What was your last concert?

[HighlandDougie]

Alina Ibragimova/LSO/Lionel Bringuier at the Barbican

The petite-but-perfectly-formed Maître Bringuier was subbing for Robin Ticciati (who has just had something done to alleviate a persistent back problem). Oops, I’m being heightist. Strange programme: Brahms VC; Dutilleux Métaboles; Ravel D&C Suite 2. The Brahms improved as it progressed but I kept wanting Alina Ibragimova to channel her inner Ida Haendel in the first movement. A tone which suits Bach in the Wigmore Hall seemed a bit overwhelmed by the full might of the LSO. But she does play beautifully - lovely cadenzas. LB goes for big gestures as a conductor but has a very clear beat. The Dutilleux was delivered con brio by the orchestra - it’s clearly one of his party pieces. The Ravel was expertly played and well paced by the conductor. As I seem to have fallen into the habit of choosing post-concert supper venues where the evening’s conductor then appears (Jugged Hare this time), Lionel B duly appeared with his rucksack and some friends. I get the sook of the year award for telling him how much I enjoyed the concert (no lie) and how I thought that the Métaboles was better than that from Simon Rattle I’d heard last year. Also no lie. The orchestra were in great form again, especially the woodwind and the brass.

My next LSO outing is with F-X Roth to which I am much looking forward.

[Nick Armstrong]

the sook of the year award

[cloughie]

Hall for Cornwall yesterday - Lesley Garrett with guest Roland Wood, with superb accompaniment by Anna Tilbrook. (Not seeking to display punnery but aren't good accompanists so often undersung!) The simplicity of the combination of piano and a voice (or two) is something which is appealing more and more to me these days. A really good evening!

[Nick Armstrong]

Enthralling Messiah last night at Portsmouth Cathedral - above all for me for two young soloists who were a revelation

Portsmouth Cathedral Choirs and a small HIP band composed of crack players from other ensembles, directed by the resident DoM David Price.

Sat centre front row about 2 metres from the nearest instrumentalists (exceptional cello players), it was an unforgettable couple of hours - faultless playing, great tempi, and lusty choral contributions. Where I was sitting, the balance was ideal - perhaps further back, the largish chorus might have dominated the compact band, not sure.

But above all - the soloinsts. Tenor Ryan Williams and former King's Singer alto David Hurley were very good - but for these old ears, the highlights of the evening were every note sung by:

Bass: William Drakett - power, accuracy, emotion...

and if anything, even more so:

Soprano - Lucy Cronin .... wow! The sort of voice I dream of when so many others set my teeth on edge (as often mentioned hereabouts!). A single note could bring tears to the eyes, let alone those perfectly-executed solos...

I've never heard the bass and soprano solos anywhere near as well done, either on record or live!

Names to watch out for!

[EdgeleyRob]

Last Saturday
Bridgewater Hall

Copland - Appalachian Spring
Korngold - Violin Concerto
RVW - Symphony No 5

Andrew Haveron,BBC Phil,John Wilson

Fantastic concert,not really up to doing my own review so I'll cheat

https://theartsdesk.com/classical-music/haveron-bbc-philharmonic-wilson-bridgewater-hall-manchester-review-spirit-1940s

Not sure which challenges the soloist wasn't equal to though,sounded perfect to me.

Look out for this on Afternnon on 3 soon.
In his pre concert talk JW dropped a half a hint that he would be doing RVW (poss 3rd Symphony) at the Proms

[Andrew Slater]

Last Saturday
Bridgewater Hall

Copland - Appalachian Spring
Korngold - Violin Concerto
RVW - Symphony No 5

Andrew Haveron,BBC Phil,John Wilson

Fantastic concert,not really up to doing my own review so I'll cheat

https://theartsdesk.com/classical-music/haveron-bbc-philharmonic-wilson-bridgewater-hall-manchester-review-spirit-1940s

Not sure which challenges the soloist wasn't equal to though,sounded perfect to me.

Look out for this on Afternnon on 3 soon.
In his pre concert talk JW dropped a half a hint that he would be doing RVW (poss 3rd Symphony) at the Proms

I was there as well; I was sitting behind the soloist and a bit too close to the percussion, so the violin was a bit peripheral to the proceedings for me in the Korngold, so I can't help you on the challenges - not that I would have noticed anyway!

It was refreshing to hear the RVW taken at a decent tempo, although I was a bit surprised at the sudden speed-up in the passacaglia: I wonder why JW didn't start it at that tempo? (I don't think there's a speed-up indicated in the score.) Must listen to the broadcast.

Interesting to hear in passing of JW's interest in the film music of Bax, amongst others. I wonder if this interest extends to the symphonies, and if so, if he'll manage to persuade anyone to let him conduct them?

[EdgeleyRob]

I was there as well; I was sitting behind the soloist and a bit too close to the percussion, so the violin was a bit peripheral to the proceedings for me in the Korngold, so I can't help you on the challenges - not that I would have noticed anyway!

It was refreshing to hear the RVW taken at a decent tempo, although I was a bit surprised at the sudden speed-up in the passacaglia: I wonder why JW didn't start it at that tempo? (I don't think there's a speed-up indicated in the score.) Must listen to the broadcast.

Interesting to hear in passing of JW's interest in the film music of Bax, amongst others. I wonder if this interest extends to the symphonies, and if so, if he'll manage to persuade anyone to let him conduct them?

Hi Andrew

Interesting comment re the tempo change in the RVW finale,I must have been lost in the music because it didn't register with me.
I will listen to the broadcast too

[HighlandDougie]

Back at the Barbican yesterday evening for the LSO and Principal Guest Conductor (and all-round bonne chose) François-Xavier Roth in one of their "half-six fix" short concerts - Stravinsky's Chant du Rossignol and Debussy's La Mer.

I've no doubt that the trappings of these concerts might have some traditionalists foaming at the mouth - or sceptics dismissing them as the LSO trying to get on some kind of "engage with yoof" bandwagon (downloadable notes+ about the music; drinks allowed in the auditorium; two big TV screens at the left and right sides of the stage with real-time shots of members of the orchestra in flagrante delicto; and a spoken intro from F-X Roth to each work, complete with appropriate illustrations from members of the orchestra). But, F-X R is such a natural communicator ("charismatic" as one of my friends put it) - and the orchestra clearly love working with him that it didn't in any way grate ("Oh, just shut up and get on with it" - à la Mark Elder at times) but, in fact, added to the pleasure of what one then heard. LSO in stellar form. F-X R - someone who clearly loves/lives the music - a magician sans baton. It was wonderful (and was being recorded!)

[Richard Tarleton]

Last night in the Oak Hall at Rhosygilwen, near Cardigan, Angela Hewitt playing Book 1 of the 48. Spellbinding as ever, the audience was in the round (lid off the house Steinway) and we were sitting about 10 feet behind her. She broke her foot in January just before a recital but carried on regardless - like Ms di Donato, a real trouper. She is still using an elbow crutch to get about but her pedalling did not seem to be affected.

My day had started on a windswept Pembrokeshire headland looking at a vagrant snowy owl that has been delighting birdwatchers hereabouts, and ended listening to Angela Hewitt playing Bach - days don't come much better than this.

[Jasmine Bassett]

Bernstein MASS on Friday evening with part of the NYO and many others at RFH and then NYO Unleashed last night in Birmingham.
"Unleashed" may not be the choice of everyone on the forum but as an experiment in young people trying to attract more young people into the concert hall it has to be applauded.
I believe a recording of the London performances is being broadcast on R3 on Tuesday evening.

[vinteuil]

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... her pedalling did not seem to be affected...

... pedalling being so important in performances of the 48.


:dislike of Hewitt emoticon:

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[Bryn]

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... pedalling being so important in performances of the 48.


:dislike of Hewitt emoticon:

.

Indeed. Those Preludes and Fugues played by Robert Levin on a pedal harpsichord especially.

[vinteuil]

Indeed. Those Preludes and Fugues played by Robert Levin on a pedal harpsichord especially.

.

[Bryn]

However, last night at Schott Music:

Saturday 7th April 2018, 6.30pm


Dave Smith — Piano Premiere and Other Pieces

Dave Smith returns to Schott with an intriguing selection of his own compositions, including the first performance of a substantial new 27 minute piece The Myth of Sisyphus. The other pieces are: Ethical Libertarian Scholars, …And with thy daring folly burn the world, Instant Coma, Number Seven’s Done a Runner, and three Kerala song arrangements.

[Richard Tarleton]

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... pedalling being so important in performances of the 48.

Actualy sitting directly behind her I couldn't really see what she was doing with her feet, as she was wearing a long dress. She had a device for flipping the pages of her tablet (sitting where the music stand would normally sit) which had the music on it on the floor by her left (uninjured ) foot. I just assumed an injured foot would be a handicap. But perhaps not. She was after all able to perform immediately after her fall. As a non-player and ever eager to learn, I reminded myself what she says about pedalling in her DVD "Bach Performance on Piano", and indeed she says not much at all, legato should be by fingers alone, etc. She hardly uses the loud pedal except in places in the French suites and Var 29 of the Goldberg, and the soft pedal not very much. She demonstrates the use of the middle pedal on her Fazioli piano in the A minor fugue of Book 1. Here she was playing the house Steinway which only has 2 pedals. So apologies if I have misrepresented her. Her playing a model of clarity as ever.

Some people do play Bach on the piano