Classical Reviews

Mitchell, Atkins, Johnston, Queen's Hall, Edinburgh

David Kettle Tuesday, 19 January 2016

It was a simple yet beautifully elegant way for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra to kick off its 2016 chamber concerts: a recital for flute, viola and harp, with Debussy’s beguiling Sonata as the centrepiece, and other contrasting music for the same trio orbiting around it.

Barenboim 60th Anniversary Concert, Simón Bolívar SO, Dudamel, RFH

Sebastian Scotney Monday, 18 January 2016

The memories were flooding back last night. Daniel Barenboim's speech after the concert, lasting about a quarter of an hour, contained vivid recollections of his first appearance on that stage in 1956 as a 13-year-old (playing the Mozart A major Concerto with the RPO and Josef Krips).

Comment

Turangalîla, Wang, Millar, Simón Bolívar SO, Dudamel, RFH

Bernard Hughes Sunday, 17 January 2016

Before this concert I had never seen Gustavo Dudamel conduct, and after it I still haven’t. Because of the alignment of my seat and the piano lid, all I saw of the Venezuelan maestro was the occasional glimpse of baton or dark curly hair. So this review will not take account of any podium flamboyance there may or may not have been: my response is purely to the end result. And that end result was good, but short of great.

Mozart's Piano 1, Butt, Aurora Orchestra, Kings Place

Sebastian Scotney Sunday, 17 January 2016

One down, 26 to go. “Mozart's Piano” is a series of concerts by the Aurora Orchestra at Kings Place, based around a complete cycle of Mozart's piano concertos. It started last night, and will reach its conclusion in 2020.

Classical CDs Weekly: Feldman, Nielsen, Scriabin

graham Rickson Saturday, 16 January 2016

Feldman: For Bunita Marcus Ivan Ilić (piano) (Paraty)

Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, Dudamel, RFH

David Nice Friday, 15 January 2016

So much black and red ink has been spilled about the infamous 1913 premiere of The Rite of Spring that it’s easy to underestimate how radical the orchestration, at least, of its predecessor Petrushka must have sounded. It still usually comes up as fresh as poster paint.

Kavakos, Bullock, LSO, Rattle, Barbican

Peter Quantrill Thursday, 14 January 2016

If the London Symphony Orchestra sounded simply magnificent in this programme of 20^th century French music, it was their restraint that caught the ear rather than the demonstration of an orchestral engine at full throttle for which they are justly renowned.

Comment

Watkins, BBCSO, Bychkov, Barbican

Gavin Dixon Wednesday, 13 January 2016

We don’t often hear Semyon Bychkov in the core Austro-German repertoire. That’s a great shame, because the qualities that make his Russian music performances so special are just as valuable here: the dynamism and immediacy, the supple but propulsive phrasing, and, above all, the firm, guiding hand, exerting control without imposing restraint.

Rana, CBSO, Gražinytė-Tyla, Symphony Hall Birmingham

Richard Bratby Monday, 11 January 2016

As pianist Beatrice Rana ran up the final bars of Schumann’s Piano Concerto, the conductor Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla turned to her soloist and simply beamed. As well she might. Rana is an artist whose advance publicity belies the seriousness and selflessness of her playing.

Comment

Cesari, BBCSSO, Pintscher, City Halls, Glasgow

David Kettle Sunday, 10 January 2016

Forget your celebratory Messiahs and your crowd-pleasing Strauss galas. Instead of easing listeners gently into 2016 with conventional New Year fare, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra went for the shock approach in its 2016 opening concert: non-stop, back-to-back, uncompromising contemporary music. And it felt like a marvellously bracing, ear-cleansing, provocative way to kick off the year’s concerts.