CD Reviews: Brooklyn Rider puts a hipster spin on Beethoven string quartet, and The Knights search for peace in repetition

New York string quartet, Brooklyn Rider.

Hip people love classical music as much as anyone else, they just don’t want to perform it or listen to it in the same old, same old way.

Among the hippest of the hip classical musicians these days are New York City’s Brooklyn Rider, who have released their fifth album, built around Ludwig van Beethoven’s epic, five-movement String Quartet No. 14.

The quartet’s cellist, Eric Jacobsen, is the leader of a new orchestra called The Knights, which also has a noteworthy new album out.

Review: Conductor John Storgaards makes electric début with Toronto Symphony Orchestra

Finnish conductor John Storgaards makes impressive début with Toronto Symphony Orchestra on Feb. 16.

There was electricity in the air along with the music during the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s entire performance on Thursday night at Roy Thomson Hall.

Between visiting Finnish conductor John Storgaards, violin soloist Sarah Chang, the orchestra’s own fine playing and an intense program of works by Jean Sibelius, Dmitri Shostakovich and Ludwig van Beethoven, this turned into an ideal night at the symphony.