Reviews of Prog Rock, Classical Music, Art Rock and Jazz
Saturday 22 March 2025 Bridgewater Hall, Manchester **** A stunning performance of Beethoven’s final piano concerto by Paul Lewis, bookended by two Nordic symphonies John Storgårds, Paul Lewis and members of the BBC Philharmonic. Image copyright Chris Payne Last Saturday’s concert by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra was going to feature music by three Nordic composers: …
Continue reading "BBC Philharmonic – Beethoven’s ‘Emperor’ Piano Concerto – Live Review"
Saturday 22 February 2025 Bridgewater Hall, Manchester ***** A celebration of Ravel at 150 and Boulez at 100; orchestration at its most colourful and imaginative The BBC Philharmonic with Ludovic Morlot © Chris Payne. Saturday’s concert by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester was a triple celebration: of the birthdays of …
Continue reading "BBC Philharmonic – Pictures at an Exhibition – Live Review"
Saturday 25 January 2025 Bridgewater Hall, Manchester ****Senja Rummukainen shines in Elgar's Cello Concerto; fiery Stravinsky - and Shostakovich in a Modernist Mood Senja Rummukainen and John Storgårds with the BBC Philharmonic. Image © Chris Payne In the first half of Saturday evening's concert, we were in 'England's green and pleasant land', a phrase coined …
Continue reading "BBC Philharmonic Orchestra – The Firebird – Live Review"
A Memorable Year for Music: Highlights from Manchester and Beyond The BBC Philharmonic with Chief Conductor John Storgårds. Image © Chris Payne. Last year marked the 30th anniversary of the death of my father, John Charles Holmes, under whose benign and loving influence I developed a lifelong passion for music. He was the choirmaster and …
Continue reading "Review of the Year – 2024 – Classical Music"
Thursday 12 December 2024 Bridgewater Hall Manchester ***** The BBC Philharmonic brings Messiaen's extraordinary celebration of faith and nature into vibrant life The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra with soloists (front L to R) Paul Patrick (xylorimba) Tim Williams (glockenspiel) and Steven Osborne (piano) © Chris Payne/BBC The French composer Olivier Messiaen (1908 - 1992) was commissioned …
Continue reading "BBC Philharmonic Orchestra – From the Canyons to the Stars – Live Review"
Saturday 16 November 2024 The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester **** A celebration of the human spirit: the cello concerto Shostakovich wrote for his 60th birthday; Richard Strauss's description of a heroic life; an Anna Clyne UK premiere inspired by Buddhist writings and Mozart. The BBC Philharmonic with Conductor Alpesh Chauhan. Image © BBC/Chris Payne Anna Clyne …
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Saturday 5 October 2024 The Bridgewater Hall Manchester ***** A magical evening of virtuosity and merriment The BBC Philharmonic with Chief Conductor John Storgårds. Image © Chris Payne. Last Saturday's concert by the BBC Philharmonic took magic as its theme from Stravinsky's 1911 ballet Petrushka, in which a magician brings the puppets to life. But …
Continue reading "The BBC Philharmonic – Mischief and Magic – Live Review"
Wednesday 31 July 2024 Royal Albert Hall, London ***** Searing Shostakovich, and a Profound Lament from Cassandra Miller BBC Philharmonic. Photo by Andy Paradise Wednesday evening's Prom featured the BBC Philharmonic conducted by their Chief Conductor, John Storgårds. It began with a new work, I cannot love without trembling, a viola concerto written by the …
Continue reading "Prom 16: Shostakovich Symphony No. 4 – BBC Philharmonic – Live Review"
Friday 29 March 2024 Bridgewater Hall Manchester A moving and dramatic interpretation 300 years after the first performance ***** Bach's St John Passion was first performed 300 years ago, on 7 April 1724 at St Nicholas' Church in Leipzig. Bach had moved to Leipzig the year before to take up a post at the Thomaskirche …
Continue reading "BBC Philharmonic : Bach’s St John Passion (1724) – Live Review"