SINCE 1999 A LIVE REVIEW SITE FOR OPERA, BALLET, CONCERTS, THEATRE , BROADCASTS AND FILMS
United States Saint-Saëns, Mahler, Crockett, Mozart, Fletcher, Brahms, J.S. Bach, Beethoven, Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich: Soloists; Aspen Chamber Orchestra, Aspen Contemporary Music Ensemble, Aspen Festival Orchestra Robert Spano, Donald Crocker, Arie Vardi, and Vasily Petrenko (conductors); Benedict Music Tent and Harris Hall, Aspen, Colorado. 15-17.7.2016. (HS)
United States Schnittke, Milhaud, Beethoven, Scarlatti, Debussy, Granados, Rachmaninoff, J.S. Bach, Puccini: Soloists, Joyce Yang (piano), Midori (violin), Orchestra and Chorus of Aspen Opera Theater Center, Garrett Keast (conductor), Harris Hall and Wheeler Opera House, Aspen, Colorado. 11-14.7.2016. (HS)
United Kingdom Ravel, Michael Berkeley, Colin Matthews, Poulenc,Lennox Berkeley: The Berkeley Ensemble, The Marian Consort / David Wordsworth (conductor), Cheltenham Music Festival, Pittville Pump Room, Cheltenham, 17.7.2016. (RJ)
The Berkeley Ensemble [Luke Russell (flute), Emily Cockbill (oboe), John Slack (clarinet, bass clarinet), Andrew Watson (bassoon), Paul Cott (horn), Fontane Liang (harp), Jolwey Cragg (percussion), Sophie Mather (violin), Francesca Barritt (violin), Matthew Kettle (viola), Gemma Wareham (cello), Lachland Radford (double bass)]
The Marian Consort [Emma Walshe (soprano), Gwendolen Martin (soprano), Rory McCleery (countertenor and director), Benedict Hymas (tenor), Joh Stainsby (baritone), Nick Ashby (bass)]
United Kingdom Sally Beamish: Red Note Ensemble [Ruth Morley (flute), Marie Lloyd (clarinet), Jacqueline Shave (violin0, Robert Irvine (cello) Tom Hunter (percussion), Huw Watkins (piano), Crawford Logan (actor), Cheltenham Music Festival, Parabola Arts Centre, Cheltenham, 16.7.2016. (RJ)
Keyboard Mania Engulfs Cheltenham
If Cheltenham has taken on a somewhat Surrealistic aspect over the past week, blame it on that musical eccentric Erik Satie born 150 years ago. As you stroll around the town you come across a number of piano-like or piano related objects ranging from painted pianos, pianos planted with flowers, a tubular bell piano, a fruit machine synthesiser and even aircraft landing gear sporting a keyboard. There’s also an electro-mechanical lithophone, but please don’t ask me to describe it or how it works.
United Kingdom Michael Zev Gordon, Erik Satie, Hunter Coblentz, Piers Hellawell, Arnold Schoenberg: Fidelio Trio [Darrah Morgan (violin), Adi Tai (cello), Mary Dullea (piano)], Sinéad Morrissey (poet/reader), Cheltenham Music Festival, Pittville Pump Room, Cheltenham, 15.7.2016. (RJ)
United Kingdom Handel/Halvorsen, Liszt, Schubert/Liszt, Tchaikovsky, Schwertsik, Brahms: Esther Yoo (violin), Narek Haknazaryan (cello), Zhang Zuo (piano), Cheltenham Music Festival, Pittville Pump Room, Cheltenham,14.7.2016. (RJ)
United Kingdom Parry, Weir, Howells, MacMillan: Cheltenham Festival – Ex Cathedra, MacMillan Ensemble/Jeffrey Skidmore, Alexander Mason (organ), Tewkesbury Abbey, 13.7.2016. (JQ)