A lifelong devotee of classical music, Mark caught the bug after listening to The Planets, The Rite of Spring and Beethoven’s Fifth when he was knee-high to a grasshopper. He has degrees in non-musical subjects and currently works as a Chartered Governance Professional, but these have proved to be mere distractions from the wonders of sonatas, concertos and symphonies. He has been reviewing for Bachtrack since 2016, plays viola and violin (very shakily) and used to sing a bit (even more shakily).
Two high-octane Russian favourites and an eight-minute microcosm of musical history give much to enjoy as the Seoul Philharmonic makes its first visit to London for eight years.
A fuel-filled programme from the London Philharmonic under Hannu Lintu in Nielsen and Mahler, while Lawrence Power exudes contemporary flair in Brett Dean’s Viola Concerto.
Elena Stikhina and Vitalij Kowaljow provided an extra touch of class in Shostakovich’s sombre but moving Fourteenth Symphony, with Noseda and the LSO running riot in Beethoven’s Seventh.
This enticing ensemble of soprano and piano trio evoked, delighted and expressed with heightened intensity in less well-known repertoire, including from some big names.
An exciting, though brief, world premiere and Schubert’s turbulent Fourth Symphony were given impressive readings by the Gürzenich Orchestra under Michael Sanderling, with Raphaela Gromes sensitive and passionate in Schumann.
The impressive Amsterdam Sinfonietta showed lucidity and depth in Britten and Shostakovich, with tenor Ilker Arcayürek and horn player Felix Klieser adding much to the quality.
As if they’d never been apart, Andris Nelsons and the Boston Symphony Orchestra pick up where they left off a year ago, with a vibrant Eroica and two mesmerising contemporary pieces.
Maxim Emelyanychev gave individual string players from the SCO more airtime and more of a “chamber” feel to an intriguing programme of Baroque, Classical and Romantic works.
A slightly left-field American-themed programme gave Santtu-Matias Rouvali scope to explore, and excel, in the Philharmonia’s exciting return to the Royal Festival Hall.
John Storgårds and the London Philharmonic Orchestra couple Julian Anderson’s evocative Van Gogh Blue with an exhilarating Beethoven’s Seventh, while Simone Lamsma is dynamic and expansive in Nielsen.
David Hill took the helm as the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra opened its account with arrangements of Bach and Mahler, an Ives masterpiece and an ebullient Beethoven 7.
A welcome return from the Philharmonia saw John Wilson exercising his passion for English music in a Vaughan Williams masterpiece and an impressive Sheku Kanneh-Mason in Saint-Saëns.
Daniel Barenboim, Emmanuel Pahud and select musicians continue their brief odyssey into new music with three striking and stimulating world premieres and a welcome touch of Boulez.
An intriguing programme and incisive playing from Igor Levit and Markus Becker as they examine Beethoven and Brahms from a fresh angle, and exceptional Bartók.
Clarity and colour from Alexandre Bloch and the Orchestre National de Lille in Debussy and Ravel, with an elegant and majestic Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto from Eric Lu.
Philippe Herreweghe reveals a crisp and precise Philharmonia in Schubert’s Fifth Symphony as Thomas Zehetmair provides reflection and breadth in Beethoven’s Violin Concerto.
