Altinoglu and Rachlin reveal the dark side of the 20th-century ethos

Julian Rachlin and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony

Alain Altinoglu and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony

By Edward Sava-Segal, 10 September 2025

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“allowing the cumulative energy to mount without ever tipping into exaggeration”

Reviewed at Palace Hall (Sala Palatului), Bucharest on 8 September 2025

Sibelius, Violin Concerto in D minor, Op.47

Bach, Violin partita no. 2 in D minor, BWV1004: Sarabande

Shostakovich, Symphony no. 8 in C minor, Op.65

Julian Rachlin, Violin

Frankfurt Radio Symphony

Alain Altinoglu, Conductor

A boisterous opening at the Dvořák Prague Festival

Frank Kuznik, 5th September

Alain Altinoglu and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra leave a lot to the imagination in a fiery treatment of two signature Dvořák works.

***11

French rarities from Alain Altinoglu and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony

Alexander Hall, 21st March

On paper this looked entrancing: a French conductor with Armenian roots assaying a score of oriental splendour. It was the first half, however, with Dutilleux and Debussy that satisfied more.

***11

Andrés Orozco-Estrada gives farewell concert with the Frankfurt RSO

Alexander Hall, 27th June

Partnering Augustin Hadelich in the Sibelius Violin Concerto and directing two works by Mendelssohn, Andrés Orozco-Estrada doesn't quite temper acoustic problems associated with the ecclesiastical venue.

****1

Sergey Malov makes the case for “off the shoulder” Boccherini

Laurence Vittes, 28th January

In a world of Sergey Malovs the violoncello da spalla could have been a contender.

****1

A Greek connection: Constantinos Carydis in Frankfurt

Alexander Hall, 14th January

In this musical journey the Greek conductor Constantinos Carydis takes you to Athens and Crete, while Igor Levit explores Apollonian qualities in Mozart.

***11

Sadness and joy reflected in Schubert and Dvořák

Alexander Hall, 25th October

The radio symphony orchestras based in the individual federal states are some of Germany's musical jewels. Here, Andrés Orozco-Estrada and his Frankfurt musicians together with tenor Christian Elsner demonstrate their mettle.

****1

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Edward Sava-Segal

Edward has been living in New York for the last 25 years, one of the reasons being the extraordinarily rich cultural life in this city. He has studied piano and classical music in his early years. He switched later on to computer science and data architecture but he kept an unwavering interest in following the classical music phenomenon here in New York and in his travels. Edward occasionally reviews fine arts events for the most prestigious literary magazine in Romania, his home country.

Altinoglu and Rachlin reveal the dark side of the 20th-century ethos in Bucharest