Reviews of Prog Rock, Classical Music, Art Rock and Jazz
Thursday 9 October 2025 St Paul's Cathedral, London ***** A stunning opening to the Bach Choir’s 150th anniversary season in the most dramatic of settings How do you open the 150th anniversary season of one of Britain’s finest choirs? An announcement from an official at St Paul’s Cathedral welcomed us to the site of Christian …
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"
Wednesday 30 October 2024 Westminster Cathedral London ***** A moving and passionate performance of Britten's pacifist masterpiece The Bach Choir perform Britten's 'War Requiem' with The Philharmonia Orchestra at Westminster Cathedral, conducted by David Hill. Image © Andy Paradise "My subject is War, and the pity of War.The Poetry is in the pity...All a poet …
Garsington Opera, Philharmonia Orchestra Royal Albert Hall, London Tuesday 10 September 2024 ***** A dream cast and orchestra bring comedy, conflict and magic to Britten's Dream Benjamin Britten's work is often performed at the Proms - The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra has been performed 44 times, there have been 31 performances of Four …
Continue reading "Prom 68: Britten – A Midsummer Night’s Dream"
Thursday 16 May 2024 Royal Festival Hall, London ***** A premiere by Roderick Williams explores the humanity of Elgar's choral masterpiece The Dream of Gerontius David Hill conducting the Philharmonia. Image credit Andy Paradise Edward Elgar’s choral masterpiece The Dream of Gerontius, with words by Cardinal John Henry Newman, describes the journey of a soul …
Continue reading "The Bach Choir and Philharmonia Orchestra – Live Review"