cynthia Nunn and Justin Smith, songwriters“Hold Us Together (Hope Mix),” H.E.R. and Tauren Wells; Josiah Bassey, Dernst Emile and H.E.R., songwriters“Man of Your Word,” Chandler Moore and KJ Scriven; Jonathan Jay, Nathan Jess and Chandler Moore, songwriters“Believe for It,” CeCe Winans; Dwan Hill, Kyle Lee, CeCe Winans and Mitch Wong, songwriters“Jireh,” Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music featuring Chandler Moore and Naomi Raine; Chris Brown, Steven Furtick, Chandler Moore and Naomi Raine, songwritersBest Gospel Album“Changing Your Story,” Jekalyn Carr“Royalty: Live at the Ryman,” Tasha Cobbs Leonard“Jubilee: Juneteenth Edition,” Maverick City Music“Jonny X Mali: Live in LA,” Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music“Believe for It,” CeCe WinansBest Contemporary Christian Music Album“No Stranger,” Natalie Grant“Feels Like Home Vol. 2,” Israel and New Breed“The Blessing (Live),” Kari Jobe“Citizen of Heaven (Live),” Tauren Wells“Old Church Basement,” Elevation Worship and Maverick City MusicBest Roots Gospel Album“Alone With My Faith,” Harry Connick, Jr.“That’s Gospel, Brother,” Gaither Vocal Band“Keeping On,” Ernie Haase and Signature Sound“Songs For the Times,” The Isaacs“My Savior,” Carrie UnderwoodBest Latin Pop Album“Vértigo,” Pablo Alborán“Mis Amores,” Paula Arenas“Hecho a la Antigua,” Ricardo Arjona“Mis Manos,” Camilo“Mendó,” Alex Cuba“Revelación,” Selena GomezBest Música Urbana Album“Afrodisíaco,” Rauw Alejandro“El Último Tour Del Mundo,” Bad Bunny“Jose,” J Balvin“KG0516,” KAROL G“Sin Miedo (Del Amor y Otros Demonios),” Kali UchisBest Latin Rock or Alternative Album“Deja,” Bomba Estéreo“Mira Lo Que Me Hiciste Hacer (Deluxe Edition),” Diamante Eléctrico“Origen,” Juanes“Calambre,” Nathy Peluso“El Madrileño,” C. Tangana“Sonidos de Karmática Resonancia,” ZoéBest Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano)“Antología de la Musica Ranchera, Vol. 2,” Aida Cuevas“A Mis 80’s,” Vicente Fernández“Seis,” Mon Laferte“Un Canto por México, Vol. II,” Natalia Lafourcade“Ayayay! (Súper Deluxe),” Christian NodalBest Tropical Latin Album“Salswing!,” Rubén Blades y Roberto Delgado & Orquesta“En Cuarentena,” El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico“Sin Salsa No Hay Paraíso,” Aymée Nuviola“Colegas,” Gilberto Santa Rosa“Live in Peru,” Tony SuccarBest American Roots Performance“Cry,” Jon Batiste“Love and Regret,” Billy Strings“I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free,” The Blind Boys of Alabama and Béla Fleck“Same Devil,” Brandy Clark featuring Brandi Carlile“Nightflyer,” Allison RussellBest American Roots Song“Avalon,” Rhiannon Giddens, Justin Robinson and Francesco Turrisi, songwriters (Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi)“Call Me a Fool,” Valerie June, songwriter (Valerie June featuring Carla Thomas)“Cry,” Jon Batiste and Steve McEwan, songwriters (Jon Batiste)“Diamond Studded Shoes,” Dan Auerbach, Natalie Hemby, Aaron Lee Tasjan and Yola, songwriters (Yola)“Nightflyer,” Jeremy Lindsay and Allison Russell, songwriters (Allison Russell)Best Americana Album“Downhill From Everywhere,” Jackson Browne“Leftover Feelings,” John Hiatt with the Jerry Douglas Band“Native Sons,” Los Lobos“Outside Child,” Allison Russell“Stand for Myself,” YolaBest Bluegrass Album“Renewal,” Billy Strings“My Bluegrass Heart,” Béla Fleck“A Tribute To Bill Monroe,” The Infamous Stringdusters“Cuttin’ Grass – Vol. 1 (Butcher Shoppe Sessions),” Sturgill Simpson“Music Is What I See,” Rhonda VincentBest Traditional Blues Album“100 Years of Blues,” Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite“Traveler’s Blues,” Blues Traveler“I Be Trying,” Cedric Burnside“Be Ready When I Call You,” Guy Davis“Take Me Back,” Kim WilsonBest Contemporary Blues Album“Delta Kream,” The Black Keys featuring Eric Deaton and Kenny Brown“Royal Tea,” Joe Bonamassa“Uncivil War,” Shemekia Copeland“Fire It Up,” Steve Cropper“662,” Christone “Kingfish” IngramBest Folk Album“One Night Lonely [Live],” Mary Chapin Carpenter“Long Violent History,” Tyler Childers“Wednesday (Extended Edition),” Madison Cunningham“They’re Calling Me Home,” Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi“Blue Heron Suite,” Sarah JaroszBest Regional Roots Music Album“Live in New Orleans!,” Sean Ardoin and Kreole Rock and Soul“Bloodstains & Teardrops,” Big Chief Monk Boudreaux“My People,” Cha Wa“Corey Ledet Zydeco,” Corey Ledet Zydeco“Kau Ka Pe’a,” Kalani Pe’aBest Reggae Album“Pamoja,” Etana“Positive Vibration,” Gramps Morgan“Live N Livin,” Sean Paul“Royal,” Jesse Royal“Beauty in the Silence,” Soja“10,” SpiceBest Engineered Album, Non-Classical“Cinema,” Josh Conway, Marvin Figueroa, Josh Gudwin, Neal H Pogue and Ethan Shumaker, engineers; Joe LaPorta, mastering engineer (The Marías)“Dawn,” Thomas Brenneck, Zach Brown, Elton “L10MixedIt” Chueng, Riccardo Damian, Tom Elmhirst, Jens Jungkurth, Todd Monfalcone, John Rooney and Smino, engineers; Randy Merrill, mastering engineer (Yebba)“Hey What,” BJ Burton, engineer; BJ Burton, mastering engineer (Low)“Love for Sale,” Dae Bennett, Josh Coleman and Billy Cumella, engineers; Greg Calbi and Steve Fallone, mastering engineers (Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga)Producer of the Year, Non-ClassicalJack AntonoffRogét ChahayedMike ElizondoHit-BoyRicky ReedBest Remixed Recording“Back to Life” (Booker T Kings of Soul Satta Dub); Booker T, remixer (Soul II Soul)“Born for Greatness” (Cymek Remix); Spencer Bastin, remixer (Papa Roach); track from: “Greatest Hits Vol. 2 The Better Noise Years”“Constant Craving” (Fashionably Late Remix); Tracy Young, remixer (K.D. Lang)“Inside Out” (3scape DRM Remix); 3scape DRM, remixer (Zedd and Griff)“Met Him Last Night (Dave Audé Remix); Dave Audé, remixer (Demi Lovato and Ariana Grande)“Passenger” (Mike Shinoda Remix); Mike Shinoda, remixer (Deftones); track from: “White Pony” (20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)“Talks” (Mura Masa Remix); Alexander Crossan, remixer (PVA)Best Global Music Performance“Mohabbat,” Arooj Aftab“Do Yourself,” Angelique Kidjo and Burna Boy“Pà Pá Pà,” Femi Kuti“Blewu,” Yo-Yo Ma and Angelique Kidjo“Essence,” Wizkid featuring TemsBest Global Music Album“Voice of Bunbon, Vol. 1,” Rocky Dawuni“East West Players Presents: Daniel Ho and Friends Live in Concert,” Daniel Ho and Friends“Mother Nature,” Angelique Kidjo“Legacy +,” Femi Kuti and Made Kuti“Made In Lagos: Deluxe Edition,” WizkidBest Children’s Music Album“Actívate,” 123 Andrés“All One Tribe,” 1 Tribe Collective“Black to the Future,” Pierce Freelon“A Colorful World,” Falu“Crayon Kids,” Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam BandBest Spoken Word Album“Aftermath,” Levar Burton“Carry On: Reflections for a New Generation From John Lewis,” Don Cheadle“Catching Dreams: Live at Fort Knox Chicago,” J. Ivy“8:46,” Dave Chappelle and Amir Sulaiman“A Promised Land,” Barack ObamaBest Comedy Album“The Comedy Vaccine,” Lavell Crawford“Evolution,” Chelsea Handler“Sincerely Louis C.K.,” Louis C.K.“Thanks for Risking Your Life,” Lewis Black“The Greatest Average American,” Nate Bargatze“Zero ___ Given,” Kevin HartBest Musical Theater Album“Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella,” Andrew Lloyd Webber, Nick Lloyd Webber and Greg Wells, producers; Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Zippel, composers/lyricists (Original Album Cast)“Burt Bacharach and Steven Sater’s Some Lovers,” Burt Bacharach, Michael Croiter, Ben Hartman and Steven Sater, Producers; Burt Bacharach, composer; Steven Sater, lyricist (World Premiere Cast)“Girl From the North Country,” Simon Hale, Conor Mcpherson and Dean Sharenow, Producers (Bob Dylan, composer and lyricist) (Original Broadway Cast)“Les Misérables: The Staged Concert (The Sensational 2020 Live Recording),” Cameron Mackintosh, Lee Mccutcheon and Stephenmetcalfe, producers (Claude-Michel Schönberg, composer; Alain Boublil, John Caird, Herbert Kretzmer, Jean-Marc Natel and Trevor Nunn, lyricists) (The 2020 Les Misérables Staged Concert Company)“Stephen Schwartz’s Snapshots,” Daniel C. Levine, Michael J Moritz Jr, Bryan Perri and Stephen Schwartz, producers (Stephen Schwartz, composer and lyricist) (World Premiere Cast)“The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical,” Emily Bear, producer; Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, composers/lyricists (Barlow & Bear)Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media“Cruella,” (Various Artists)“Dear Evan Hansen,” (Various Artists)“In The Heights,” (Various Artists)“One Night In Miami…,” (Various Artists)“Respect,” Jennifer Hudson“Schmigadoon! Episode 1,” (Various Artists)“The United States vs. Billie Holiday,” Andra DayBest Score Soundtrack for Visual Media“Bridgerton,” Kris Bowers, composer“Dune,” Hans Zimmer, composer“The Mandalorian: Season 2 – Vol. 2 (Chapters 13-16),” Ludwig Göransson, composer“The Queen’s Gambit,” Carlos Rafael Rivera, composer“Soul,” Jon Batiste, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, composersBest Song Written For Visual Media“Agatha All Along [From Wandavision: Episode 7],” Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, songwriters (Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez featuring Kathryn Hahn, Eric Bradley, Greg Whipple, Jasper Randall and Gerald White)“All Eyes On Me [From Inside],” Bo Burnham, songwriter (Bo Burnham)“All I Know So Far [From Pink: All I Know So Far],” Alecia Moore, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, songwriters (Pink)“Fight for You [From Judas and the Black Messiah],” Dernst Emile Ii, H.E.R. and Tiara Thomas, songwriters (H.E.R.)“Here I Am (Singing My Way Home) [From Respect],” Jamie Hartman, Jennifer Hudson and Carole King, songwriters (Jennifer Hudson)“Speak Now [From One Night in Miami…],” Sam Ashworth and Leslie Odom, Jr., Songwriters (Leslie Odom, Jr.)Best Immersive Audio Album“Alicia,” George Massenburg and Eric Schilling, immersive mix engineers; Michael Romanowski, immersive mastering engineer; Ann Mincieli, immersive producer (Alicia Keys)“Clique,” Jim Anderson and Ulrike Schwarz, immersive mix engineers; Bob Ludwig, immersive mastering engineer; Jim Anderson, immersive producer (Patricia Barber)“Fine Line,” Greg Penny, immersive mix engineer; Greg Penny, immersive mastering engineer; Greg Penny, immersive producer (Harry Styles)“The Future Bites,” Jake Fields and Steven Wilson, immersive mix engineers; Bob Ludwig, immersive mastering engineer; Steven Wilson, immersive producer (Steven Wilson)“Stille Grender,” Morten Lindberg, immersive mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, immersive mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, immersive producer (Anne Karin Sundal-Ask and Det Norske Jentekor)Best Immersive Audio Album (for 63rd Grammy Awards)“Bolstad: Tomba Sonora,” Morten Lindberg, immersive mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, immersive mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, immersive producer (Stemmeklang)“Dear Future Self (Dolby Atmos Mixes),” Fritz Hilpert, immersive mix engineer; Jason Banks, Fritz Hilpert and David Ziegler, immersive mastering engineers; Tom Ammerman, Arno Kammermeier and Walter Merziger, immersive producers (Booka Shade)“Fryd,” Morten Lindberg, immersive mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, immersive mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, immersive producer (Tove Ramlo-Ystad and Cantus)“Mutt Slang Ii – A Wake of Sorrows Engulfed in Rage,” Elliot Scheiner, immersive mix engineer; Darcy Proper, immersive mastering engineer; Alain Mallet and Elliot Scheiner, immersive producers (Alain Mallet)“Soundtrack of the American Soldier,” Leslie Ann Jones, immersive mix engineer; Michael Romanowski, immersive mastering engineer; Dan Merceruio, immersive producer (Jim R. Keene and the United States Army Field Band)Best Engineered Album, Classical“Archetypes,” Jonathan Lackey, Bill Maylone and Dan Nichols, engineers; Bill Maylone, mastering engineer (Sérgio Assad, Clarice Assad and Third Coast Percussion)“Beethoven: Cello Sonatas – Hope Amid Tears,” Richard King, engineer (Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax)“Beethoven: Symphony No. 9,” Mark Donahue, engineer; Mark Donahue, mastering engineer (Manfred Honeck, Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)“Chanticleer Sings Christmas,” Leslie Ann Jones, engineer (Chanticleer)“Mahler: Symphony No. 8, ‘Symphony Of A Thousand,’” Alexander Lipay and Dmitriy Lipay, engineers; Alexander Lipay and Dmitriy Lipay, mastering engineers (Gustavo Dudamel, Fernando Malvar-Ruiz, Luke McEndarfer, Robert Istad, Grant Gershon, Los Angeles Children’s Chorus, Los Angeles Master Chorale, National Children’s Chorus, Pacific Chorale and Los Angeles Philharmonic)Producer of the Year, ClassicalBlanton AlspaughSteven EpsteinDavid FrostElaine MartoneJudith ShermanBest Orchestral Performance“Adams: My Father Knew Charles Ives; Harmonielehre,” Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor (Nashville Symphony Orchestra)“Beethoven: Symphony No. 9,” Manfred Honeck, conductor (Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)“Muhly: Throughline,” Nico Muhly, conductor (San Francisco Symphony)“Price: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3,” Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor (Philadelphia Orchestra)“Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra; Scriabin: The Poem of Ecstasy,” Thomas Dausgaard, conductor (Seattle Symphony Orchestra)Best Opera Recording“Bartók: Bluebeard’s Castle,” Susanna Mälkki, conductor; Mika Kares and Szilvia Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor (Nashville Symphony Orchestra)“Glass: Akhnaten,” Karen Kamensek, conductor; J’Nai Bridges, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Zachary James and Dísella Lárusdóttir; David Frost, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus)“Janáček: Cunning Little Vixen,”” Simon Rattle, conductor; Sophia Burgos, Lucy Crowe, Gerald Finley, Peter Hoare, Anna Lapkovskaja, Paulina Malefane, Jan Martinik and Hanno Müller-Brachmann; Andrew Cornall, producer (London Symphony Orchestra; London Symphony Chorus and LSO Discovery Voices)“Little: Soldier Songs,” Corrado Rovaris, conductor; Johnathan McCullough; James Darrah and John Toia, producers (The Opera Philadelphia Orchestra)“Poulenc: Dialogues Des Carmélites,” Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor; Karen Cargill, Isabel Leonard, Karita Mattila, Erin Morley and Adrianne Pieczonka; David Frost, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus)Best Choral Performance“It’s a Long Way,” Matthew Guard, conductor (Jonas Budris, Carrie Cheron, Fiona Gillespie, Nathan Hodgson, Helen Karloski, Enrico Lagasca, Megan Roth, Alissa Ruth Suver and Dana Whiteside; Skylark Vocal Ensemble)“Mahler: Symphony No. 8, ‘Symphony of a Thousand,’” Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Grant Gershon, Robert Istad, Fernando Malvar-Ruiz and Luke McEndarfer, chorus masters (Leah Crocetto, Mihoko Fujimura, Ryan McKinny, Erin Morley, Tamara Mumford, Simon O’Neill, Morris Robinson and Tamara Wilson; Los Angeles Philharmonic; Los Angeles Children’s Chorus, Los Angeles Master Chorale, National Children’s Chorus and Pacific Chorale)“Rising w/ the Crossing,” Donald Nally, conductor (International Contemporary Ensemble and Quicksilver; The Crossing)“Schnittke: Choir Concerto; Three Sacred Hymns; Pärt: Seven Magnificat-Antiphons,” Kaspars Putnins, conductor; Heli Jürgenson, chorus master (Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir)“Sheehan: Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom,” Benedict Sheehan, conductor (Michael Hawes, Timothy Parsons and Jason Thoms; The Saint Tikhon Choir)“The Singing Guitar,” Craig Hella Johnson, conductor (Estelí Gomez; Austin Guitar Quartet, Douglas Harvey, Los Angeles Guitar Quartet and Texas Guitar Quartet; Conspirare)Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance“Adams, John Luther: Lines Made By Walking,” JACK Quartet“Akiho: Seven Pillars,” Sandbox Percussion“Archetypes,” Sérgio Assad, Clarice Assad and Third Coast Percussion“Beethoven: Cello Sonatas – Hope Amid Tears,” Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax“Bruits,” Imani WindsBest Classical Instrumental Solo“Alone Together,” Jennifer Koh“An American Mosaic,” Simone Dinnerstein“Bach: Sonatas and Partitas,” Augustin Hadelich“Beethoven and Brahms: Violin Concertos,” Gil Shaham; Eric Jacobsen, conductor (The Knights)“Mak Bach,” Mak Grgić“Of Power,” Curtis StewartBest Classical Solo Vocal Album“Confessions,” Laura Strickling; Joy Schreier, pianist“Dreams of a New Day – Songs by Black Composers,” Will Liverman; Paul Sánchez, pianist“Mythologies,” Sangeeta Kaur and Hila Plitmann (Virginie D’Avezac De Castera, Lili Haydn, Wouter Kellerman, Nadeem Majdalany, Eru Matsumoto and Emilio D. Miler)“Schubert: Winterreise,” Joyce DiDonato; Yannick Nézet-Séguin, pianist“Unexpected Shadows,” Jamie Barton; Jake Heggie, pianist (Matt Haimovitz)Best Classical Compendium“American Originals – A New World, A New Canon,” Agave and Reginald L. Mobley. Geoffrey Silver, producer.“Berg: Violin Concerto; Seven Early Songs and Three Pieces for Orchestra,” Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor; Jack Vad, producer.“Cerrone: The Arching Path,” Timo Andres and Ian Rosenbaum. Mike Tierney, producer.“Plays,” Chick Corea. Chick Corea and Birnie Kirsh, producers.“Women Warriors – The Voices of Change,” Amy Andersson, conductor; Amy Andersson, Mark Mattson and Lolita Ritmanis, producers.Best Contemporary Classical Composition“Akiho: Seven Pillars,” Andy Akiho, composer. (Sandbox Percussion)“Andriessen: The Only One,” Louis Andriessen, composer. (Esa-Pekka Salonen, Nora Fischer & Los Angeles Philharmonic)“Assad, Clarice and Sérgio, Connors, Dillon, Martin and Skidmore: Archetypes,” Clarice Assad, Sérgio Assad, Sean Connors, Robert Dillon, Peter Martin and David Skidmore, composers. (Sérgio Assad, Clarice Assad and Third Coast Percussion)“Batiste: Movement 11,” Jon Batiste, composer (Jon Batiste)“Shaw: Narrow Sea,” Caroline Shaw, composer (Dawn Upshaw, Gilbert Kalish and Sō Percussion)Best Instrumental Composition“Beautiful is Black,” Brandee Younger, composer (Brandee Younger)“Cat and Mouse,” Tom Nazziola, composer (Tom Nazziola)“Concerto for Orchestra: Finale,” Vince Mendoza, composer (Vince Mendoza and Czech National Symphony Orchestra featuring Antonio Sánchez and Derrick Hodge)“Dreaming In Lions: Dreaming In Lions,” Arturo O’farrill, composer (Arturo O’farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble)“Eberhard,” Lyle Mays, composer (Lyle Mays)Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella“Chopsticks,” Bill O’Connell, arranger (Richard Baratta)“For The Love Of A Princess (From ‘Braveheart’),” Robin Smith, Arranger (Hauser, London Symphony Orchestra and Robin Smith)“Infinite Love,” Emile Mosseri, Arranger (Emile Mosseri)“Meta Knight’s Revenge (From ‘Kirby Superstar’),” Charlie Rosen and Jake Silverman, arrangers (The 8-Bit Big Band featuring Button Masher)“The Struggle Within,” Gabriela Quintero and Rodrigo Sanchez, arrangers (Rodrigo Y Gabriela)Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals“The Bottom Line,” Ólafur Arnalds, Arranger (Ólafur Arnalds and Josin)“A Change is Gonna Come,” Tehillah Alphonso, Arranger (Tonality and Alexander Lloyd Blake)“The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire),” Jacob Collier, Arranger (Jacob Collier)“Eleanor Rigby,” Cody Fry, Arranger (Cody Fry)“To The Edge Of Longing (Edit Version),” Vince Mendoza, Arranger (Vince Mendoza, Czech National Symphony Orchestra and Julia Bullock)Best Recording Package“American Jackpot / American Girls,” Sarah Dodds and Shauna Dodds, Art Directors (Reckless Kelly)“Carnage,” Nick Cave and Tom Hingston, Art Directors (Nick Cave and Warren Ellis)“Pakelang,” Li Jheng Han and Yu, Wei, Art Directors (2nd Generation Falangao Singing Group and the Chairman Crossover Big Band)“Serpentine Prison,” Dayle Doyle, Art Director (Matt Berninger)“Zeta,” Xiao Qing Yang, Art Director (Soul Of Ears)Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package“All Things Must Pass: 50th Anniversary Edition,” Darren Evans, Dhani Harrison and Olivia Harrison, art directors (George Harrison)“Color Theory,” Lordess Foudre and Christopher Leckie, art directors (Soccer Mommy)“The Future Bites (Limited Edition Box Set),” Simon Moore, art director (Steven Wilson)“77-81,” Dan Calderwood and Jon King, art directors (Gang of Four)“Swimming in Circles,” Ramón Coronado and Marshall Rake, art directors (Mac Miller)Best Album Notes“Beethoven: The Last Three Sonatas,” Ann-Katrin Zimmermann, album notes writer (Sunwook Kim)“The Complete Louis Armstrong Columbia and RCA Victor Studio Sessions 1946-1966,” Ricky Riccardi, album notes writer (Louis Armstrong)“Creation Never Sleeps, Creation Never Dies: The Willie Dunn Anthology,” Kevin Howes, album notes writer (Willie Dunn)“Etching the Voice: Emile Berliner and the First Commercial Gramophone Discs, 1889-1895,” David Giovannoni, Richard Martin and Stephan Puille, album notes writers (Various Artists)“The King of Gospel Music: The Life and Music of Reverend James Cleveland,” Robert Marovich, album notes writer (Various Artists)Best Historical Album“Beyond the Music: Her Complete RCA Victor Recordings,” Robert Russ, compilation producer; Nancy Conforti, Andreas K. Meyer and Jennifer Nulsen, mastering engineers (Marian Anderson)“Etching the Voice: Emile Berliner and the First Commercial Gramophone Discs, 1889-1895,” Meagan Hennessey and Richard Martin, compilation producers; Richard Martin, mastering engineer (Various Artists)“Excavated Shellac: An Alternate History of the World’s Music,” April Ledbetter, Steven Lance Ledbetter and Jonathan Ward, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer (Various Artists)“Joni Mitchell Archives, Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963-1967),” Patrick Milligan and Joni Mitchell, compilation producers; Bernie Grundman, mastering engineer (Joni Mitchell)“Sign O’ the Times (Super Deluxe Edition),” Trevor Guy, Michael Howe and Kirk Johnson, compilation producers; Bernie Grundman, mastering engineer (Prince)Best Music Video“Shot in the Dark,” (AC/DC); David Mallet, video director; Dione Orrom, video producer.“Freedom,” (Jon Batiste); Alan Ferguson, video director; Alex P. Willson, video producer.“I Get a Kick Out of You,” (Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga); Jennifer Lebeau, video director; Danny Bennett, Bobby Campbell and Jennifer Lebeau, video producers.“Peaches,” (Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon); Collin Tilley, video director.“Happier Than Ever,” (Billie Eilish); Billie Eilish, video director; Michelle An, Chelsea Dodson and David Moore, video producers.“Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” (Lil Nas X); Lil Nas X and Tanu Muino, video directors; Frank Borin, Ivanna Borin, Marco De Molina and Saul Levitz, video producers.“Good 4 U,” (Olivia Rodrigo); Petra Collins, video director; Christiana Divona, Marissa Ramirez and Tiffany Suh, video producers.Best Music Film“Inside,” (Bo Burnham); Bo Burnham, video director; Josh Senior, video producer.“David Byrne’s American Utopia,” (David Byrne); Spike Lee, video director; David Byrne and Spike Lee, video producers.“Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles,” (Billie Eilish); Patrick Osborne and Robert Rodriguez, video directors.“Music, Money, Madness … Jimi Hendrix in Maui,” (Jimi Hendrix); John McDermott, video director; Janie Hendrix, John McDermott and George Scott, video producers.“Summer of Soul,” (Various Artists); Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, video director; David Dinerstein, Robert Fyvolent and Joseph Patel, video producers. 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      5 Classical Music Albums to Hear Right Now

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      Listen to Anna Netrebko’s new solo recording, Brahms clarinet and piano works, and Renaissance quartet arrangements.‘Amata dalle Tenebre’Anna Netrebko, soprano; Orchestra of the Teatro alla Scala; Riccardo Chailly, conductor (Deutsche Grammophon)The soprano Anna Netrebko has always been more satisfying in person — her voice blooms in the vast space of an opera house — than on recordings, where her super-wide vibrato feels, in close-up, less expressive than unsteady. On her new solo album she struggles to sustain the long, lush lines of “Es gibt ein Reich,” from “Ariadne auf Naxos”; soft phrases waver in “Ritorna vincitor” (“Aida”) and “When I am laid in earth” (“Dido and Aeneas”); “Un bel dì,” from “Madama Butterfly,” is shaky from start to finish; high notes are difficult throughout. She endures “Einsam in trüben Tagen” (“Lohengrin”) with steely determination, and the exuberant “Dich, teure Halle” (“Tannhäuser”) similarly seems to press her to her limits.But there is still time for Netrebko, 50, to do a staged “Queen of Spades,” excerpted with focused passion here. And the “Liebestod” from “Tristan und Isolde,” while audibly challenging for her, is movingly — and, at moments, ecstatically — negotiated. Given a meaty stretch to shine in the “Tristan” prelude, the orchestra of the Teatro alla Scala, under its music director, Riccardo Chailly, is otherwise mellow and very much in the background. “Sola, perduta, abbandonata” (“Manon Lescaut”) and especially “Tu che le vanità” (“Don Carlo”) convey, with generous, fiery, largely secure singing, the urgency of Netrebko’s best live performances. ZACHARY WOOLFEBach, HandelSabine Devieilhe, soprano; Pygmalion; Raphaël Pichon, conductor (Erato)Recorded in a Paris church days after a lockdown in France ended last December, this moving release of Bach cantatas and Handel arias is surely one of the most affecting albums to emerge from the pandemic. Opening with the soprano Sabine Devieilhe and the lutenist Thomas Dunford bewailing Christ’s agonies on the cross in the song “Mein Jesu! was vor Seelenweh,” and ending in a blaze of trumpet-topped praise with the “Alleluja” that concludes the cantata “Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen,” the album’s narrative arc — from sinfulness and repentance to faith and joy — is immensely satisfying.Much of that is because of the supreme detailing that Pichon (Devieilhe’s husband) draws from his starry ensemble Pygmalion, including the benediction that Dunford wraps around Cleopatra in “Piangerò,” the second of her laments from “Giulio Cesare”; Matthieu Boutineau’s feistily impulsive organ solo in the sinfonia from “Wir müssen durch viel Trübsal”; and the ethereal, almost cleansing violin of Sophie Gent in “Tu del Ciel ministro eletto,” the heart-stopping plea for mercy from “Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno.” Devieilhe is at the core of it all, wielding her voice with flashing sharpness one moment, crushing tenderness the next. DAVID ALLEN‘Here With You’Anthony McGill, clarinet; Gloria Chien, piano (Cedille)Brahms had all but decided to retire from composing when, in the early 1890s, he became friendly with the clarinetist Richard Mühlfeld and was inspired to write a series of major works, including two clarinet sonatas that have long been mainstays of the repertory.Anthony McGill, the New York Philharmonic’s principal clarinet, and the splendid pianist Gloria Chien offer vibrant and insightful performances of the sonatas on their new album. These works, like much of late Brahms, can come across as weighty and thick-textured, but this duo brings wonderful transparency to the scores. Even in dark, stormy episodes, McGill and Chien play with unforced fervor and eloquence.Particularly impressive is the way they convey the coherence of the final movement of the second sonata, written as a theme and variations — music that often seems awkwardly intricate, with curious turns and twists. The album also includes a glowing account of Jessie Montgomery’s mellow “Peace,” as well as an ebullient, dazzling yet unshowy performance of Weber’s virtuosic Grand Duo Concertant, which here sounds aptly grand. ANTHONY TOMMASINI‘Of All Joys’Attacca Quartet (Sony Classical)The Attacca Quartet’s name comes from the musical term for playing without a pause. And the group seems to be taking that literally: Their new album, “Of All Joys,” is their second this year after releasing their Sony Classical debut, “Real Life,” in July.“Real Life” was a shot of adrenaline, an electronic dance record that remixed music by the likes of Flying Lotus and took a refreshingly broad view of the string quartet form. “Of All Joys” — a juxtaposition of Renaissance arrangements and contemporary works by Arvo Pärt and Philip Glass — couldn’t be more different, yet its conceptual swerve from “Real Life” is fitting for an ensemble equally comfortable in Haydn and Caroline Shaw.Glass’s “Mishima” Quartet is the only proper string quartet on the new album, which takes its title from a line in the John Dowland song “Flow My Tears.” The rest is adaptation — an insistence on the elasticity of music, borne out with rich, organ-like sonorities in pieces like the Dowland or John Bennet’s “Weep, O Mine Eyes.”With a teeming “Mishima” at its heart, the album is also a testament to how few ingredients are needed to inspire emotional intensity — as in the players’ sudden shifts, during that quartet’s final movement, between churning arpeggios and streaks of lyricism. At the end of Pärt’s frosty “Fratres,” you might find yourself trying to reconcile the album’s title with its solemn sound world. But perhaps joy is something beyond mood; it may simply lie in the making of, and listening to, music. JOSHUA BARONE‘Phoenix’Stewart Goodyear, piano (Bright Shiny Things)Not many artists would place Mussorgsky, Debussy, Jennifer Higdon and Anthony Davis on the same album. But the pianist Stewart Goodyear intriguingly locates in all of them — as well as in two pieces by Goodyear himself, inspired by his Trinidadian roots — the fundamental influence of Liszt.Goodyear’s playing here has both virtuosic flash and deeply considered feeling. When approaching Davis’s “Middle Passage” — after the poem of the same name by Robert Hayden — he handles the more improvisatory sections with a pugilistic force indebted to Davis’s own 1980s reading on the Gramavision label. But Goodyear also treats Davis with a meditative touch that calls to mind the lush rendition of “Middle Passage” recorded by Ursula Oppens, who commissioned the piece.The final line of Hayden’s poem, “Voyage through death to life upon these shores,” gives a sense of the emotional range of the rest of the album. Selections from Debussy gambol and ruminate; Higdon’s “Secret and Glass Gardens” moves from a guarded interiority to brash, attention-grabbing declarations. And Goodyear’s performance of Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” likewise covers much ground, including a delightful “Ballet of Unhatched Chicks” and a stately “Great Gate of Kiev.” SETH COLTER WALLS More

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      Review: An Orchestra Offers a Novel View of Music History

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      At Carnegie Hall, Leon Botstein and The Orchestra Now took an always-needed step in uncovering overlooked American classical music.Pity the 19th-century American composer, toiling away in the shadow of Beethoven in search of a homegrown sound, only to be overshadowed by yet another European: Antonin Dvorak, whose “New World” Symphony is played far more often than anything from the New World that preceded it.Visiting the United States in the 1890s, Dvorak prophesied a future of American classical music founded on Black and Indigenous melodies. To an extent, that came true in the 20th century, but orchestras tended to overlook composers of color in favor of white, male ones — some of whom would come to be seen as national heroes, while their lesser-known compatriots would rely (and continue to rely) on passionate champions.And Europeans still haunted concert programming — a product, the historian Joseph Horowitz has asserted, of a cultural shift in American classical music from a focus on composers to performers that, fueled by the rise of radio broadcasts and recordings, calcified the repertoire of our largest cultural institutions.I’m being reductive, but the broad truth of this is that the myopic approach of much orchestral programming today — Eurocentric, with living composers rarely given the same pride of place as a Beethoven or Mahler — is nothing new.Then there are artists like Leon Botstein, an indispensable advocate of the unfairly ignored, who brought his ensemble The Orchestra Now to Carnegie Hall on Thursday for an evening of works that, despite covering a range of nearly 150 years, felt as fresh as a batch of premieres.Botstein belongs to a class of conductors and artistic directors — including Horowitz, as well as Gil Rose of the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Ashleigh Gordon and Anthony R. Green of Castle of Our Skins, and more — who bring an endlessly curious and almost archaeological mind to their programming. They operate on such a small scale, they can hardly reverse the course of American classical music history; but each concert, each recording, is an essential step in a better direction.Leon Botstein, left, led the program, which included a new concerto by Scott Wheeler for the violinist Gil Shaham.Caitlin Ochs for The New York TimesOn Thursday, Botstein and The Orchestra Now, a capable and game group of young musicians, took the latest of those steps with Julia Perry’s “Stabat Mater,” written in 1951, early in that composer’s short life; Scott Wheeler’s new violin concerto, “Birds of America,” featuring Gil Shaham; and George Frederick Bristow’s Fourth Symphony, “Arcadian,” from 1872.Perry’s work, an episodic setting of the classic Latin text that has inspired composers for centuries, seems to rise from the depths, awakening slowly with the sounds of gravelly cellos that eventually give away to the brightness of a solo violin and the entrance of the vocalist: here, the mezzo-soprano Briana Hunter, who navigated her part’s surprising turns and plunges with smooth and characterful ease.The score, like many American works from the mid-20th century, strikes a balance of dissonance and tonality. With a brief running time and modest scale, it is nonetheless dense, with thick textures emerging from its all-string ensemble and an affecting ambivalence in the final section of instrumental darkness and vocal ecstasy.Wheeler’s likable concerto, which the orchestra premiered last weekend at the Fisher Center at Bard College, has elements of timelessness — its lyricism akin to that of Barber and Korngold’s famous violin concertos — but also postmodernism, with snippets of classics like Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons.”Despite the avian title, Wheeler doesn’t emulate birdsong as Messiaen famously did, but he does take inspiration from the calls of distinct voices, with brief, repeated phrases attached to specific instruments — such as the whistling runs from a piccolo and flute that open the piece.Shaham, one of our sunniest violinists, entered accordingly with a singing melody on his highest string, and brought abundant warmth throughout. But he was also grippingly virtuosic in tricky, Sarasate-like passages of lyrical double-stops and left-hand pizzicato. In the finale, he engaged in a musical Simon Says, knocking on the back of his instrument and cuing the second violins to do the same, then setting up col legno tapping in the violas and high-pitched bird calls in the first violins. By the end, the winds joined in to evoke a wondrously bustling aviary.The evening ended with a rare reading of George Frederick Bristow’s “Arcadian” Symphony.Caitlin Ochs for The New York TimesWithout an intermission, Botstein continued with Bristow’s burly symphony, one of those works that is more heard about than actually heard. But when it premiered, in the midst of 19th-century debates about the direction of American classical music — documented, with an analysis of the “Arcadian,” in the musicologist Douglas W. Shadle’s revelatory 2015 book “Orchestrating the Nation” — it enjoyed the rare success of repeated programming.And on Thursday, you could hear why. With late-Romantic grandeur and American inspiration, the “Arcadian,” played at Carnegie in a new edition by Kyle Gann, charts an imagined journey westward with a changing musical landscape; a serene pause that conjures communal entertainment with a quote from Tallis’s “Evening Hymn”; a troublingly naïve and chauvinistic “Indian War Dance” that’s more of a European danse macabre; and a festive celebration upon arrival.As a document of history, it is an embodiment, ripe for interrogation, of Manifest Destiny’s sins. But as music, Bristow’s score holds its own alongside European Romanticism while transparently aiming for a new, more distinct path. He was hardly alone in this effort. There was a moment when New York’s concert halls resounded with 19th-century American symphonies. It’s time they did again.The Orchestra NowPerformed Thursday at Carnegie Hall, Manhattan. More

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      Review: A Surprise Conductor Makes a Superb Debut

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      Dima Slobodeniouk was an excellent fill-in with the New York Philharmonic in works by Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky.After decades of attending orchestra concerts, I’m still impressed when a conductor is able not only to jump in on short notice, but also confidently to take on a program planned by others.Especially when — as with the New York Philharmonic on Wednesday at Alice Tully Hall — the works, though hardly rarities, are not often heard and pose technical and interpretive challenges: Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1 and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 1 (“Winter Dreams”).Dima Slobodeniouk was the fill-in, making his Philharmonic debut leading a concert that had been devised by Semyon Bychkov, who withdrew a week ago. (The orchestra only said that Bychkov “will be unavailable to conduct.”)Slobodeniouk, the music director of the adventurous Galicia Symphony Orchestra in Spain and the former principal conductor of the Lahti Symphony Orchestra in Finland, arrived in New York fresh from an appearance with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. I’m not surprised that his Boston engagement was praised: Slobodeniouk had one of the most auspicious Philharmonic debuts of recent years, leading the orchestra in a Shostakovich concerto played with glittering brightness and a stylish, colorful and exuberant account of the Tchaikovsky.Shostakovich composed this work in 1947 and ’48, a period when his stock with the Soviet authorities who policed culture had once again plummeted. Perhaps that accounts for the elusive nature of the first movement, which he called a Nocturne: music of pensive, brooding darkness unfolding at a moderate, inexorable tempo. The violin plays an elegiac, wayward melody that seems just eloquently melancholy.The soloist, Karen Gomyo, making her Philharmonic subscription series debut, conveyed with richly warm and textured sound the ruminative quality of a lyrical line that keeps trying to take clear shape; the orchestra supported — almost comforted — her with plush, wistful chords, rich with deep strings. Yet Gomyo pressed below the surface to suggest that this music was not simply sad, but truly grief-stricken.The Scherzo comes as a complete contrast: biting and frenetic music, in breathless perpetual motion, with an intensely difficult violin part that tussles with a rattling, boisterous orchestra, especially some ornery woodwinds. A noble yet still dark Passacaglia slow movement leads to a vehement cadenza, and then a Burlesque finale. Here the bitter, almost hostile, ironic Shostakovich seems to come through in episodes of blaring fanfares and faux-triumphant marches. The orchestra captured it with brilliant sharpness, and Gomyo was extraordinary, dispatching the tangle of technical challenges with fervor and command.Tchaikovsky was 26 when he completed his “Winter Dreams” Symphony. He struggled with writing it, and later expressed mixed feelings about it. (He revised it in 1874.) But whenever I hear it, especially in a performance as good as this one, I wish I could have told Tchaikovsky to go easier on his youthful self: It’s a spirited, well-crafted and beguiling piece.Slobodeniouk found an ideal balance between breezy tranquillity and jabs of somberness in the first movement, “Daydreams of a Winter Journey.” The lovely, lyrical slow movement; the restless Scherzo, with its Mendelssohnian lightness; and the episodic Finale, which builds to a driving coda — all were splendidly performed.New York PhilharmonicThis program is repeated through Friday at Alice Tully Hall, Manhattan; nyphil.org. More

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      If Remote Work Empties Downtowns, Can Theaters Fill Their Seats?

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      Since the pandemic, San Francisco has embraced work-from-home policies. Now venues and concert halls are wondering if weeknight audiences are a thing of the past.SAN FRANCISCO — As live performance finally returns after the pandemic shutdown, cultural institutions are confronting a long list of unknowns.Will audiences feel safe returning to crowded theaters? Have people grown so accustomed to watching screens in their living rooms that they will not get back into the habit of attending live events? And how will the advent of work-from-home policies, which have emptied blocks of downtowns and business districts, affect weekday attendance at theaters and concert halls?Nowhere is that last question more urgent than here in San Francisco, where tech companies have led the way in embracing work-from-home policies and flexible schedules more than in almost any other city in the nation. Going to a weeknight show is no longer a matter of leaving the office and swinging by the War Memorial Opera House or the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall.“As people work from home, it is going to change our demographics,” said Matthew Shilvock, the general director of the San Francisco Opera. “It’s something that could be a threat. We’re all trying to wait and see whether there’s a surge of interest in live activity again or is there a continuation of just being at home, not coming into the city from the suburbs.”Arts groups are trying to gauge what the embrace of more flexible work-from-home policies will mean for their ability to draw audiences in a city whose housing crunch has already driven many people to settle far from downtown. Close to 70 percent of the audiences at the San Francisco Opera and the San Francisco Symphony — two nationally recognized symbols of this city’s vibrant network of performing arts institutions — live outside the city, according to data collected by the two organizations.“As people work from home, it is going to change our demographics,” said Matthew Shilvock, the general director of the San Francisco Opera, which presented a new production of Beethoven’s “Fidelio” this fall.Cory Weaver/San Francisco OperaSome economists see the trend of remote work persisting. “It’s likely we are going to have more people working from home than other places,” said Ted Egan, the chief economist for the city and county of San Francisco. “The tech industry seems to be the most generous for work-from-home policy, and employees are expecting that.”Twitter announced in the early months of the pandemic that it would allow almost all of its 5,200 employees, most based at its San Francisco office, to work at home permanently. At Salesforce, which has 9,000 employees, employees will only have to come to work one to three days a week; many will be allowed to work at home full time. Dropbox, which has its headquarters in San Francisco, also has adopted a permanent work-from-home policy. Facebook and Google, both of which have a significant presence in San Francisco, have implemented work-from-home policies.Egan said that the trend might pose more of a problem for the city’s bars and restaurants than for its performing arts institutions. “My suspicion is that performing arts are going to be less sensitive to working from home than other sectors,” he said. “It’s not the kind of purchase you do after work on a whim, like going for happy hour.”Attendance has been spotty as this city’s art scene climbs back. Just 50 percent of the seats were filled the other night for a performance of “The Displaced,” a “gentrification horror play” by Isaac Gómez, at the Crowded Fire Theater. “We had sold-out houses on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and much lower participation on Wednesday and Thursday night,” said Mina Morita, the artistic director. “It’s hard to tell if this is the new normal.”There were some patches of empty seats across the Davies Symphony Hall the other night, as the San Francisco Symphony presented the United States premiere of a violin concerto by Bryce Dessner, even though it was the third week of the long-delayed (and long-anticipated) first season for Esa-Pekka Salonen, its new music director. The concerto, with an energetic performance by Pekka Kuusisto, the Finnish violinist, was greeted by repeated standing ovations and glowing reviews.Attendance in October was down 11 percent compared to before the pandemic, but the symphony said advance sales were strong, suggesting normal audiences might return in spring.Twitter announced in the early months of the pandemic that it would allow almost all of its 5,200 employees, most based at its San Francisco office, to work at home permanently.Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency, via Getty Images“The audience is back,” Salonen said in an interview before he took the stage. “Not what it was, but they are back. Some nights have been a little thinner than others. By and large, the energy is good. Our worst fears have been dispelled.”The San Francisco Opera also began its new season with a splashy new hire: a new music director, Eun Sun Kim, who in August became the first woman to hold the position at one of the nation’s largest opera companies. She conducted a new production of Beethoven’s “Fidelio” this fall that incorporated chain-link fences and flickering video screens to update the story of the liberation of a political prisoner.Even so, the opera, which can seat 2,928 with Covid restrictions, sold an average of 1,912 tickets per show for “Fidelio,” its second production of this new season. That’s better than its second production in 2019, Britten’s “Billy Budd,” a searing work that does not always attract big crowds. But it drew fewer people than the opera’s second production in 2018, “Roberto Devereux,” which sold an average of 2,116 tickets a performance.“The urgency to be bold, to be innovative, to be compelling to get audiences to come back or give us a try for the first time has never been stronger,” Shilvock said. “There will be a hunger for things that have an energy, that have a vitality, that give a reason to come into the city.”Even before the pandemic, cultural organizations were dealing with challenges that threatened to discourage patrons, including a stressed public transportation system, traffic, parking constraints and the highly visible epidemic of homelessness. And many institutions were struggling to make inroads in attracting audiences and patrons from the tech industry, which now accounts for 19 percent of the private work force.Now, facing an uncertain future as they try to emerge from the pandemic shutdown, arts organizations are embracing a variety of tactics to fill seats..css-1xzcza9{list-style-type:disc;padding-inline-start:1em;}.css-3btd0c{font-family:nyt-franklin,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:1rem;line-height:1.375rem;color:#333;margin-bottom:0.78125rem;}@media (min-width:740px){.css-3btd0c{font-size:1.0625rem;line-height:1.5rem;margin-bottom:0.9375rem;}}.css-3btd0c strong{font-weight:600;}.css-3btd0c em{font-style:italic;}.css-w739ur{margin:0 auto 5px;font-family:nyt-franklin,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-weight:700;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.3125rem;color:#121212;}#NYT_BELOW_MAIN_CONTENT_REGION .css-w739ur{font-family:nyt-cheltenham,georgia,’times new roman’,times,serif;font-weight:700;font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.625rem;}@media (min-width:740px){#NYT_BELOW_MAIN_CONTENT_REGION .css-w739ur{font-size:1.6875rem;line-height:1.875rem;}}@media (min-width:740px){.css-w739ur{font-size:1.25rem;line-height:1.4375rem;}}.css-9s9ecg{margin-bottom:15px;}.css-uf1ume{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;-ms-flex-pack:justify;justify-content:space-between;}.css-wxi1cx{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-align-self:flex-end;-ms-flex-item-align:end;align-self:flex-end;}.css-12vbvwq{background-color:white;border:1px solid #e2e2e2;width:calc(100% – 40px);max-width:600px;margin:1.5rem auto 1.9rem;padding:15px;box-sizing:border-box;}@media (min-width:740px){.css-12vbvwq{padding:20px;width:100%;}}.css-12vbvwq:focus{outline:1px solid #e2e2e2;}#NYT_BELOW_MAIN_CONTENT_REGION .css-12vbvwq{border:none;padding:10px 0 0;border-top:2px solid #121212;}.css-12vbvwq[data-truncated] .css-rdoyk0{-webkit-transform:rotate(0deg);-ms-transform:rotate(0deg);transform:rotate(0deg);}.css-12vbvwq[data-truncated] .css-eb027h{max-height:300px;overflow:hidden;-webkit-transition:none;transition:none;}.css-12vbvwq[data-truncated] .css-5gimkt:after{content:’See more’;}.css-12vbvwq[data-truncated] .css-6mllg9{opacity:1;}.css-qjk116{margin:0 auto;overflow:hidden;}.css-qjk116 strong{font-weight:700;}.css-qjk116 em{font-style:italic;}.css-qjk116 a{color:#326891;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;-webkit-text-decoration-color:#326891;text-decoration-color:#326891;}.css-qjk116 a:visited{color:#326891;-webkit-text-decoration-color:#326891;text-decoration-color:#326891;}.css-qjk116 a:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Hope Mohr, the co-director of Hope Mohr Dance, said that her organization was spending $1,400 per night to livestream performances, so audiences could choose between coming into San Francisco or watching from their living rooms.“A hybrid experience — I have to do that from now on,” she said. “My company usually performs in San Francisco, and I have audience coming from all over the bay.”These calculations are taking place in an atmosphere of uncertainty and anxiety. It is not clear how much these early attendance figures represent a realignment, or are evidence of audiences temporarily trying to balance their hunger for live performances against concerns about the spread of the Delta variant — even in a city where 75 percent of the eligible population is fully vaccinated. Lower attendance figures have been reported by performing halls across the country.“The audience is back,” Esa-Pekka Salonen, the music director of the San Francisco Symphony, said. “Not what it was, but they are back. Some nights have been a little thinner than others. By and large the energy is good. Our worst fears have been dispelled.”Christopher M. Howard Opening nights have found performers relieved to be playing to real crowds again and audiences delighted to be back. “The convenience of at-home entertainment has made it not as desirable for some folks, ” said Ralph Remington, the director of cultural affairs for the San Francisco Arts Commission. “But that being said, even though the density of the numbers isn’t as great as it was prepandemic, the audiences that are coming are really enthusiastic.”Advance sales for “The Nutcracker” at the San Francisco Ballet, with one-third of the tickets going for just $19 a seat to help bring in new patrons (the average ticket price is $136), have been moving briskly.Danielle St. Germain-Gordon, the ballet’s interim executive director, said she hoped that working from home had made people eager to break out of their increasing isolation. “I would do anything to get out,” she said. “I hope that’s a good sign for our season.”At the height of the pandemic, about 85 percent of San Francisco-based employees worked from home; that number is about 50 percent now, said Enrico Moretti, an economics professor at the University of California, Berkeley.“I think it’s possible that people are not going to commute from Walnut Creek at night to go to downtown San Francisco for the opera to the same extent,” he said. “But I don’t expect those office buildings will sit empty. There will be other people moving into them.”The Magic Theater, a 145-seat-theater in Fort Mason, just beyond Fisherman’s Wharf, has been experimenting with different kinds of programming, such as a poetry reading, and pay-what-you-can seats to lure patrons who live — and now work — far from the theater.“This is going to be an interesting year for everyone,” said Sean San José, its artistic director. “Are people going to come back? The zeitgeist is telling us something. Maybe we should listen. This ain’t a pause. We have got to rethink it.” More

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      Review: Young Concert Artists Is Back, With a Superb Pianist

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      Zhu Wang played an unusually interesting and adventurous set of pieces at Zankel Hall.Since its founding in 1961, Young Concert Artists has supported emerging musicians who win its annual competition — including offering a coveted New York recital. But during the pandemic, these recitals had to go virtual.On Thursday the organization became the latest New York institution to resume in-person concerts when Zhu Wang, a 24-year-old pianist from China, gave an impressive recital at Zankel Hall. Zhu, making his New York debut, played a demanding 90-minute program without an intermission.With an unusually interesting and adventurous set of pieces, Zhu proved a thoughtful, sensitive performer. He began with Bach’s arrangement for keyboard of Alessandro Marcello’s Oboe Concerto in D minor; this was Bach’s pragmatic way of getting to know the latest currents in Italian music from the inside. A lithe, flowing first movement leads to a plaintive Adagio, followed by bustling Presto finale. Zhu balanced lyrical warmth and crisp clarity.He then turned to Schumann’s “Humoreske,” a 30-minute suite in seven movements. Performances of this remarkable piece are relative rarities, perhaps because its constant shifts of mood and flights of fancy can seem baffling. Zhu fervently conveyed the rhapsodic sweep and mercurial fervor of the music, while bringing out the inner structure that holds it together. He was especially impressive during episodes of wistful, poetic tenderness.He then spoke to the audience about the next work: Zhang Zhao’s “Pi Huang (Moments in Beijing Opera),” which he said offered impressions of Chinese opera, which combines music, dance and even martial arts and acrobatics. The short, fantastical piece was alive with trills and tremolos, rustling arpeggios, beguiling tunes and jittery dance segments driven by Bartokian cluster chords.Daniel Kellogg, who became president of Young Concert Artists when Susan Wadsworth, its founder, retired in 2019, appeared onstage with Nina Shekhar, the organization’s composer in residence, to introduce her “Vocalise.” (Shekhar will have an orchestral work played by the New York Philharmonic in May.)The term vocalise refers to a song without words. In this premiere, she adapted that concept to the piano. This ruminative 12-minute score begins and ends with an elegiac melody, inspired by Hindustani musical styles. There are stretches of thick, tart block chords, searching lyrical lines, mysterious washes of sound and delicate strands, brought together compellingly in Zhu’s account.He ended with Liszt — choosing not some overtly virtuosic piece, but that composer’s teeming, imaginative “Réminiscences de Norma,” a fascinating reflection on Bellini’s opera in which its melodies are transformed into piano music, by turns contemplative and exciting.Zhu played it brilliantly. And Young Concert Artists is back.Young Concert ArtistsThe bass-baritone William Socolof appears on Dec. 9 at Merkin Concert Hall, Manhattan; yca.org. More