GRAMOPHONE: From Where I Sit – March 2021
A recent conversation with Vasily Petrenko once again brought home to me just how much at odds our impressions of Russian music can be when shared with those closer to its source. We were discussing his recent…
GRAMOPHONE Review: English Music For Strings – Sinfonia of London/John Wilson
John Wilson’s reverence for Sir John Barbirolli’s iconic disc of English String Music with the now reborn Sinfonia of London is no great secret. In reclaiming the name and the ethos of the orchestra he could be…
GRAMOPHONE Review: Rachmaninov Symphony No. 1 / Symphonic Dances – Philadelphia Orchestra/Nézet-Séguin
There can be no underestimating the extraordinary legacy surrounding Rachmaninov and Philadelphia. That he composed the Third Symphony and Symphonic Dances with the city’s great orchestra in mind is testament to how their sound intoxicated him. The…
GRAMOPHONE Review: Sleeping Beauty – A Dramatic Symphony: Baltic Sea Philharmonic Orchestra/Järvi
Sleeping Beauty – A Dramatic Symphony? Alarm bells start to ring. One of the greatest classical ballets in the repertoire – some might say the greatest – surely needs no reinvention. And however well you think you…
GRAMOPHONE: From Where I Sit – January 2021
During the best part of the last year we’ve come to appreciate, indeed rely upon, the technology, endeavour, and resource that has kept the music coming through lockdown after lockdown and seen a comparatively new phrase become…
GRAMOPHONE: From Where I Sit – December 2020
Like many I was thoroughly absorbed by John Bridcut’s touching film about Bernard Haitink – The Enigmatic Maestro. Not entirely sure about the title because what you see is surely what you get with Haitink: a decent,…
GRAMOPHONE Review: Britten Sinfonia da Requiem – City of Birmingham Symphony/Gražinytė-Tyla Orchestra
Capitalising on Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla and the CBSO’s ‘Record of the Year’ triumph at this year’s Gramophone Awards this purely digital release – a growing trend – gives notice of a two-CD release (scheduled for March next year)…
GRAMOPHONE Review: Shostakovich Symphony No. 11 ‘The Year 1905’ – London Philharmonic Orchestra/Jurowski
Hard on the heels of the thrilling John Storgards/ BBC Philharmonic account on Chandos comes another performance I was lucky enough to experience live in December of last year. And a marked distinction in approach is immediately…
GRAMOPHONE: From Where I Sit – November 2020
Among the many treasured recordings that I have found refuge in during a spring, summer and autumn of discontent for live music and theatre this year a souvenir DVD of the fabulous 2005 David McVicar staging of…
COMPARING NOTES: Vasily Petrenko in conversation
Vasily Petrenko, celebrated Chief Conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic (between 2013-2020), the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Music Director Designate of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra discusses his new recording of Prokofiev and Myaskovsky with his Norwegian orchestra, his…
