A NINTH GEARED TO OUR UNCERTAIN TIMES
The Beethoven 9th at center stage this week was over the top. Conductor Xian Zhang was making the grand gesture again and again while pacing this glorious work, bringing it home in a brisk 63 minutes. Her letter-perfect crescendo building up in the opening movement was enough to make every one sit up and take notice right away. It was the right work at the right time in our lives—-a cry of hope during a cruel war raging in the…