Category Archives: Uncategorized

This was the first time I’ve heard the RLPO live in their home base and, indeed, the first time I’ve heard them at all since the 1970s, when they were, I remember, conducted by Charles Groves. They sounded a bit ropey then – now they sound like an extremely fine band. Their hall lacks reverberation,Continue reading “Bruckner 8: RLPO, Hindoyan: Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, 27/1/22”

Mahler Symphony No.3: Sir Mark Elder, conductor | Alice Coote, mezzo-soprano | Sopranos and altos of the Hallé Choir | Hallé Children’s Choir This was a hugely enjoyable performance, all the more special because the massed ranks of orchestral players and choristers present on stage, and the sold-out Bridgewater Hall audience packed in to hearContinue reading “Mahler 3: Halle/Elder/Coote: Bridgewater Hall 23/1/22”

Bach, Cello suites 1 & 3; Ensemble 360 cellist, Gemma Rosefield, Gemma Rosefield, in a brief interaction with the audience between the two suites, told us that she was playing on a cello made in Naples in 1704 by Alessandro Gagliano, and was formerly owned and played by George IV. Thus, it had been madeContinue reading “Bach / Rosefield  MITR, Sheffield Upper Chapel 21/1/22”

BACH Prelude & Fugue in C from the Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I; SCHUMANN Ten Impromptus on a Theme by Clara Wieck Op.5; PROKOFIEV Visions fugitives; BYRD Fantasia in A minor; LIGETI Etude No.10 Der Zauberlehrling; SCHUBERT Fantasie in C Wanderer Fantasy. Mishka Rushdie Momen (piano) This was my first live concert in nearly 6 weeks.Continue reading “Bach/Mozart/Schubert/Byrd/Prokofiev/Schumann/Ligeti – Momen, MITR Sheffield Crucible Studio”

Bach Flute Sonata in E flat BWV1031 – II. Siciliano (arranged by Wilhelm Kempff)[ Chaconne from Partita No. 2 in D minor for solo violin BWV1004 (arranged by Ferruccio Busoni); Prokofiev, Piano Sonata No. 2 in D minor Op. 14; Liszt, Schwanengesang S560 – Ständchen ‘Leise flehen meine Lieder’; Rhapsodie espagnole S254 George Harliono isContinue reading “George Harliono, piano – Bach, Prokofiev, Liszt: Wigmore Hall 8/12/21”

Anthony Negus, conductor; Matthew Rose (Wotan), Rachel Nicholls (Brünnhilde), Nicky Spence (Siegmund), Emma Bell (Sieglinde), Brindley Sherratt (Hunding), and Susan Bickley (Fricka). Director Richard Jones; design Stewart Laing After waiting for a long time to see this production, and having been discouraged by the broadly negative responses in the main-stream press (the most positive IContinue reading “Wagner, The Valkyrie – ENO Coliseum, London 7/12/21”

Cal McCrystal, Director; takis, designer;  Les Dennis, Sir Joseph Porter;  Elgan Llŷr Thomas, Ralph; Alexandra Oomens, Josephine; Hilary Summers, Buttercup; Chris Hopkins, conductor. It constantly amazes me that anyone in this age should want to go and see Gilbert and Sullivan. The satire for the most part is feeble, the send-up of opera now wearingContinue reading “HMS Pinafore – ENO, Coliseum, London: 6/12/21”

Suk – Fantastic Scherzo; Rachmaninov – Piano Concerto No.4; Dukas -The Sorcerer’s Apprentice; Janácek – Sinfonietta: Halle Orchestra, Sir Mark Elder, conductor and Boris Giltburg,  piano This was a really excellent concert. This was, from my perspective, because: The hall was very full, as it should have been for such a great concert The scherzoContinue reading “Suk/Rachmaninov/Dukas/Janacek: Halle, Elder, Giltberg – Bridgewater Hall”

Fantasia – Matteis; O Mirium – Ruta Vitkauskaite; Elsewhere – Finnis; Sarabande in D Minor – Bach; Tinge – Michael Gordon; Outshifts (3 Movements) – Emily Hall; Curved Form – Alex Groves; LAD – Julia Wolfe:  Rakhi Singh- Solo Violin Recital This was a somewhat different concert to the type I’d normally attend, but alsoContinue reading “Rakhi Singh – Firth Hall, University of Sheffield 18/11/21”

Howell, Lamia; R. Strauss, Four Last Songs; R. Strauss, Serenade; Mozart Symphony No.41, ‘Jupiter’: Halle Orchestra – Christian Reif, conductor; Natalya Romaniw, soprano This was interesting programming – both the Strauss Serenade and the Howell piece were written when their composers were precociously young – 17 and 20 respectively – and of course Mozart wasContinue reading “Howell, R.Strauss, Mozart: Halle – Reif/Romaniw, Bridgewater Hall, 11/11/21”