Charles Blow

Purcell’s genius abounds throughout the latest volume of The Sixteen’s celebrated exploration of his music for monarchy. Rarely recorded in recent years, Harry Christophers and his award-winning ensemble breathe fresh life into these exquisite works, including two Welcome Songs and one of Purcell’s most famous verse anthems, Rejoice in the Lord always.

Josef Suk began writing the funeral symphony Asrael to commemorate his teacher and father-in-law Antonín Dvořák. During the course of work, however, Fate dealt him another crushing blow: Asrael, the Angel of Death, took away Suk’s wife and Dvořák’s daughter, Otilie. The symphony is a story of a suffering whose strength seems simply unendurable, yet also a story of its overcoming, seeking solace and hope.

Mingus In Greenwich Village may not win him admirers or offer much insight about his music, but the documentary offers a powerful look into the soul of the legendary bassist. Then again, it may come as little shock to those familiar with his autobiography "Beneath The Underdog," where he plays loose with facts and seems to focus more on his torturous relationships with women than his music. The 58-minute black-and-white film, shot mostly by a University of New York student, centers on the evening wait in November of 1966, interspersed with a few performances and clips of events related to Mingus' comments.