Reviews of Prog Rock, Classical Music, Art Rock and Jazz
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 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"
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"