Academy of St Martin in the Fields and Joshua Bell in Birmingham

By Rohan Shotton, 16 October 2012

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Reviewed at Symphony Hall, Birmingham on 14 October 2012

Beethoven, Egmont, Op.84: Overture

Beethoven, Romance for Violin and Orchestra no. 2 in F major, Op.50

Bruch, Scottish Fantasy for violin and orchestra, Op.46

Mendelssohn, Symphony no. 3 in A minor, "Scottish", Op.56

Academy of St Martin in the Fields

Joshua Bell, Director, Violin

Joshua Bell and the ASMF thrill in Schumann and Brahms

Mark Valencia, 20th January

At Cadogan Hall, Bell’s account of Robert Schumann’s Spring Symphony is as sunny an interpretation as you’re likely to hear.

****1

A snowbound evening with Joshua Bell: comfort and unease in Hamburg

Mengguang Huang, 8th January

Amid snowbound Hamburg, Joshua Bell leads the Academy of St Martin in the Fields with warmth and lyricism, though Brahms’ concerto reveals limits, while Schumann’s symphony fully blossoms.

***11

Highly individual Mozart from Buniatishvili

Nick Boston, 9th December

The Academy of St Martin in the Fields give exciting performances at the Barbican, with idiosyncratic Mozart from Buniatishvili.

***11

Handel's Messiah overpowered by massed forces at the Proms

Nick Boston, 7th September

Massed choral forces, a strong solo line up and expanded orchestral forces overpower Handel at the end of the BBC Proms Choral Day.

***11

Depth and delivery: Joshua Bell and the ASMF in San Francisco

Lois Silverstein, 7th April

On a tour of the United States, Joshua Bell and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields perform Mendelssohn, Schumann and Vince Mendoza in Davies Symphony Hall.

*****

Mozart and Beethoven from the ASMF and Bell in Sydney mini-residency

Zoltán Szabó, 8th October

Sydney revels in Joshua Bell's masterful violin playing and leadership of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields on their Australian tour.

****1

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Rohan Shotton

Rohan has reviewed concerts and opera across the UK and Europe, but chiefly in Manchester, where he enjoys conducting and playing percussion and piano. He works as a hospital doctor, having studied in St Andrews and Manchester, and tweets as @RohanShotton.