Reviews of Prog Rock, Classical Music, Art Rock and Jazz
Saturday 13 June 2026 The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester ★★★★★ From a funeral march to resurrection: superb Mahler in Manchester Gentlemen of City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Chorus © Chris Payne From a funeral march to resurrection: superb Mahler in Manchester Manchester does like Mahler. The Bridgewater Hall was almost full on Saturday evening for a …
Saturday 18 April 2026 The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester ★★★★★ Jazz and classical music unite in a stunning celebration of the 250th anniversary of American Independence Members of the BBC Philharmonic. Image © Chris Payne Saturday evening's concert by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Joshua Weilerstein at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, was a celebration …
Continue reading "BBC Philharmonic Orchestra – New World Symphony – Live review"
Saturday 21 February 2026 Bridgewater Hall, Manchester ***** Love is a fragile thing: superb performances of Albarn Berg, Sergey Prokofiev and Cassandra Miller by Lawrence Power and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra Composer Cassandra Miller, Viola Player Lawrence Power and Members of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Credit: Chris Payne On The Cure's comeback album Songs of a …
Continue reading "BBC Philharmonic Orchestra – Romeo and Juliet – Live Review"
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’. …
Continue reading "BBC Philharmonic Orchestra – Mahler Symphony No. 9 – Live Review"
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 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"
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"