Tom Birchenough
Articles By Tom Birchenough
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It all started on 09/09/09. That memorable date, September 9 2009, marked the debut of theartsdesk.com.
It followed some...
Bach St John Passion, Academy of Ancient Music, Cummings, Ba...
In a programme note for the St John Passion at the Barbican, the Academy of Ancient Music’s chief executive called their Easter performances of...
Album: Viagra Boys - Viagr Aboys
Sweden’s most gloriously unhinged export is back, and Viagr Aboys might just be Viagra Boys at their most fun, feral and fully realised....
Music Reissues Weekly: 1001 Est Crémazie
It would have been hard to pick up a copy of the album credited to and titled 1001 Est Crémazie in...
MacMillan St John Passion, Boylan, National Symphony Orchest...
Never make your mind up too soon about any large-scale work by a genius. Back in 2010, I had my doubts about James MacMillan’s first Passion,...
Neil Young: Coastal review - the old campaigner gets back on...
As well as generating a ceaseless stream of albums, whether live, studio or culled from his copious archives, Neil Young has also amassed a fairly...
First Person: St John's College choral conductor Christ...
When I arrived at St John’s College, Cambridge, in April 2023, it was a daunting prospect to be taking over the reins of a choir with such a...
Album: Maria Somerville - Luster
Luster’s fifth track “Halo” has the lyric “mystical creatures… of Éirne,” referencing the Irish river and lough of the same name – both...
The Penguin Lessons review - Steve Coogan and his flippered...
As if penguins didn’t have enough to fret about with impending tariffs on exporting guano to America, here comes Steve Coogan to ruffle their...