Wandering around Cage: Margaret Leng Tan plays Four Walls in the Barbican Art Gallery

By Paul Kilbey, 18 March 2013

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Reviewed at Barbican Centre: Art Gallery, London on 14 March 2013

Cage, Four Walls

Margaret Leng Tan, Piano

A birthday happening for Stephen Montague at St John's Smith Square

Frances Wilson, 12th March

It’s not every day that one goes to a dinner party at lunchtime, but this was a rather special dinner party – A Dinner Party for John Cage. It formed the centerpiece of a lunchtime “happening” at St John’s Smith Square to celebrate the 70th birthday of American-British composer Stephen Montague.

*****

An end-of-term Mahler 6 from the Hallé in Manchester

Rohan Shotton, 28th May

Kahchun Wong conducts The Hallé in Mahler's epic Sixth Symphony, although directorial idiosyncrasies sometimes get in the way of the music.

***11

Mallwitz and the Konzerthausorchester Berlin conquer Mahler's Fifth

Mengguang Huang, 27th May

At the Elbphilharmonie, Joana Mallwitz treats Mahler's Fifth as an argument to be won, and she knows exactly how it will end.

****1

Václav Luks and the OAE deliver operatic scale in Haydn's Creation

Nick Boston, 27th May

The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment under Václav Luks are joined by their own choir and strong soloists for a fresh and colourful performance of Haydn's Die Schöpfung.

****1

Lost for words: Asmik Grigorian excels at Wigmore Hall

Roy Westbrook, 26th May

A first half of vocalises gives way to all Strauss after the interval as the Lithuanian superstar soprano helps Wigmore Hall celebrate its 125th anniversary.

****1

A self-congratulatory Cecilia Bartoli show at Salzburg Whitsun

Laura Servidei, 24th May

This year’s Salzburg Whitsun Festival gala, Ciao, bella ciao, features Cecilia Bartoli in a highly personalised musical programme structured as an autobiographical journey, unfolding as a blend of concert and self-portrait.

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Paul Kilbey

Paul was Reviews Editor at Bachtrack from 2012 to February 2014. He has written on music and culture for publications including Culture Wars, the Huffington Post, the Independent and the Guardian. He holds BA and MPhil degrees in music from Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, and is particularly passionate about contemporary music of all types. His website is here.