Reviews of Prog Rock, Classical Music, Art Rock and Jazz
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 …
Continue reading "BBC Philharmonic – A Hero’s Life – Live Review"
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"