Live, Video: Find classical music concert, opera, ballet and dance reviews | Abrahamsen | English

For a programme given by Asko|Schönberg at the Concertgebouw, Hans Abrahamsen’s choice of his own works spans an important and transitory period of creative stillness.  

Hans Abrahamsen makes a powerful statement in his latest orchestral work, while Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Beatrice Rana and the BRSO make a spirited attempt to reawaken interest in Clara Schumann's only concerto.

The Knussen Chamber Orchestra with Ryan Wigglesworth debuts at the Proms with music by Knussen, Birtwistle, Waley-Cohen, Abrahamsen and Putt.

Sir Simon Rattle and the LSO kick off the New Year by showcasing a contemporary vocal masterpiece (with Barbara Hannigan as soloist) together with two symphonies by Nordic composers.

Hrůša and the Bamberg Symphony produce Brahms of glorious warmth; Hans Abrahamsen's Let me tell you displays Barbara Hannigan at her most virtuosic.

Pantheon, by Cleveland Orchestra oboist Jeffrey Rathbun, and Hans Abrahamsen’s Left, alone with pianist Alexandre Tharaud in his TCO debut showed the ensemble’s strengths.

Rattle presented small items full of flavour alongside a heaven-storming Bruckner Ninth Symphony.

A celebration of fifty years of the London Sinfonietta was a well-deserved pat on the back for this valuable institution.

Launching a new “Reflektor” series of short festivals, Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie invited Bryce Dessner to curate two days of concerts.

Shostakovich proves the highlight of a variable programme in Rotterdam. 

A pair of auspicious debuts marked the CBSO's Prom: MirgaGražinyte-Tyla was making her London debut, plus it was the first time that Hans Abrahamsen's song cycle let me tell you was to be heard in the capital. 

Sandwiched between Debussy’s charming Children’s Corner and Mahler’s invitation to heaven, Abrahamsen unveiled his piano concerto for left hand. It was certainly a night for stark contrasts in tone and theme.

Principals from Royal Northern Sinfonia showcase new music from even further North than Gateshead, with chamber works from Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Estonia.

Shostakovich’s sprawling Fourth Symphony filled the rest of the concert in an epic performance.

Works by Locatelli, Hans Abrahamsen and Tom Coult accompanied Dmitry Sitkovetsky's arrangement of Bach's Goldberg Variations. 

Conductor, Andris Nelsons, once again demonstrated his affinity with Richard Strauss in a magnificent performance of his tone poem, Symphonia Domestica.

The Arditti Quartet has adventurously championed contemporary repertoire throughout an illustrious career. Recent quartets from Haas and Abrahamsen are joined by Xenakis' Tetras at the New Music Dublin Festival.

An honest and subtle performance from Barbara Hannigan in the Dutch première of Hans Abrahamsen’s song cycle which tells Ophelia's story. 

With a debut opera for ENO in the pipeline for next year and residencies with both Wigmore Hall and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, things are currently looking bright for Julian Anderson. To celebrate this, Wigmore Hall turned 2 November into Julian Anderson Day, devoting two concerts and a talk to exploring his music.

As a non-composer, I always find it a little disconcerting when composers completely disagree with me about new music. And when I talk to two composers separately, and they offer matching opinions opposed to my own – as happened last night at the Wigmore Hall – I definitely end up feeling slightly wrong-footed.