Ravel’s playful sound worlds with Alice Sara Ott

By David Renke, 21 February 2019

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“Ott interpreted the introductory solo passage with the strength of a storyteller”

Reviewed at Philharmonie im Gasteig, Munich on 20 February 2019

Sibelius, Finlandia, symphonic poem for orchestra, Op.26

Ravel, Piano Concerto in G major

Chopin, Nocturne no. 2 in E flat major, Op.9 no.2 (Zugabe / Encore)

Sibelius, Symphony no. 5 in E flat major, Op.82

Sibelius, Valse triste, Op.44 no.1 (Zugabe / Encore)

Alice Sara Ott, Piano

Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra

Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Conductor

Memorable Symphone fantastique, austere Sibelius from the GSO

David Karlin, 25th November

The precise control of Santu-Matthias Rouvali yields a reference Symphonie fantastique from the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra; the Sibelius Violin Concerto is less convincing.

****1

Hannigan balances light and dark in Gothenburg

Cameron Kelsall, 17th September

The program prominently featured compositions by Canadian composer Claude Vivier alongside works of Haydn and Busoni.

****1

Barbara Hannigan tackles Mahler’s Fourth in Gothenburg

Edward Sava-Segal, 1st October

Singing as well as conducting, Barbara Hannigan leads the GSO in symphonies by Haydn and Mahler.

****1

Pandemic programming: Shostakovich and Sibelius in Gothenburg

Roy Westbrook, 17th September

Saraste’s mastery in Sibelius is hardly a surprise, and neither is the calibre of the orchestra Sibelius himself often visited to conduct.

****1

Peter Mattei's moving Mahler in Gothenburg season opener

Timothy Robson, 10th September

Baritone Peter Mattei brought both musical sensitivity as well as almost Berg-ian drama to Mahler’s Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, ably supported by Manfred Honeck and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, in a successful livestream concert.

***11

Rouvali brings Kullervo to Gothenburg

David Karlin, 14th September

Sibelius' Kalevala-inspired epic is given the full treatment by the Orphei Drängar choir and the Gothenburg Symphony in Santtu-Matias Rouvali's inaugural concert as Chief Conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony.

****1

More reviews...

David Renke

David Renke, geboren in München, hat Musikwissenschaft an der Universität zu Köln studiert, wechselte dann zum Studiengang Medien und Kommunikation an die Universität Passau. Er spielt Klavier, Gitarre und ist als Sänger in verschiedenen Chören in Süddeutschland tätig. Sein Schwerpunkt liegt bei der Musik des frühen 20. Jahrhunderts.

Playful sound worlds with Alice Sara Ott and the Gothenburg Symphony in Munich