Category: Review
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Viability and Jess Gillam’s Decca Release
Talk of viable jobs in the mainstream media today triggered my inner lefty. Or was it my inner liberal? I’m still not clear whether advocating the arts makes me a lefty or a liberal. Either way, the word was a trigger word deliberately placed in press releases, speeches and ‘reports’ intended to enflame and enrage.…
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Nice work
The Philharnonia premiered a concert this evening via their YouTube and Facebook channels, with a simulstream via that other radio station dedicated to classical music, Classic FM. Some thoughts bubbled up to the surface whilst I was chopping veg for the casserole tonight. First, the slew of YouTube premieres from various bands are a lovely…
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Getting used to video streams
These weekly posts help me. They’re probably more helpful to me than they are interesting to read. I have no real idea whether that’s true or whether it’s just a reflection of my own negative thinking. This said, a weekly (or fortnightly) as has been the case in recent weeks does help order my thoughts…
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Perfection
I’ve been a little restless today. I haven’t been able to put my finger on why exactly. Not until now. I’ve wanted to write (since watching last nights Proms gig with the LSO) but couldn’t. So I read instead (about Vaughan Williams and the British perception of music and landscapes). Then I read Gretchen Ruben…
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Verdi’s Luisa Miller at London Coliseum
ENO’s production of Verdi’s Luisa Miller challenged musical and storytelling assumptions
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Corinthian Chamber Orchestra at the Queen Elizabeth Hall with Nicola Benedetti
A highly responsive orchestra fuelled by adrenaline and enthuasiasm. Bliss.
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Beethoven 2 & 3 from Norrington and the OAE at the QEH, and the Beach Boys
Exhilarating Norrington. Epic Beethoven. Brilliant.
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Beethoven 5 and 7 from Andrew Manze and the NDR Philharmonie
Beethoven isn’t my go-to composer. Never has been. There’s nothing wrong per se about the man’s music. There is melody. There’s drama. In his symphonic works especially the textures in his orchestral writing are highly satisfying. The problem is (or maybe it’s not a problem) I admire the creative achievement in the same way I…
