Reviews of Prog Rock, Classical Music, Art Rock and Jazz
Saturday 17 January 2026 Bridgewater Hall, Manchester **** A serene Beethoven piano and two unresolved American orchestral classics from Ives and Adams Alim Beisembayev (at the piano), John Storgårds and the BBC Philharmonic. Image credit Chris Payne. Saturday evening's concert by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, under their Chief Conductor, John Storgårds, featured two pieces by …
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Manchester was the place to be for superb performances in 2025 The Year in Classical Music Sometimes going abroad reminds you how good things are at home. In the spring of 2025, I went to the Shostakovich Festival in Leipzig, featuring world-class performers such as the Gewandhausorchester and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. So it was …
Friday 5 December 2025 RNCM, Manchester ***** The strings of the BBC Philharmonic shine in music by Bartók and Tchaikovsky The Strings of the BBC Philharmonic directed by Zoë Beyers. Image © Chris Payne/BBC Last Friday's concert at the RNCM in Manchester was directed from the violin by the Leader of the BBC Philharmonic, Zoë …
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Saturday 8 November 2025 Bridgewater Hall, Manchester **** Elena Schwarz conducts nature-themed Debussy and Mahler, with the Manchester premiere of Dani Howard's trombone concerto The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Elena Schwarz and trombonist Peter Moore. Photo © Chris Payne Saturday's concert at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester was an exploration of the power of nature, …
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Saturday 20 September 2025 Bridgewater Hall, Manchester **** A triumphant opening to the BBC Philharmonic's new season Violinist Augustin Hadelich with members of the BBC Philharmonic. Image © Chris Payne On Saturday evening, Manchester was plagued by heavy rain of almost biblical proportions, causing roads to flood; we saw a stranded car on the drive …
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Sunday 29 June 2025 Bridgewater Hall, Manchester For a review of day one of the festival click here and for the opening night click here Musicians from the Hallé, the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, RNCM, The Chorus of ENO and Hallé Choir. Image © Alex Burns Manchester Collective: The Body Electric The title of Sunday afternoon’s …
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Saturday 28 June 2025 Bridgewater Hall, Manchester For a review of the opening night of Manchester Classical, click here and for day two click here Riot Ensemble. Image © Alex Burns RNCM Symphony Orchestra and Chorus - Gustav Mahler Symphony No. 2 ‘Resurrection’ Manchester has a long association with Mahler's music. His Symphony No. 1 …
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Friday 27 June 2025 Bridgewater Hall, Manchester For a review of day one click here and for day two click here Jonny Greenwood performs Reich with the Hallé The first Manchester Classical music festival took place two years ago, in June 2023. The festival won the RPS (Royal Philharmonic Society) 'Series and Events' award in …
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Saturday 14 June 2025 Bridgewater Hall, Manchester ***** John Storgårds conducts the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in a breathtaking performance of Mahler's Third Symphony John Storgårds, Jess Dandy and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Photo: Chris Payne Having just come back from the Shostakovich Festival in Leipzig, with performances by two of the world’s most renowned orchestras …
Saturday 12 April 2025 Bridgewater Hall, Manchester ***** Mahler's Ninth Symphony: A Life-Affirming Farewell? Conductor Yoel Gamzou and Members of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Image © Chris Payne In an article in The Guardian, Tom Service described the final page of Mahler’s Ninth Symphony as ‘one of the most famously death-haunted places in orchestral music’. …
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