MUSIC
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2018
7:30 PM

Pierre-Laurent Aimard / Tamara Stefanovich
Zankel Hall, Carnegie Hall
881 Seventh Avenue, Midtown, Manhattan

$54-$65
https://www.carnegiehall.org/Calendar/2018/10/25/Pierre-Laurent-Aimard-Piano-Tamara-Stefanovich-Piano-0730PM

Pierre-Laurent Aimard and his onetime student Tamara Stefanovich are two staggeringly good pianists who like to mix Old-Skool High Modernist pieces (no "indie classical" for them!) with standard rep.  In this two-piano recital, it's all pretty Modern:  a new piece by Harrison Birtwistle, which should be gnarly but rewarding; Messiaen's spectacularly great (and very enjoyable!) Visions de l'Amen; the seven pieces from Bartók's didactic piano cycle Mikrokosmos that Bartók adapted for two pianos; and a Ravel rarity.   The Birtwistle will be challenging, sure -- but the rest of this stuff will surprise you in its out-of-the-box appeal.

MAKE A NIGHT OF IT:  Yakitori Totto is no longer the very best Japanese grilled-skewered chicken bits place in the City.  But it's probably still the most fun.  And it still has the coldest beer I've ever drank (the draft Sapporo).