Classical Reviews

Soumm, LPO, Vänskä, Royal Festival Hall

Matthew Wright Thursday, 06 November 2014

Even the cold breeze along the Thames played its part in conjuring the chilly, epic Finnish landscapes of Jean Sibelius last night, though Finnish maestro Osmo Vänskä and the perfectly weighted phrasing of the London Philharmonic Orchestra can take primary credit.

Thomas Adès, See the Music, Hear the Dance, Sadler's Wells

Hanna Weibye Saturday, 01 November 2014

The challenge was already in the title for me: as both a dance critic and a strongly visual person, in the normal order of things I see the dance first and hear the music second.

Uchida, LSO, Haitink, Barbican Hall

David Nice Friday, 31 October 2014

You know what to expect from a standard programme of masterpieces like this, led by two great performers in careful control of their repertoire, and those expectations are never going to be disappointed. You’re not going to hear the kind of new-sound Brahms side by side with the more recent end of the German musical tradition – Zimmermann, say, or Henze; that’s the provenance of a fresh thinker like Vladimir Jurowski.

The Fall of the House of Usher, Sound Affairs, Malvern

stephen Walsh Thursday, 30 October 2014

At least three composers have set about turning The Fall of the House of Usher into operas, including most famously Debussy, whose abortive attempt, completed by Robert Orledge, was brilliantly staged by Welsh National Opera in June. But there is a good argument that Poe’s story – short on incident and character, long on visual image and atmosphere – lends itself better to film than to the stage.

Arcadi Volodos, Royal Festival Hall

Jessica Duchen Wednesday, 29 October 2014

Arcadi Volodos is a relatively rare visitor to London these days. Although the Russian pianist, 42, rose early to fame, his development has perhaps taken him in a direction that startles those who were initially seduced by the astounding virtuoso transcriptions – many of them his own – in which he initially established his reputation.

Leonskaja/ Pires, Dumay, Meneses, Wigmore Hall

Ismene Brown Wednesday, 29 October 2014

What a day for piano-lovers and Beethoven-lovers – Elisabeth Leonskaja for lunch, Maria João Pires for supper. Beethoven from both, stupendous playing from both, all in all generating a general sense of disbelief in this member of the audience. I mean, really! The Wigmore Hall is the epicure’s choice for music, but even by Wiggie standards this was beyond expectations.

Beatson, Scottish Ensemble, Queen's Hall, Edinburgh

Christopher Lambton Wednesday, 29 October 2014

I declare an interest. In the last 10 years or so the Scottish Ensemble has twice, at my invitation, visited the Borders village where I live, about 30 miles south of Edinburgh. On both occasions the ensemble performed a rich and challenging programme in front of a rural audience awestruck that such uncompromisingly competent music-making could descend on a village hall more accustomed to flower shows and badminton tournaments.

Malala/A Child of Our Time, Crouch End Festival Chorus, Temple, Barbican

Bernard Hughes Wednesday, 29 October 2014

James McCarthy’s oratorio Malala is both a heartfelt tribute to the young Nobel Peace laureate, Malala Yousafzai, and political statement in favour of the education of women. In it, as in its companion piece A Child of Our Time, a persecuted individual is turned into a symbol of all mankind.

RPO, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Zukerman, Royal Festival Hall

Kimon Daltas Tuesday, 28 October 2014

This concert was part of a tour of Canada’s National Arts Centre orchestra to five cities in the UK themed around the anniversary of the start of World War One. The Ottawa-based orchestra joined forces with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Choir for this London centrepiece to the tour, under the baton of violinist-turned-conductor Pinchas Zukerman.

Comment

Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Søndergård, Usher Hall, Edinburgh

Christopher Lambton Saturday, 25 October 2014

Is there an ideal way to programme Metamorphosen? Richard Strauss’s elegiac masterpiece requires 23 solo strings. That’s more than most chamber orchestras can muster, but with a full size symphony orchestra the piece leaves most of the players with nothing to do. In this Usher Hall concert the Royal Scottish National Orchestra chose to let Metamorphosen stand in glorious isolation before the interval.