Tag Archives: piano

Tippett, Beethoven: Pappano, LSO. Barbican 23/3/25

Tippett A Child of Our Time; Beethoven Symphony No 9, Choral. London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Antonio Pappano conductor; Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha soprano; J’Nai Bridges mezzo-soprano; Sean Pannikar tenor, Soloman Howard, bass With the Barbican Hall completely sold out. this was an extremely generous programme, in terms of content and the demands on soloists, choir andContinue reading “Tippett, Beethoven: Pappano, LSO. Barbican 23/3/25”

Brahms, Halle Orchestra. Bridgewater Hall, 20/3/24

Kahchun Wong conductor, Mariam Batsashvili piano: Ifukube Japanese Suite for Orchestra; Liszt Piano Concerto No.1; Brahms Symphony No.1This was another very exciting and impressive concert from Kachun Wong and the Halle. The first three concerts I have heard him conducting this season were Mahler/Bruckner-based and I wondered how he would get on with more traditionalContinue reading “Brahms, Halle Orchestra. Bridgewater Hall, 20/3/24”

Bartok, Berlin Philharmonic: Berlin Philharmonie,13/3/25

Berliner Philharmoniker: Jakub Hrůša, conductor, Seong-Jin Cho, piano. Janáček: Fate, Suite;  Beethoven: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 5 in E flat major op. 73; Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra Sz 116 This was my first visit to the Philharmoniie in Berlin, and it’s as spectacular and impressive a building as everyone has always told meContinue reading “Bartok, Berlin Philharmonic: Berlin Philharmonie,13/3/25”

Prokofiev, Budapest Festival Orchestra. Royal Festival Hall, 11/3/25

Budapest Festival Orchestra, Iván Fischer conductor; Igor Levit piano. Prokofiev: Overture on Hebrew Themes arr. for orchestra, Op.34a; Piano Concerto No.2; Prokofiev: Selection from Cinderella Suites This was a concert I probably wouldn’t have gone to had I not been in London for the evening, prior to getting an early Eurostar train to, ultimately, BerlinContinue reading “Prokofiev, Budapest Festival Orchestra. Royal Festival Hall, 11/3/25”

Elizabeth Brauss, piano. Wigmore Hall, 2/12/24

Bach, Capriccio in B flat (Capriccio on the Departure of his Most Beloved Brother) BWV992;  Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 26 in E flat Op. 81a ‘Les Adieux’; Schumann, Geistervariationen WoO. 24; Prokofiev, Piano Sonata No. 7 in B flat Op. 83 This recital was entitled ‘Farewell‘ to give it a thematic link – a descriptiveContinue reading “Elizabeth Brauss, piano. Wigmore Hall, 2/12/24”

Dark Century. LPO. Royal Festival Hall, 27/11/24

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrey Boreyko conductor; Gidon Kremer violin; Alexander Roslavets bass, narrator, London Philharmonic Choir. Schoenberg: A Survivor from Warsaw, Op.46; Weinberg: Violin Concerto in G minor, Op.67; Shostakovich: Symphony No.13 in B flat minor (Babi Yar) for bass, chorus & orchestraThe background, in a sense, to this concert is the book by JeremyContinue reading “Dark Century. LPO. Royal Festival Hall, 27/11/24”

Tim Horton, piano: Sheffield, St Marie’s Cathedral. 8/11/24

Mozart 12 Variations ‘Ah Vous Dirai-Je, Maman’ K265; Schoenberg Drei Klavierstücke Op.11; Haydn Piano Sonata In D Hob.Xvi:42; Brahms Drei Intermezzi Op.117; Beethoven Piano Sonata No.23 Op. 57 ‘Appassionata’ This was a interestingly planned recital aimed at demonstrating links between the 1st and 2nd Viennese Schools via Brahms. It also took in several examples ofContinue reading “Tim Horton, piano: Sheffield, St Marie’s Cathedral. 8/11/24”

BBC Symphony Orchestra: Busoni. Barbican 1/11/24

Grazyna Bacewicz Symphony No 2; Ferrucio Busoni Piano Concerto. BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sakari Oramo conductor; Kirill Gerstein piano; BBC Symphony Chorus (lower voices) This was a great treat – two works I have never heard live before and one which was completely new to me! The Busoni concerto I have listened to a few timesContinue reading “BBC Symphony Orchestra: Busoni. Barbican 1/11/24”