Author Archives: John

Another good piece of happenstance…….Covid pinging or the increased number of cases overall is now beginning to make quite a big impact. There were three trains cancelled going down to London from my rail station ‘because of a shortage of drivers’; I was originally going down to London for a trustees meeting, two operas andContinue reading “L’Amico Fritz, Mascagni: Opera Holland Park – 16/7/21”

This was a very good concert (Strauss’ Metamorphosen, Barber’s Adagio and Schoenberg’s Verklaerte Nacht). Because again of commercial constraints the numbers of players had been reduced to 7 (6 for the Schoenberg). But – there is evidence that Strauss was originally thinking of a septet, before receiving a commission from Paul Sacher for his stringContinue reading “R.Strauss, Barber and Schoenberg – members of the Northern Chamber Orchestra: Buxton St Johns Church, Buxton Festival , 14/7/21”

The programme was Malcolm Arnold’s Piano Trio (1956), a Piazzolla selection of two movements from his ‘Four Seasons in Buenos Aires’ and Smetana’s Piano Trio. Another Arnold work, which made me think a bit more about this man’s music……. I remember Arnold conducting at the Proms when I was a teenager – a rather sweatyContinue reading “Arnold, Piazzola, and Smetana – Trio Rouge: Buxton St Johns Church, Buxton Festival , 14/7/21”

I think it’s great to hear new things and I increasingly try to do that when planning my concert-going. I therefore made a bee-line for this when the BIF brochure came out. However, as is only logical, going for the unfamiliar is sometimes a bit of a hit-and-miss affair. While there are masterpieces that eitherContinue reading “The Dancing Master – Malcolm Arnold: Buxton Opera House, Buxton Festival 13/7/21”

The programme was Haydn Piano Trio in A Hob.XV/18 and Beethoven’s Piano Trio in B flat Op.97 “Archduke”. The concert from my perspective was a bit of happenstance that worked well. Originally this was to be a violin and piano recital – Beethoven and one of the violinist’s own works – by Jennifer Pike andContinue reading “Beethoven / Haydn: ‘Martin Roscoe’ Trio, Buxton St John’s Church, Buxton Festival, 13/7/21”

I really enjoyed this, and rather wished I had booked to see it a second time, as there is a lot to take in in what feels like a very concentrated hour and 40 minutes or so. The basic story is a follow on from the familiar tale of Dido and Aeneas as told byContinue reading “Dido’s Ghost – Purcell/Wallen: Buxton Festival (Opera House): 11/7/21”

The programme was Louise Farrenc’s Overture No.1 in E minor, followed by Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, and then Schumann’s Symphony No.1, ‘Spring’. The Halle was conducted by Tomáš Hanus, and the violinist was the indefatigable Alina Ibragimova, who stepped in at short notice to replace a self-isolating Chloe Hanslip. Louise Farrenc was recognised as an outstandingContinue reading “Farrenc / Mendelssohn / Schumann – Halle, Hanus, Ibragimova – Bridgewater Hall 1/7/21”

The final event of my weekend in London was an unexpected delight. The Aquinas Piano Trio were performing Haydn’s Piano Trio Op. 40, completed during the final few weeks of Haydn’s second and last trip to London in 1795. The other work was Smetana’s only Piano Trio. It is always exciting to hear a workContinue reading “Aquinas Piano Trio – Haydn and Smetana, Wigmore Hall 27/6/21”

Sorry, this is a bit of a grumble. Yes, I know these are difficult times and that we should be grateful for any live music happening anywhere, but this was still – by the recent standards of the Halle, CBSO and LSO – a remarkably short concert  – just over an hour’s music, Beethoven 2Continue reading “London Mozart Players, Stephanie Childress and Isata Kenneh-Mason, Cadogan Hall, 26/6/21”

I had been intending to go to a performance at Kings Place of the Bach B Minor mass in the evening but that got postponed till October a few days earlier, so I was scrabbling around for other things to go to on Saturday at the last minute. Though I would never have gone toContinue reading “Piccadilly Sinfonietta, St James Piccadilly 26/6/21”