Essays

Harlow is a program annotator for The Boston Symphony. He has written program and liner notes for numerous performances and recordings, including these Grammy Award winners:

Shostakovich Symphonies Nos. 4 & 11 Andris Nelsons, Boston Symphony Orchestra

2018 Grammy Awards
BEST ORCHESTRAL PERFORMANCE
BEST ENGINEERED CLASSICAL ALBUM
Shostakovich Symphonies Nos.  5, 8 & 9
Andris Nelsons, Boston Symphony Orchestra

2016 Grammy Award
BEST ORCHESTRAL PERFORMANCE
Shostakovich Symphony No. 10
Andris Nelsons, Boston Symphony Orchestra

2015 Grammy Award
BEST ORCHESTRAL PERFORMANCE

“‘The greatness of Shostakovich’s music lies beyond politics,’ Maestro Andris Nelsons observed recently at Symphony Hall in Boston. ‘It speaks to people whether they know the times he lived in or not.’

 

 

But what momentous, terrible times they were. …”

From Deutsche Grammophon CD release notes, written by Harlow Robinson
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, ANDRIS NELSONS, CONDUCTOR
DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH
Under Stalin’s Shadow
Symphonies Nos. 5,8 & 9
Incidental music to Hamlet

Harlow has written program notes and essays for the following:

  • Boston Symphony Orchestra
  • New York Philharmonic
  • Philadelphia Orchestra
  • Los Angeles Philharmonic
  • San Francisco Symphony
  • Aspen Music Festival
  • Bard Festival
  • Colorado Symphony
  • Chicago Symphony
  • Metropolitan Opera
  • Boston Lyric Opera
  • Rotterdam Philharmonic
  • Salzburg Festival
  • Scottish National Opera
  • Lincoln Center Great Performers
  • Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
  • Carnegie Hall
  • San Francisco Opera
  • Sydney Symphony
  • Seattle Opera

Harlow has also annotated these BSO CDs:

View a comprehensive list of recordings Harlow has annotated.

“‘I could not live without the music of Shostakovich,’ said maestro Andris Nelsons in a recent interview at Symphony Hall in Boston.”

From Deutsche Grammophon CD release notes, written by Harlow Robinson
BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, ANDRIS NELSONS, CONDUCTOR
DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH
Symphony No. 10
“Passacaglia” from Lady Macbeth of Mtensk

Have a question or comment for Harlow? Use this form to send a message or email him at harlo@mindspring.com.