Death and Precipitation at Tanglewood

“” (…) “Death and Transfiguration”. In the right hands, this ethereal music has the power to transcend. Conductor Stéphane Denève guided the BSO in a lush, heartfelt, and majestic performance that was indeed transcendent. (…) Denève’s conducting style involves very little body movement (which tends to keep his flowing golden mane in check), yet this relatively undemonstrative approach is highly effective. (…) Prior to the evening’s final work, Francis Poulenc’s “Stabat Mater,” Maestro Denève regaled concertgoers with a dash of charming and illuminating introductory commentary in which he delineated the overarching theme of tonight’s concert: death. (…) At any rate, in this half-century anniversary year of Poulenc’s death, his Stabat Mater enjoyed its Tanglewood premiere as the evening’s final offering. (…) Their rendition, along with the orchestra’s, was solid and spot-on. (…) Following a startlingly full-throated “Amen!,” the audience once again leapt to its feet, in appreciation of a moving, thought-provoking, and ultimately uplifting evening of music.”