Second Day of 11th Malcolm Arnold Festival
Festivals
11th Malcolm Arnold Festival Displays Composer’s Musical Breadth
11th Malcolm Arnold Festival
Introduction
2016 sees the tenth year of the Festival since Arnold’s death and the 95th since his birth. Director Paul Harris, typically charming and resolute, says of this year’s theme: “We’ve called it ‘The Voice of the People’ … [which] sums up Sir Malcolm’s intentions as a composer. He was always determined to write music that could be immediately appreciated and although he embraced many 20th century “isms”, his music remains utterly accessible.”
Northampton’s Malcolm Arnold Festival still has a strong and even hectic pulse; this after ten years, with concerts, recitals, talks and illustrated lectures piling in one after another. It comes to about a dozen events over two days. New and usually good experiences and plenty to learn.
Rodgers, Henschel and Kynoch Share in the Schumanns’ Warmth and Vitality
United Kingdom Oxford Lieder Festival – The Schumann Project: Joan Rodgers (soprano), Dietrich Henschel (baritone), Sholto Kynoch (piano). Holywell Music Room, Oxford 17.10.2016. (CR)
A Young Pianist Displays Promise: Cyrill Ibrahim at the Swansea Festival
United Kingdom Debussy, Brahms, Schumann, J.S. Bach: Cyrill Ibrahim (piano), The Brangwyn Hall, The Guildhall, Swansea. 5.10.2016. (GPu)

Swansea Festival Commemorates 50th Anniversary of the Aberfan Disaster
United Kingdom Joseph Davies, Saint-Saëns, Geraint Lewis, Fauré: Louis Lortie (piano), Fflur Wyn (soprano), Neal Davies (baritone), BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales / Siân Edwards: (conductor), Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, 8.10.2016. (NR)
Festival Takes Flight with Outstanding Performance by the Brodsky
United Kingdom Borodin, Shostakovich, J.S. Bach, Mendelssohn, Beethoven: The Brodsky Quartet (Daniel Rowland, Ian Belton, violins; Paul Cassidy, viola; Jacqueline Thomas, cello), The George Hall, The Guildhall, Swansea, 4.10.2016. (GPu)

2016 Verdi Festival Opens with Don Carlo
Italy Verdi, Don Carlo: Soloists, Chorus of the Teatro Regio di Parma, Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini/Daniel Oren (conductor), Teatro Regio Di Parma, Parma. 5.10.2016. (RP)

Alfred Brendel and Dénes Várjon Offer Rather Different Views of the Liszt Piano Sonata
United Kingdom London International Piano Festival – Liszt: Alfred Brendel (speaker), Dénes Várjon (piano). Hall One, Kings Place, 7.10.2016. (MB)