What was your last concert?

[HighlandDougie]

Richard Goode (Piano): Mozart (K310), Janáček (Four pieces from 'An Overgrown Path'), Brahms (Op 118), Debussy (6 of the Book 2 Préludes), Beethoven (Op 110) - and a Bach Sarabande from one of the Partitas as an encore

First of the new season of Perth Piano Sundays. The Perth Concert Hall has a perfect acoustic for piano music (and they have a very fine in-house Steinway) so Richard Goode was heard to the best possible advantage. I've seen him several times before and still love the way that he sort of shambles towards the piano, looking a bit like an aged BoJo, sits down, then something wonderful happens. He doesn't have any points to score, either about his virtuosity at the keyboard or about his approach to the music, but, boy, does he make the piano sing (and, to be honest, he does like to vocalise along, à la JB). The Brahms (it would melt a heart of stone) was perfect music for an autumnal Sunday afternoon. The Beethoven rather more reflective than virtuosic, which was fine by me. The Debussy: ah, the clarity of his enunciation. And the Janáček? He clearly loves this cycle - I would happily have listened to him playing it all. In short, a thoughtful, slightly quirky programme, short on virtusoso showpieces (no Schumann or Liszt, thank God) but big on intelligent programming. In short, a sublime way to spend two hours on a dreich Sunday afternoon.

[teamsaint]

Philharmonia Orchestra
Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor
Pekka Kuusisto violin


Anna Thorvaldsdottir: Aeriality
Sibelius: Symphony No.6
Interval
Daníel Bjarnason: Violin Concerto(UK premiere)
Sibelius: Symphony No.7


Royal Festival Hall.

This was a programme that probably attracted most people for the two Sibelius Symphonies, but will have left many chiefly discussing the two ( !) contemporary works performed.
This seems to me to be exactly the sort of programming to bring both excitement and decent numbers to major concert halls. Certainly there was a good attendance for an opportunity to hear two substantial new works.
A different performance of Aeriality is available to hear on Youtube, so it might be best to have a listen make your own judgements. However, it came over as a powerful but controlled work, and went down well with the audience, and the performance and reaction left the composer visibly moved.

The UK premiere of the Bjarnason concerto was the highlight of the evening for me. It began in dramatic fashion, with the soloist playing and whistling simultaneously, a device picked up shortly afterwards by the orchestra. As the first part of the work progressed, though a series of stylistically varied passages, I wondered how , if at all, the thing would be unified, but it was brought together by two substantial, and at least partly improvised cadenzas, which served , I thought as a focus point. This is a hugely dramatic work, involving a number of devices, such as a re-tuned G string ( down a 4th), to create a growling edgy sound. There are folk elements, and the whole thing was carried off by Peter Kuusisto with quite extraordinary style. He was so at home, so utterly engrossed in the music, that it was hard to remember that he wasn’t the composer , at times. The piece received a standing ovation from many , and deservedly so. This gets said often, but I really wouldn’t be surprised to see it take its place in the mainstream repertoire. It will need conductors with vision, and performers with guts to make it work as well as it did here, but they are out there.
If this work gets a performance anywhere near you, do try to get there. You’ll be glad you did. I really can’t wait to hear it again.
I won’t say much about the Sibelius, which was all well done under the watchful eye of Salonen. I though the Seventh was perhaps a tad heavy handed, but not to a fault, and others might disagree.
All together a really fine and exciting concert, and I and my partner in crime had Row C front row stalls seats for £10, in the Philharmonia’s “ Ringside Seats” promotion. Sensational value.

[Beef Oven!]

Philharmonia Orchestra
Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor
Pekka Kuusisto violin


Anna Thorvaldsdottir: Aeriality
Sibelius: Symphony No.6
Interval
Daníel Bjarnason: Violin Concerto(UK premiere)
Sibelius: Symphony No.7


Royal Festival Hall.

This was a programme that probably attracted most people for the two Sibelius Symphonies, but will have left many chiefly discussing the two ( !) contemporary works performed.
This seems to me to be exactly the sort of programming to bring both excitement and decent numbers to major concert halls. Certainly there was a good attendance for an opportunity to hear two substantial new works.
A different performance of Aeriality is available to hear on Youtube, so it might be best to have a listen make your own judgements. However, it came over as a powerful but controlled work, and went down well with the audience, and the performance and reaction left the composer visibly moved.

The UK premiere of the Bjarnason concerto was the highlight of the evening for me. It began in dramatic fashion, with the soloist playing and whistling simultaneously, a device picked up shortly afterwards by the orchestra. As the first part of the work progressed, though a series of stylistically varied passages, I wondered how , if at all, the thing would be unified, but it was brought together by two substantial, and at least partly improvised cadenzas, which served , I thought as a focus point. This is a hugely dramatic work, involving a number of devices, such as a re-tuned G string ( down a 4th), to create a growling edgy sound. There are folk elements, and the whole thing was carried off by Peter Kuusisto with quite extraordinary style. He was so at home, so utterly engrossed in the music, that it was hard to remember that he wasn’t the composer , at times. The piece received a standing ovation from many , and deservedly so. This gets said often, but I really wouldn’t be surprised to see it take its place in the mainstream repertoire. It will need conductors with vision, and performers with guts to make it work as well as it did here, but they are out there.
If this work gets a performance anywhere near you, do try to get there. You’ll be glad you did. I really can’t wait to hear it again.
I won’t say much about the Sibelius, which was all well done under the watchful eye of Salonen. I though the Seventh was perhaps a tad heavy handed, but not to a fault, and others might disagree.
All together a really fine and exciting concert, and I and my partner in crime had Row C front row stalls seats for £10, in the Philharmonia’s “ Ringside Seats” promotion. Sensational value.

[Beef Oven!]

Btw teamsaint - excellent review, thanks for taking the trouble

[boilinthebag]

Last Thursday.
RLPO/Petrenko at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
Dvorak: American Suite
Glass: 11th Symphony (UK premiere)
Scriabin: 2nd Symphony.
Unfortunately the hall was only about half full, probably due to the unfamiliar programme on offer.
The Glass was more than half full, it was overflowing with his unmistakable rhythms! Superbly played by RLPO. First time I've heard the Scriabin, can't say
I'm in a tearing great hurry to hear it again, but it wouldn't put me off going if it was included in a future concert I fancied.
Next up for me is Mendelssohn Hebrides, Sibelius VC and Brahms 4. Needless to say it'll be a near sell out

[boilinthebag]

As it was a UK premiere I'm surprised this concert was not broadcast

[Bryn]

Yesterday evening at City University Performance Space: Elaine Mitchener (voice) and Anton Lukoszevieze (cello, voice and electronics):

Alvin Lucier - Double Rainbow (2016, UK premier)
Anton Lukoszevieze - Duet (2016)
Tom Phillips (realised Anton Lukoszevieze) - Duet: Irma Opus XIIb: Nurse'e Aria (2017)
Julius Eastman - Buddha (1986)
Linda Catlin Smith - Ricercar (2015)
Ben Patterson - Duo for Voice and a String Instrument (1961).

A short (less then an hour of music) but very fine, well received, set of performances.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra; Leeds Town Hall, 7/10/17

A repeat of the programme broadcast on R3 last Wednesday:

Bizet: Symphony in C major
Messaien: Turangalila

The Bizet was a sparkling performance of this joyous work - had the repeats in the score been observed, this would have been as perfect a performance as we've any right to expect. Tempo, intonation, ensemble, spirit - all there in the bucketsful.

The Messiaen was ... interesting. The same problem of woodwind balance commented on in the broadcast performance were evident here, too - surprising, when so much other detail (in particular, from the strings - there's a solo 'cello in "Turangalila 2"!! I've never heard that before! - and the percussion sections) was so carefully balanced and presented. Part of the problem (for me) is that the Piano and, to a lesser extent, the Ondes were treated as concerto soloists - at the very front of the stage, in front of the conductor. Now, whilst their roles are presented in the score in this way some of the time, at other points they need to blend with the orchestra, and accompany what others are doing. The chief victim of the approach was Jardin du Sommeil d’amour. Here the melody is in the violins doubled and coloured by the ondes, with birdsong-like counterpoint from the piano and tuned percussion - but what we heard was a piano solo (of material that frankly doesn't bear the weight of foreground material) with sustained string melody very much in the background.

And having the conductor behind the piano meant that Cynthia Millar couldn't see him - in the scooping glissandi accompanying the "Statue" theme, she never started in synchronisation with the strings. There was often too much prominence given to the Ondes at times when it needed to blend in more - "often" but not always, the violins/ondes balance in Jardin du Sommeil d’amour was perfectly calculated and presented.

But there was much to relish in the performance, too - that string tone in Jardin was superbly done, with none of the "syrup" that the melody is so often served with. Meticulous attention to details of the score, a clear-eyed grasp of the structure; the four themes were clearly presented throughout, and the sustained F# major chord at the end of the Fifth movement was held back a little more than is tempting, creating a greater sense of "more to come". (Compensation in the very last chord of the work, which went on forever, and just grew and grew in resonance!) I feel that I know - and enjoy - this flawed, bonkers work much better than I did before tonight.


Demographics: the Hall was half full - a much lower turnout than is usual for Town Hall orchestral concerts. BUT, there were significantly greater numbers of younger people in the audience than is usual. I saw six people leave the concert well before the work was over, but the enthusiasm of the applause of those who stayed the course was overwhelming - I hope it compensated the orchestra for seeing so many empty seats.

[EdgeleyRob]

Some great reviews there guys.
Talking of half empty concert halls

Last Friday evening
The Stoller Hall (Chetham's School of Music)

KABALEVSKY Sonata No. 3 in F major
MYASKOVSKY Song and Rhapsody (Prelude and Rondo-Sonata), Op. 58
SHOSTAKOVICH Piano Sonata No. 1
WEINBERG Sonata No. 2 in A minor
PROKOFIEV Sonata No. 6 in A major

Murray McLachlan (piano)

Wowser,very special was this.
Manchester's newest concert venue,lovely building,acoustics ideal for recitals and chamber music.
Very disappointing attendance though,probably 1/3 full,the hall seats just under 500,a big proportion of the audience were I think RNCM and Chetham's students.
Murray McLachlan introduced each piece and provided some interesting anecdotes.

The Kabalevsky,Myaskovsky and Prokofiev were written in the same room.
MM's teacher Ronald Stevenson had dinner with Kabalevsky in Moscow and described him as utterly charming.
Shostakovich,in conversation with Britten,described Myaskovsky as the Russian Vaughan Williams !!!! which I kind of ish get.
MM described DSCH's 1st Sonata as a Berg and Schoenberg glass filled with Prokofiev wine,any views here ?,it must be a bstrd to play for sure.
He also said Weinberg's time is now,hurrah !

Absolutely wonderful playing throughout,I wonder if he missed a couple of notes during all the crossing of hands in the last movement of the Kabalevsky,no matter anyway.
The Prokofiev (he described the War Sonatas as Mahlerian,again any views here ?)was scintillating.
Highlight ? 3rd movement,Adagio,of the Weinberg,one of his bitter sweetest slow movements,beautifully done.

Encores
Scriabin,Nocturne in D Flat for the left hand,which I should have recognised but didn't,and Khachaturian's Toccata which I'd never heard before

All for 10 squids.
Pre concert dining also on a budget,Wetherspoons.

[kuligin]

Some great reviews there guys.
Talking of half empty concert halls

Last Friday evening
The Stoller Hall (Chetham's School of Music)

KABALEVSKY Sonata No. 3 in F major
MYASKOVSKY Song and Rhapsody (Prelude and Rondo-Sonata), Op. 58
SHOSTAKOVICH Piano Sonata No. 1
WEINBERG Sonata No. 2 in A minor
PROKOFIEV Sonata No. 6 in A major

Murray McLachlan (piano)

Wowser,very special was this.
Manchester's newest concert venue,lovely building,acoustics ideal for recitals and chamber music.
Very disappointing attendance though,probably 1/3 full,the hall seats just under 500,a big proportion of the audience were I think RNCM and Chetham's students.
Murray McLachlan introduced each piece and provided some interesting anecdotes.

The Kabalevsky,Myaskovsky and Prokofiev were written in the same room.
MM's teacher Ronald Stevenson had dinner with Kabalevsky in Moscow and described him as utterly charming.
Shostakovich,in conversation with Britten,described Myaskovsky as the Russian Vaughan Williams !!!! which I kind of ish get.
MM described DSCH's 1st Sonata as a Berg and Schoenberg glass filled with Prokofiev wine,any views here ?,it must be a bstrd to play for sure.
He also said Weinberg's time is now,hurrah !

Absolutely wonderful playing throughout,I wonder if he missed a couple of notes during all the crossing of hands in the last movement of the Kabalevsky,no matter anyway.
The Prokofiev (he described the War Sonatas as Mahlerian,again any views here ?)was scintillating.
Highlight ? 3rd movement,Adagio,of the Weinberg,one of his bitter sweetest slow movements,beautifully done.

Encores
Scriabin,Nocturne in D Flat for the left hand,which I should have recognised but didn't,and Khachaturian's Toccata which I'd never heard before

All for 10 squids.
Pre concert dining also on a budget,Wetherspoons.

I was tempted by that concert having heard a superb recital by Murray McLachlan earlier in the year but went instead to Mozart and Brahms String Quintets performed by the Daniels at Manchester University with Robin Ireland formerly of the Lindsays as the extra viola.

A very good performance I thought, small audience too, perhaps they were all at the Shostakovich/ Messiaen at the Bridgewater, 3 very attractive concerts on the same night

[pastoralguy]

Mrs. PG and I were at the RSNO's opening concert of the 17/18 season at the Usher Hall on Friday.

The programme consisted of a newly composed work that was completely unmemorable but was mercifully brief. The rest of the concert consisted of the Elgar violin concerto with Nicola Benedetti as soloist and Stravinsky's Rite of Spring.

The Elgar was very good although I felt the soloist was just trying a wee bit too hard. Unsurprising really since I understood this was the first time she had played it publicly and it's such a huge work. She certainly played the notes wonderfully well but I'd like to hear her play it again once she's more 'inside' the piece. I don't think she was particularly helped by the conducting by the RSNO's head guy, Peter Oundjian which, imho, was functional rather than inspiring.

Le Sacre was also hampered by uninspired conducting. This is a work that can, in the right hands, be very musical but, alas, on this occasion it was really just a romp through. Again, all the notes were in the correct place but one hopes for a bit more than that. I've certainly heard much more impressive performances from Gergiev and Salonen that got way beyond the notes and showed the piece as rising from the Russian soil.

And, although both the Elgar and Stravinsky are two of my favourite pieces, here they were very odd bed fellows. Not a combination I'm keen to hear again.

*** Just realised that the Glasgow repeat of this concert is being broadcast on Monday nite on Radio3 at 19.30.

So, judge for yourself!

[kindofblue]

Also at Chethams this afternoon...!!

I was tempted by that concert having heard a superb recital by Murray McLachlan earlier in the year but went instead to Mozart and Brahms String Quintets performed by the Daniels at Manchester University with Robin Ireland formerly of the Lindsays as the extra viola.

A very good performance I thought, small audience too, perhaps they were all at the Shostakovich/ Messiaen at the Bridgewater, 3 very attractive concerts on the same night

As a part of the Russian Revolution centenary I went to an intriguing concert put on by Chethams' students this afternoon, the Shostakovich 24 preludes and Fugues. [Only managed the first twelve, had other commitments, sadly.] Each numbered prelude/fugue was performed by a different student, and when one performance finished that pianist then turned the pages, if required, for the next one. With one exception, they were aged 13-16, and the playing was excellent. Obviously there were some errors, but they got the spirit of the thing, Bach-like one moment, a Russian dance the next, with added melancholy of course. The one pianist who wasn't a teenager was nine years old, he played number 12 - and played it very, very well.
Back to Chethams on Thursday night for the Kuss Quartet doing Shostakovich 9 and 11. [Not 8, for once.]

[Alison]

Thanks everyone for a particularly interesting batch of recent concert reviews.

Some interesting programmes indeed.

[EdgeleyRob]

Back to Chethams on Thursday night for the Kuss Quartet doing Shostakovich 9 and 11. [Not 8, for once.]

I can't make this unfortunately

[Bryn]

Jonathan Powell concluded the evening with a barnstorming performance of KS'S Piano Piece X, (see tickets thread). He is giving the same programme tomorrow afternoon at Brunel.