Classical Reviews
Vassallo, CBSO, Chauhan, Symphony Hall BirminghamThursday, 10 March 2016
Funny thing, musical fashion. Most listeners would call Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances a popular classic – yet before tonight, I doubt they’d had a professional performance in Birmingham this century. Then there’s the case of Osvaldo Golijov. Remember him? Read more... |
Andsnes and Friends 2, Dulwich Picture GalleryWednesday, 09 March 2016
Nature, nationalism, folk culture: the broad themes of Norway’s visual arts map easily onto its music. That has given Leif Ove Andsnes and his colleagues plenty of leeway in planning their musical tributes to the painter Nikolai Astrup. Read more... |
Andsnes and Friends at the Astrup Exhibition, Dulwich Picture GalleryTuesday, 08 March 2016
It's rare that a sponsor does more than stump up the money for culture and sometimes request a mention in a review (usually ignored). Read more... |
Classical CDs Weekly: Chagrin, Dukas, MozartSaturday, 05 March 2016
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Williams, Janiczek, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Queen's Hall, EdinburghFriday, 04 March 2016
Just a few days earlier, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra had been doing a pretty convincing impression of a symphony orchestra in a powerful Vaughan Williams Fifth Symphony under John Storgårds. And here they were, in crisp, nimble Mozart and Beethoven, being a thoroughly convincing period band – well, with valveless horns, at least. They’re nothing if not versatile. Read more... |
Kelemen, BBCSO, Wigglesworth, BarbicanThursday, 03 March 2016
In the deep recesses of my brain lies a distant memory of an early lesson in musical appreciation in primary school. Excerpts from Beethoven’s "Pastoral" Symphony were being played. The teacher asked us what images came to mind. The answers came fairly quickly, prodded by the music’s title: a babbling brook, a thunderstorm, twittering birds. I was on my way. Read more... |
Giltburg, RSNO, Prieto, Usher Hall, EdinburghSunday, 28 February 2016
To a freezing grey night in Scotland’s capital, the conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto brought a welcome ray of Mexican sunshine. Wearing a broad grin he marched onto the platform of the Usher Hall and launched into Rodion Shchedrin’s impish Concerto for Orchestra No.1, Naughty Limericks, with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Read more... |
Classical CDs Weekly: Louis Aubert, Schubert, Claudio AbbadoSaturday, 27 February 2016
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Vengerov, Saitkoulov, Barbican HallThursday, 25 February 2016
In 2007 Maxim Vengerov had to withdraw completely from violin playing, and stayed away for four years. He had suffered the after effects of a weight-lifting injury to his shoulder, and needed surgery. But he also described at the time that he felt he needed to re-learn the instrument. Read more... |
Classical CDs Weekly: Handel, Reicha, StravinskySaturday, 20 February 2016
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Francis Chagrin: Symphonies 1 and 2 BBC Symphony Orchestra/Martyn Brabbins (Naxos)
Louis Aubert: Sillages, Violin Sonata etc Jean-Pierre Armengard (piano), Alessandro Fagiuoli (violin), Olivier Chauzu (piano) (Grand Piano)
Handel: Duetti e Terzetti italiani Roberto Invernizzi (soprano), La Risonanza/Fabio Bonizzoni (Glossa)Pages
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