Articles by David Truslove

The BBC Symphony Orchestra was on great form in an exciting evening comprising a concerto and three symphonic works.

A richly varied programme of Haydn, Barber and Shostakovich that mostly played to the strengths of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Beethoven may have been the main catch of the day for some but Sibelius, Leifs and Hillborg will have netted many new admirers thanks to Sakari Oramo.

The celebratory, cerebral and contradictory elements inherent in this diverse programme of Haydn, Mozart, Poulenc and Stravinsky didn’t quite disguise some uneven performances in Søndergård’s third prom concert.

Musical Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin inspired wonderful performances from the American players on the last leg of their European tour. 

Two classic scores by Berlioz and a musical memorial to Bliss’ brother made a deep impression. 

Schubert’s last three piano sonatas, published posthumously in 1839, were brought to new life with thrilling intensity and a sense of authority by one of Britain’s most self-effacing recitalists.

Mozart and Schubert were performed with superb technical assurance and cool precision as part of the Winchester Chamber Music Festival.

Two repertoire works and the lesser known Lemminkäinen Suite made for an attractive all-Sibelius programme

At very short notice David Hill stepped in to conduct an all-French programme with the London Symphony Orchestra where serenity, elegance and passion were all beautifully communicated.

City of Light: Paris 1900-1950 was the stimulus behind an evening of impressive performances of inspirational music by Ravel and Stravinsky.

Sublime and satirical Russian music served to an appreciative but less than capacity audience at the Anvil. 

An impressive debut at the Turner Sims from this young Italian pianist brings new insights to Schubert, Scriabin and Ravel in compelling performances. 

As part of the Festival Hall’s Sunday matinee series, John Wilson programmed three inspirational works by Bax, Walton and Vaughan Williams. 

Even without their trademark blue and yellow tracksuits,, the young (and now not so young) players of the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra can still generate a certain frisson.

Mahler’s Blumine, Beethoven’s rarely performed Triple Concerto and Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony were given a fresh coat of paint by the BSO.

As part of their Autumn UK tour, Russia’s oldest symphony orchestra delivered Liadov, Prokofiev and Tchaikovsky, but failed to create a lasting impression.

Haydn, Mozart and Brahms provided the perfect menu for the Turner Sims Sunday afternoon tea-time concert given by the Vienna Piano Trio.

The Presteigne Festival went Polish this year with an enterprising perspective of contemporary and post-war works including the world première of Paveł Łukaszewski’s newly commissioned Requiem. 

Peter Broadbent and the Joyful Company of Singers return to the Presteigne festival for an enterprising programme of unfamiliar 20th-century choral repertoire.