Classical Reviews
Prom 7: BBCSO, Bělohlávek/Prom 8: Pet Shop BoysThursday, 24 July 2014
The Forties and Fifties, seen through the eyes of Shostakovich and the Pet Shop Boys, were the historical centre of gravity for last night’s courageously broad Proms programme. Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. Read more... |
Man Overboard, Aurora Orchestra, Collon, LSO St Luke'sTuesday, 22 July 2014
If the 15-word limit of a succinct listings blurb ever taught you a lesson let it be immediate suspicion of any performer or musician termed "jazzy". This wariness could extend to anything generically suffixed by "y" or "ish", simply because it suggests either pretence or a lack of original or strong identity. Read more... |
Prom 4: World Orchestra for Peace, GergievMonday, 21 July 2014
This was a rare outing by the World Orchestra for Peace, which has performed fewer than 20 concerts since the death of its founder Sir Georg Solti in 1997. UNESCO had designated this BBC Prom as "The 2014 Concert for Peace", the definite article implying a uniqueness which - according to rumour - is because concerts planned for Munich and Aix failed to get beyond the planning stage. It drew a respectable house to the Royal Albert Hall, which looked about three-quarters full. Read more... |
Simon Trpčeski, Wigmore HallSunday, 20 July 2014
No man is a prophet in his own land – except possibly the Macedonian pianist Simon Trpčeski. In the UK he shot to fame upon winning the London International Piano Competition in 2001 and at home he has become a national hero, his efforts rebooting the country’s classical music scene and inspiring the building of a new full-scale concert hall in Skopje – even though he is still a mere 35. He is also celebrated there as a popular songwriter. Read more... |
First Night of the Proms, BBCSO, Davis, Royal Albert HallSaturday, 19 July 2014
“And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.” To fill the Albert Hall – where a sizeable number of participants are standing, of course, in the best place – as handsomely as this, and as clearly, takes some work. Read more... |
Classical CDs Weekly: Hartmann, Mahler, Vaughan WilliamsFriday, 18 July 2014
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Classical CDs Weekly: Per Nørgård, Stephen Hough, The Society of Strange and Ancient InstrumentsFriday, 11 July 2014
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Daneman, Bostridge, Drake, Middle Temple HallThursday, 10 July 2014
Temple Music's enterprising song series, directed by pianist Julius Drake, brought a welcome rarity to Middle Temple Hall last night. Schumann's Myrthen, the garland of twenty-six songs dedicated to his intended bride Clara Wieck, are seldom heard in a complete performance. Even with an interval in the middle, they serve as a reminder of the power and sheer emotional range of Schumann's music. Read more... |
Pinnock's Passions, Handel's Garden, Sam Wanamaker PlayhouseTuesday, 08 July 2014
The latest in a series of "Pinnock’s Passions" concerts at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse saw the doyen of period instrument performance lead a delightful exploration of Handel the musical borrower, entitled "Handel’s Garden". As Trevor Pinnock writes in the programme notes, "throughout his life as a composer he had the habit of taking cuttings, transplanting and grafting from works old and new". Read more... |
Classical CDs Weekly: Turina, Rorem, Rhos Male Voice ChoirFriday, 04 July 2014
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