United Kingdom Proms Saturday Matinee no.2 – C.P.E. Bach, Birtwistle, Honegger, Davies, and Sibelius: Håkan Hardenberger (trumpet), Lapland Chamber Orchestra, John Storgårds (conductor). Cadogan Hall, London, 9.8.2014 (MB)
Mark Berry
PROM 28: An Excellent Oedipus Rex Caps Sakari Oramo’s Latest Prom
United Kingdom Prom 28:Beethoven, Brett Dean, Stavinsky: Francesco D’Orazio (electric violin), Soloists, BBC Singers, BBC Symphony Chorus (chorus master: Stephen Jackson), BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sakari Oramo (conductor). Royal Albert Hall, London, 7.8.2014 (MB)
Proms Chamber Music 3: London Winds’ Delectable Chamber Prom
United Kingdom Proms Chamber Music 3 – Mozart and Strauss:London Winds, Michael Collins (director/clarinet). Cadogan Hall, London, 4.8.2014 (MB)
PROM 23: Fine Choral Singing Redeems Runnicles’s Rather Ordinary Prom
United Kingdom PROM 23 – John McLeod, Beethoven, and Mozart: Carolyn Sampson (soprano), Christine Rice (mezzo-soprano), Jeremy Ovenden (tenor), Neil Davies (bass), National Youth Choir of Scotland (chorus master: Christopher Bell), BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Donald Runnicles (conductor). Royal Albert Hall, London, 3.8.2014 (MB)
Haitink’s Thoroughly Admirable Haydn Opens the Salzburg Festival
Austria Salzburg Festival [1] – Haydn, Die Schöpfung: Soloists, Bavarian Radio Chorus (chorus master: Peter Dijkstra), Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Bernard Haitink (conductor). Grosses Festspielhaus, Salzburg, 18.7.2014 (MB)
A Sparkling and Stylish Recital from Mahan Esfahani
United Kingdom François Couperin, Bach, C.P.E. Bach, Benda, and Takemitsu:Mahan Esfahani (harpsichord). Wigmore Hall, London, 15.7.2014 (MB)
Excellent Performance of Early Rachmaninov Opera
United Kingdom Rachmaninov, Aleko (concert performance): Soloists, Chorus (chorus master: William Cole), Melos Sinfonia, / Oliver Zeffman (conductor), St John’s Smith Square, London, 7.7.2014 (MB)
First Half of Demidenko Recital Proves Puzzling
United Kingdom Chopin, Rachmaninov, and Medtner: Nikolai Demidenko (piano). Wigmore Hall, London, 5.7.2014 (MB)