United Kingdom Prom 74 – Last Night Of The Proms 2011: music by Maxwell Davies, Bartók, Wagner, Liszt, Chopin, Britten, Rodgers, Elgar, Arne, and Parry plus arrangements of traditional items: Lang Lang (piano), Susan Bullock (soprano), Jenny Agutter (narrator), The Fanfare Trumpeters of the Household Division, BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Edward Gardner. Royal Albert Hall,London, 10.9.11. (JPr)
UK Concerts
All concert reviews from the UK.
Christopher Maltman and Graham Johnson open the 2011/12 Wigmore Hall season, exploring settings of Schiller
United Kingdom Friedrich Schiller – Ein Leben in Liedern: Songs by Schubert, Schumann, and Liszt: Christopher Maltman (baritone), Graham Johnson (piano). Wigmore Hall, London, 10.9.2011 (MB)
Heady cosmopolitan mix of contemporary music at the Vale of Glamorgan Festival
United Kingdom Qigang Chen, Metcalf, Bowden, Reich: Gerard McChrystal (soprano saxophone), Oliver Coates (cello), Sound intermedia (sound diffusion), BBC National Orchestra of Wales / Jean-Michaël Lavoie (conductor), BBC Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff, 9.9.2011 (Gpu)
The London Sinfonietta plays Elliott Carter. A short programme – but not short measure.
United Kingdom Elliott Carter: London Sinfonietta, Hall Two, Kings Place, 8.9.2011 (MB)
Prom 70:The UK première of Birtwistle’s Violin Concerto makes a potent impression at the Proms
United Kingdom Prom 70: Bridge, Birtwistle, Holst: Christian Teztlaff (violin), Holst Singers,BBC Symphony Orchestra, David Robertson. Royal Albert Hall,London, 7.9.2011 (MB)
Kaleidoscopic Ravel at Edinburgh played by an “orchestra of virtuosi”
United Kingdom Edinburgh International Festival 2011 (16) – Ravel: Pierre-Laurent Aimard (piano), Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, Jonathan Nott (conductor), Usher Hall, 3.9.2011 (SRT)
Prom 60 – Professional sounding Mozart-Bruckner Concert lacks excitement
United Kingdom Prom 60. Mozart, Bruckner, David Fray (piano), Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Jaap van Zweden (conductor), Royal Albert Hall, London, 30.9.2011 (GD)
Prom 56 – Though compelling, Mahler’s Sixth lacks the last degree of impact at the Proms
United Kingdom Prom 56 – Richard Strauss, Mahler: Kirill Gerstein (piano), BBC Symphony Orchestra, Semyon Bychkov. Royal Albert Hall, London, 26.8.2011. (JPr)