United Kingdom Tchaikovsky: Augustin Hadelich (violin), London Philharmonic Orchestra /Vasily Petrenko (conductor), Royal Festival Hall, London, 24.2.2016. (CS)
Month: February 2016
Giltburg and Gelders Orkest lend substance to Rachmaninov staples
Netherlands Rachmaninov: Nikolai Alexeev (conductor), Boris Giltburg (piano), Het Gelders Orkest. Concertgebouw de Vereeniging, Nijmegen. 19.2.2016. (SS)
Restrained Gabetta, Unrestrained Urbański at Zurich’s Tonhalle
Switzerland Elgar, Shostakovich Tonhalle Orchestra, Krzysztof Urbanski (conductor), Sol Gabetta (cello), Tonhalle Zurich 25.2.16 (JR)
Jac van Steen and the CBSO in Fine Form
United Kingdom Elgar, Grieg, Brahms. Benjamin Grosvenor (piano), City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra/ Jac van Steen (conductor), Symphony Hall, Birmingham, 25.2.2016 (JQ)
Gianandrea Noseda and the LSO Explore Shakespeare in Music
United Kingdom Smetana, Liszt, Tchaikovsky and Strauss: Simon Trpčeski (piano), London Symphony Orchestra/Gianandrea Noseda (conductor), Barbican Hall, London, 25.2.2016 (AS)
BRB Continue their Our Shakespeare Celebrations with a Classic Romeo and Juliet
United Kingdom Prokofiev, Romeo and Juliet: Birmingham Royal Ballet, Royal Ballet Sinfonia, Koen Kessels (conductor, Birmingham Hippodrome, 24.2.2016. (GR)
The Pursuit of Discovery: An Interview with Conductor John Storgårds
Canada The Pursuit of Discovery: An Interview with Conductor John Storgårds
Over the last five years or so, Finnish conductor John Storgårds has seemed to be everywhere: his compelling performances with the BBC Philharmonic, his Proms appearances, his recent recordings of the complete Sibelius and Nielsen symphonies for Chandos, and many other recordings on Ondine, including his new Zemlinsky. Yet Maestro Storgårds, now 52, really only picked up a baton some twenty years ago, having spent most of his early career as a violinist and concertmaster. Even his early focus as a conductor was hardly standard: he endlessly sought out the scores of hitherto-neglected Finnish and Nordic composers, often premiering their works and recording them for the first time. These projects are still ongoing, perhaps even accelerating, and have been sufficiently extensive that the conductor already has over fifty recordings to his name.
Sudbin’s Reading of the Scriabin Piano Concerto Beguiles Bournemouth Audience
United Kingdom Mussorgsky, Scriabin, Berlioz: Yevgeny Sudbin (piano) Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/ Alexander Vedernikov (conductor), The Lighthouse, Poole, 24.02. 2016. (IL)