Ancient and modern Shakespeare settings, and music from Shakespeare's contemporaries given tender and passionate readings in a varied programme from Fretwork and Stile Antico.
Bright and energetic Walton and a promising, highly lyrical Concerto from Watkins, followed by taut Webern and commanding Brahms from Søndergård and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
In a quirky programme featuring English, Welsh and Russian music the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales began their new season at St David’s Hall showcasing, with mixed results, their composer-in-association Huw Watkins, Elgar and three Russian composers at different stages in their careers.
The LSO, under Daniel Harding, gives the world première of Huw Watkins’ impressive Flute Concerto, before offering a spectacular performance of Mahler’s Symphony no.1.
David Curtis displayed his usual deceptively effortless ease on the podium. Perhaps this felt like a handy warm-up for the marathon that he would run, hard on the heels of this concert, in Stratford-upon-Avon, the Orchestra of the Swan’s home territory.
The centenary of Benjamin Britten continues to gather pace as we move through February and it was a warm welcome given to the Aronowitz Ensemble for an all-English programme of chamber music on Friday evening.
It is often said that the concert hall is the sanctuary of musicians and music lovers alike: frequent concertgoers flock to their favourite venues as regularly as Sunday service, dressed in their finest and observing the sacred rites and rituals of the classical concert.
Bohuslav Martinů's Piano Quartet no. 1 (1942) is a beautiful work. The first and third movements are sharp and witty pieces which touch on jazz influences almost as strongly as on Bohemian folk music.
Shostakovich's 5th symphony is a work of great power, great variety and uncertain meaning. Written in 1937 when the composer was in fear for his life after Stalin's violent reaction to his opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, there is no way of knowing for sure the extent to which the music is infused by irony or pain. If there was irony, Stalin didn't spot it.
