advertisement


Classical Concert chat...

And it was wonderful! Good singing (terrific in the case of the villain, whose role is entirely in dramatic flamenco style), good choreography, interesting set design which contributed to the action... and Golijov's management of tension is sublime. Then there is the sheer beauty of much of the music...

The response from nearly all of our supporters was equally enthusiastic - which is just as well, considering that half of them had never heard the opera and only went because I plugged this trip pretty hard... I believe that there are 2 more performances to come, in Milton Keynes and Southampton. One man was seriously considering going again 😎
 
Here for the Saint-Saëns ‘organ’ Symphony, Beethoven violin concerto and a beautiful short contemporary piece by US composer Carlos Simon, “Fate Now Conquers” NY Philharmonic conducted by Stéphane Denève.

Concerts & Tickets

Founded in 1842, the New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra with its home at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. View performance calendar.
nyphil.org nyphil.org

Last time I was in this aircraft hanger of an auditorium was 24 years ago for the Beethoven Missa Solemnis under Masur. The acoustic is still a bit aircraft hanger even with the $100m makeover funded by David Geffen. Balance was way off where I sat- brass and percussion were thrillingly loud but the strings and solo violin disappeared off into the cavern. Perhaps unsurprising, yet other venues can still achieve an acoustic blend in seats above the stage- Berlin and Paris Philharmonies, Gewandhaus and Rotterdam to give four examples.

kQlGZJ1.jpg
 
TheDecameron said:
...a beautiful short contemporary piece by US composer Carlos Simon, “Fate Now Conquers” NY Philharmonic conducted by Stéphane Denève...
Click to expand...
I'm glad you liked the Carlos Simon piece - we will be hearing it at Symphony Hall in Birmingham (UK, not Alabama!) on January 25th - and I expect it to sound pretty good no matter where we sit 🙂
 
Royal Academy of Music for Handel's Ariodante - a vivid portrayal on a small stage - wonderful to see & hear the opera with tomorrow's stars.
 
Went to the Bridgewater Hall last night to hear Beethoven's 2nd symphony and Rossini's Stabat Mater played by the Hallé Orchestra conducted by Mark Elder. Wonderful performances, and the chorus and soloists were excellent, but why do they have to put English surtitles on a hanging glorified London underground station announcement board - so distracting. Personally I'd rather not know the translation and just revel in the music.
 
Usher Hall on last 2 Fridays for the RSNO.

Last week - James MacMillan conducting his own Christmas Oratorio. I wasn't sure I was going to like this, but I did. I do have a general feeling about a lot of James MacMillan's music that it is better when he stops bothering the big guy upstairs, and veers away from his liturgical preoccupations. But this was good regardless, though I wish the ending had a bit more power and grandeur. So good that I bought the recording by London Philharmonic and Mark Elder - which turns out to be a much sharper and better performance than the one I heard, the RSNO and Chorus were underpowered by comparison. Sterling work from the vocal solists Roderick Williams and Rhian Lois, both sounded fine.

James Macmilllan: Christmas Oratorio: Amazon.co.uk: CDs & Vinyl

Buy James Macmilllan: Christmas Oratorio by Crowe, Williams, Edler, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Macmillan,James from Amazon's Classical Music Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
www.amazon.co.uk

Last night - Thomas Sondergard back on the podium.... new work "The Flight of Icarus" by Austrian polymath composer/pianist/conductor/poet Lera Auerbach who came on stage to talk about the music for five mins before the concert. It is one movement from an as yet uncompleted symphony she is writing, the RSNO hope to perform it complete next year..... I will be there if they do as it was quite powerful compelling music.

Then Shostakovich 1st Cello Concerto, with Pei-Jee Ng who has just been appointed principal Cello of the orchestra. This was superb, I can easily say one of the best concerto performances I have ever heard. Pei-Jee should be aiming higher than an orchestral principal, his playing had such strong character, tone and power. The orchestral accompaniment was heroic too, especially the sole french horn.

After the interval.... Rimsky Korsakov's Sheherazade. Yes its a bit classic FM, its the music your primary school music teacher made you listen to try to spark an interest.... but it is still wonderful music. Its like a big warm scented bath of sumptuous big tunes and wonderful orchestration. Loved it.
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
Wigmore Hall on Saturday for a song recital by Christian Gerhaher & Gerold Huber - Faure, Tchaikovsky, Pavel Hass & Berlioz interspersed with three Chopin Mazurkas & Ballade #4. Exquisite expressive singing & playing.
 
Dancer_not said:
Royal Academy of Music for Handel's Ariodante - a vivid portrayal on a small stage - wonderful to see & hear the opera with tomorrow's stars.
Click to expand...
I studied at the Royal Academy with some of "today's stars". Annie Lennox played flute in one of my orchestras, Joe Jackson played piano in our jazz band and Simon Rattle was in my advanced harmony class. Irving Arditti was also in my year but I didn't know him. It was a good vintage.
 
Looking forward to Armonico Consort on Saturday 3rd Feb, giving a first performance of recently re-discovered Scarlatti oratorio, Daniele, then Misere Mei and the Handle Dixit Dominus. Will report what it was like!
 
To the Barbican yesterday for Il Pomo D'Oro with Fatma Said, Joyce Didonato + wonderful others and chorus for Jepthe by Carissimi & Dido + Aneas by Purcell. Full & rousing applause.
 
What an incredible evening it was too! I had gone to hear Fatma Said and DiDonato but my favourite soloists were actually Carlotta Columbo (soprano) , Beth Taylor (mezzo) & Hugh Cutting (countertenor). The choir were the best I have heard for Baroque music. Stellar entertainment.
 
Armonico Consort at Malvern, Saturday 3rd Feb.

The Scarlatti was very good, on only its second public performance; the manuscript was (re)discovered recently in the library of one of the Cambridge colleges.. Some lovely textures and effects, full choir at the start and end, then various combinations of soloists. Slightly spoilt by one of the choir members fainting, and having to be led off the stage, while everybody played and sang on without a note being missed; various people appeared from back stage to help, and at one point the first violin (concert master?) disappeared, I guess to check on the patient. It was announced at the end that they were OK. They will record the Scarlatti in a few weeks, and the CD will be out later in the year.

After the interval we had Handel, including the Dixit Dominus, which I had not heard in concert before. Absolutely excellent, real verve, great singing, and some really fun effects, with one section where the organ continuo sounded like a groovy 1960s pop song ( sorry Mr Handel!).
 
www.artscityliverpool.com

Review: Youth Orchestra reunion concert at Philharmonic Hall

Reunions can be tricky things. They often come arm in arm with huge expectations which, thanks to intervening time and tide, are sometimes hard to fulfil. But this (to give it its full title) Merseyside Youth Orchestra and Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra Reunion Concert at the Phil proved...
www.artscityliverpool.com www.artscityliverpool.com

A most enjoyable afternoon. It's not every day you get to see Sir Simon shaking his maracas.
 
Basingstoke Anvil last night for the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra performing extracts from Tan Dun's Crouching Tiger Cello Concerto, based on his film score for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. It's roots show through clearly in the strong rhythmic playing (Jiapeng Nie, cello) and thrilling percussion. Then a quieter mood for Chausson's Poeme, and Saint-Saens' Rondo Capriccioso (Tamsin Waley-Cohen, violin). The second half was great - Respighi's Fountains Of Rome and Pines Of Rome, played with maximum gusto and a real joy! Anyone who thinks classial music is dull should go along to hear these works.

Sadly and not that unusually, the arena was only half full for this debut tour performance. What a shame. We made plenty of noise though and got a few encores.

Tomorrow (22 March) is their last date, at Croydon Fairfield Halls.
 
“A man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?”

This quotation from Robert Browning prefaces Mark Simpson's Violin Concerto - Nicola Benedetti (+bump) was back at the Usher Hall last night to give the Scottish Premiere of this fantastic work. RSNO and David Afkham supported.

What an amazing concert. There so much passion and energy in this music, I desperately hope that Nicola Benedetti is making a recording - but impending motherhood might be a priority for her I suppose!

The back row of the orchestra had maybe 16-17 different percussion instruments, 5 percussionists navigated them like an assault course.... the orchestral effects were incredible at some points This is a big showy piece of music, very bold. Huge applause at the end from a nearly full hall.

www.boosey.com

Mark Simpson: reviews of new _Violin Concerto_ with Nicola Benedetti

The first performance of Mark Simpson’s new _Violin Concerto_ appeared in April as a streamed premiere with Nicola Benedetti and the London Symphony Orchestra, prompting a host of reviews acclaiming its passion and charged lyricism.
www.boosey.com

The second half of the concert was a very solid account of Shostakovich's 5th Symphony. No quibbles, a totally competent performance but it couldn't help but be overshadowed by the first half. Its the second time in 2 years that the RSNO have performed this as part of their season, we heard Andrei Boreyko conduct it in April 2022..... a bit odd to repeat it so soon. But no complaints it was a worthy performance.

They are doing it all again tonight in Glasgow - will be well worth it if you can get there.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top