Classical Reviews

Classical CDs Weekly: Bach, Berlioz, Ensemble Galilei

graham Rickson Saturday, 14 December 2013

The Orgelbüchlein Project, Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula

David Nice Sunday, 08 December 2013

It was a bright idea which, thanks to careful programming, has delivered – among other special events – two rich concerts in the Tower of London’s unexpectedly welcoming Tudor church, courtesy of the enterprising Spitalfields Music Winter Festival. Bach left behind an exquisite volume, the “Little Organ Book”, designed to contain 164 chorale preludes.

Stott, Orchestra of Opera North, Farnes, Leeds Town Hall

graham Rickson Sunday, 08 December 2013

When you're young, you think that liking Elgar is a habit you'll grow into later in life, like buying a set of golf clubs or following The Archers in detail. As I shuffle into middle age, I find that I'm beginning to love this music more and more. I've given up making excuses to younger, hipper friends.

Currie, BBC Philharmonic, Mena, Bridgewater Hall, Manchester

philip Radcliffe Saturday, 07 December 2013

It was ironic, yet seasonal, that the BBC Philharmonic’s conductor-composer H K Gruber, who is said to be a descendant of the man who wrote “Silent Night” (Franz Xaver Gruber), should take centre stage with a rip-roaring, roof-raising percussion work that guaranteed exactly the opposite effect. At the same time Chief Conductor Juanjo Mena went back to his roots to bring us a riot of dance music – flamenco, waltz, Latin American, Malambo, Charleston and even a cowboy ballet.

Classical CDs Weekly: Britten, Hindemith, The Quadriga Consort

graham Rickson Saturday, 07 December 2013

Britten: Saint Nicolas, Hymn to St Cecilia, Rejoice in the Lamb Andrew Kennedy (tenor), Choir of Kings College Cambridge, Britten Sinfonia/Stephen Cleobury (Kings College)

Pavel Haas Quartet, Trifonov, Wigmore Hall

David Nice Tuesday, 03 December 2013

There are probably more fine string quartets in the world than audiences to listen to them, or so a gloomy estimate from a major chamber music festival would have us believe. Fortunately the Wigmore Hall usually guarantees crowds to hear the best, and at the highest level too we’re spoilt for choice.

theartsdesk at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival

Igor Toronyi-Lalic Monday, 02 December 2013

If Pizza Huts could speak, the Huddersfield branch would have quite some tale to tell. It was here in the late 1980s, over a deep pan, that one of 20th century music’s great feuds was put to bed, John Cage patching things up with Pierre Boulez, in the presence of Olivier Messiaen. Art has Venice. Film has Cannes. New music has Huddersfield. And every sticky floor of the town’s many restaurants has become hallowed ground.

György and Márta Kurtág, Queen Elizabeth Hall

Igor Toronyi-Lalic Monday, 02 December 2013

There was a strange moment at the end of yesterday's recital when, having exhausted their repertoire, octogenarians György and Márta Kurtág began to look around anxiously, wondering what more they could offer us. They eyed each other, then us, arms outstretched, shoulders shrugging guiltily, like they’d been caught with an empty fridge. Another standing ovation and I felt they might have returned with a plate of fig rolls.

Britten 100: An Aldeburgh Centenary Diary

Humphrey Burton Tuesday, 26 November 2013

The most intensive period of music-making I’ll ever experience, celebrating the 100^th birthday of Benjamin Britten in and around his home town, ended on Sunday. I’m an Aldeburgh resident and I attended everything on offer. I thought the best way to provide an overview was to compile a diary of the past four days with a line or two about each event.

Thursday 21 November (eve of the birthday)

Anne Sofie von Otter, Milton Court

Mark Valencia Sunday, 24 November 2013

There’s nowt so French as the mélodie and the chanson, but I’m not convinced they make ideal bedfellows. Nor, I suspect, is Anne Sofie von Otter, since she split the salon and cabaret halves of her Douce France recital with an interval (and the CD release of the same name with a change of disc).