United Kingdom Beethoven, Finzi, Brahms, Debussy and Saint-Saëns: Lorraine McAslan (violin), Victor Sangiorgio (piano), King’s Place, London 12.4.2015 (CS)
Claire Seymour
Two Excellent String Quartets Combine to Great Effect
United Kingdom Haydn, Beethoven & Mendelssohn: Arcadia Quartet [Ana Török & Răsvan Dumitru (violins), Traian Boală (viola), Zsolt Török (cello)], Meccore Quartet [Wojciech Koprowski & Jaroslaw Nadrzycki (violins), Michal Bryla (viola), Karol Marianowski (cello)], Wigmore Hall, London 24.3.2015 (CS)
An Outstanding Recital by Hilary Hahn and Cory Smythe Expertly Mixes Classic and Contemporary Music
United Kingdom Schnittke, Cage, David Lang, J.S. Bach, Debussy, Auerbach and Schumann: Hilary Hahn (violin), Cory Smythe (piano), Wigmore Hall London 21.3.2015 (CS)
Familiar Music Performed with Freshness and Evident Joy
United Kingdom Beethoven, Schumann & Mendelssohn: Gloria Campaner (piano), English Chamber Orchestra/ Daisuke Muranaka (conductor), Cadogan Hall, London 18.3.2015 (CS)
Disciplined and Focused Performances by Olga Vinokur and the Martinů Quartet
United Kingdom Janáček, Schumann, Shostakovich: Olga Vinokur (piano), Martinů Quartet (Lubomír Havlák and Libor Kaňka [violins], Zbyněk Padourek [viola], Jitka Vlašánková [cello]), King’s Place, London, 15.3.2015 (CS)
Julian Anderson’s New Violin Concerto Impressively Unveiled: But Does it Rise Above its Gimmicks
Julian Anderson & Ravel: Carolin Widmann (violin), London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Jurowski (conductor), Royal Festival Hall, London 14.3.2015 (CS) Julian Anderson: In lieblicher Bläue for violin and orchestra (world première) Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé Julian Anderson’s new Violin Concerto is the composer’s first concerto. Anderson, though, prefers to call his ‘concerto-like … Read more
Intelligent, Discerning Musicianship from Lisa Batiashvili and Paul Lewis
United Kingdom Schubert, J.S. Bach, Telemann and Beethoven: Lisa Batiashvili (violin), Paul Lewis (piano), Wigmore Hall, London, 23.2.2015 (CS)
An Overall Lack of Cohesiveness Mars Andris Nelsons’ Approach to Mahler’s Fifth
United Kingdom Gruber & Mahler: Håkan Hardenberger (trumpet), Philharmonia Orchestra, Andris Nelsons (conductor), Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London, 22.2.2015 (CS)