Review: Oliver Nelson and David Way Violin and Viola Recital
Consummate and distinctive music-making with repertoire nearly forgotten.
Genre: Live Music
Review: Lance Mok Piano Recital
A pianist bristling with oblique lyricism – an ideal twentieth century interpreter.
Review: Frank Schaefer and Ethna Tinney Cello and Piano Recital
A mesmerizingly first-class recital.
Review: Michele Roszak and Lynda Spinney: Filial Relationships
Vocally adventurous yet again, a joy to hear
Review: Kymia Kermani and Belinda Jones Clarinet and Piano Recital
Great debut and homecoming in one duo.
Review: When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other
This cast’s exemplary dedication deserves watching for their sheer performative belief.
Review: Wolfgang’s Magical Musical Circus
The performing brio is phenomenal, of a standard you’d be happy to see anywhere in the world. So would any child.
Review: The Merry Wives of Windsor
Sparkling, a sassy, sexy, sure-footed revival. On its own terms, could it really be bettered?
Review: Romeo and Juliet
This Romeo and Juliet has all the pace and heart any production, modern-dress or period, demands. Karen Fishwick’s radiant Juliet is the soul that imprints itself on it.
Review: Hole
Wow drama, the original Greek tragoidia. It invokes the same powers, almost the same gods.
Review: Albach Guitar Duo Recital
A highly distinguished duo, with a repertoire both intelligently chosen and superbly executed
Review: Antony and Cleopatra
Supremely worth it to see a pair so famous weighing equal in their own balance, perhaps for the first time.
Review: Adam Le Clercq Chopin Recital
Readings of distinction. Le Clercq really is a recitalist to watch.
Review: Madagascar The Musical
Highly Recommended for monkeys and lemurs of all ages – quite apart from lions, zebras, hippos and giraffes.
Review: James Shenton, Paul Gregory Recital
An improvised concert doesn’t get much better than this.
Review: Gemma Kateb Piano Recital
Entrancing. A sensitive, searching and individual debut at Chapel Royal.
Review: St George’s Church Vote 100 Celebrating Women Composers
An outstanding, rousing and moving concert.
Review: Duo Asteria Corinna Hentschel and Giulio Poggia
A highly distinctive, powerful duo. It would be wonderful to hear them again.
Review: Emma Halnan Flute, Heather Wrighton, Harp
Truly first class music-making, alluring and scintillating, but with heart and adventure too.
Review: Niall O’Riordan and Anne Marshall Flute and Piano Recital
Enchanting territory, enchantingly and stratospherically played.
Review: Allelujah!
Bennett’s exhorting us to fight back with laughter and rage in this riveting, timely play. It’s a sad and angry consolation.
Review: Gemma Kateb Piano Recital
Entrancing. It’d be good to see such a sensitive, searching musician back.
Review: Pam Crag and Maggie Grimsdell Four Hand Piano Recital
It’d be a delight to see these artists return.
Review: Cruft Robertson Pleeth String Trio
A superb trio and what unexpected, refreshing repertoire too. With such consummate musicianship, they should be on record.
Review: Oliver Nelson and Vasilis Rakitzis Violin and Piano
Consummate playing. We shouldn’t be complacent about the luxury of such instrumentalists delivering programmes like these.
Review: Antony and Cleopatra
Supremely worth it to see these characters weighing equal in their own balance, perhaps for the first time.
Review: Yoko Ono Piano Recital
Another iridescent recital by an artist far too easy to take for granted.
Review: James Osler and the Pillow Band
First-class crossover music-making for anyone who cares for music that stretches delight.
Review: Poet in da Corner
Exemplary, thrilling, adrenalin-shot and shout-worthy. There has to be a part two, and it ought to be soon.
Review: St Nicholas, Belladonna – Sue Mileham Soprano, Jane Plessner Clarinet, Nicola Grunberg Piano
With clarinet piano and soprano, a gloriously rich vocal recital
Review: Tamzin Barnett and Nancy Cooley Soprano and Piano Recital
Tamzin Barnett’s already a remarkably versatile and mature artist. Where most was asked for she was at her most thrilling. Watch out for her.
Review: Dirty Dancing
There’s a fitting heart-warming climax to a dream of production. And a surprise to those who think they know the film.
Review: Eyam
A ringing, tolling end to a pioneering season. This play must have a life – and already possesses a miraculous importunity.
Review: Bach and Stern Violin and Piano Recital
Altogether, we need players like Bach who understand what’s there to be discovered. Stern proves ideal.
Review: Olive Murray, Christopher Foreman, Soprano and Piano Recital
A delighted, delightful recital, exploratory and really worth hearing again.
Review: Mike Hatchard Piano Recital
Mozart would have been delighted wit what Mike Hatchard does with his Turkish March.
Review: BBC Prom 66 Dukas, Prokofiev, Schmidt Requiem Berlin Philharmonic, Petrenko.
BBC Prom 66 was - with the Berlin Philharmonic under Kirill Petrenko – at least as adventurous as anything Simon Rattle brought across with this band. Schmidt’s Symphony 4 though is the revelation.
Review: Emilia
This is a necessary, thrilling play, its energy and message spill straight into the audience.
Review: Hamish Henderson: On the Radical Road
A selection of the political songs and writings of the great Scottish folklorist
Review: Anthony Pleeth and Tatty Theo Baroque Cello Duo
It takes integrity to stick to such deeply reflective music and project it so well. More than worth spending an hour with.
Review: Jon Rattenbury and Brian Ashworth Guitar Duo
Jon Rattenbury and Brian Ashworth one of the best-known guitar duos on the south coast enjoy a particular way with the classical guitar.
Review: Journeys in Hand – A Musical Fusion from Scotland and Rajasthan
(Further) proof that music transcends all culture and language
Review: Daniel Smith Trio – Blues Piano
More musical mayhem from Daniel Smith, a Jools Holland with jokes.
Review: Sisterhood
Three Women Convicted of Witch Craft Make Peace with Their Fates and Reveal How Little Has Changed
Review: Animal Farm
A swift and telling production that’s quick-swerving on its feet with memorable vocal projection and physical acting that’s a delight and enticement. This outstanding outdoor version feels special.
Review: Lucia di Lammermoor
This is a stunning pocket-sized opera-house quality Lucia. You won’t find a better-sung, more affecting Donizetti this year.
Review: Sussex Flutes, All Saints
Beautifully consummate, with memorable repertoire, they’re a unique group who should be selling discs.
Review: Harmonia Trio Cara Barseghian, Daphne Elston, Elizabeth Shepley
Bracing, innovatively chosen repertoire makes the Harmonia Trio an essential part of music-making in the south.
Review: BBC Prom 33 Musgrave and Brahms Requiem BBC SO & Chorus, Richard Farnes RAH August 7th 2018
A superb reading of the Brahms Requiem. In Phoenix Rising, never before programmed, we find another Thea Musgrave classic.
Review: Chapel Royal, Paul Gregory and Peter Shulski, Bach and Schubert, August 7th 2018
Gregory and Shulski make both works seamless and I the Bach, powerfully truthful. And Gregory’s proved his point with this arrangement too: you see it in a new, summer-laden light.
Review: BBC Prom 28 Mussorgsky, Benjamin, Ravel Ligeti and Debussy NYO, George Benjamin RAH August 4th 2018
An outstanding concert. We need George Benjamin to inspire young players to fall in love with modern works not least his own.
