Britten and Poulenc with Adrian Partington and the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales

By Philip May, 10 May 2013

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Reviewed at BBC Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff on 8 May 2013

Britten, The Building of the House for chorus or organ or brass and orchestra, Op.79

Poulenc, Litanies à la Vierge Noire, FP 82a

Satie, Deux Preludes Posthumes et Une Gnossienne (orch. Poulenc)

Poulenc, Sécheresses, FP 90

Poulenc, Esquisse pour une fanfare, FP 25 (orch. Françaix)

Britten, Ad majorem Dei gloriam: seven settings of Gerard Manley Hopkins

Britten, Ballad of Heroes for tenor or soprano, chorus and orchestra, Op.14

Adrian Partington, Conductor

Robin Tritschler, Tenor

BBC National Chorus of Wales

BBC National Orchestra of Wales

Nail-biting Shostakovich from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales

Dominic Lowe, 15th August

Before a searing performance of Shostakovich's Thirteenth from Ryan Bancroft and his Welsh forces, Benjamin Grosvenor delivers a terrific performance of Ravel's Piano Concerto in G major.

****1

Bancroft and BBCNOW at the Proms: a deeply satisfying Mahler 3

David Karlin, 11th August

Bancroft and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales provide a Mahler 3 of exceptional clarity and forward momentum, with terrific posthorn solos from Corey Morris and Beth Taylor an outstanding soloist.

****1

Exciting Bacewicz and Lutosławski from Tadaaki Otaka and the BBC NOW

Nick Boston, 30th July

Strong performances of Bacewicz and Lutosławski in Tadaaki Otaka's final outing with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales at the Proms, with technically commanding and sincere Rachmaninov from Vadym Kholodenko.

***11

Nil Venditti impresses in BBC Proms debut

Christopher Woodley, 12th August

Beethoven and Sir Karl Jenkins receive top-notch performances from Nil Venditti and the BBC NOW.

****1

A choral treat to savour: Verdi’s Requiem at the BBC Proms

David Karlin, 23rd July

An outstanding choral performance by nearly 300 singers of the BBC National Chorus of Wales and the Crouch End Festival Chorus lights up Verdi’s hybrid of opera and devotional music.

*****

Music that eats into you: Schoenberg and Zemlinsky at the BBC Proms

Alexander Hall, 22nd July

The Proms are often very clever at recreating musical events from the past. Here, two works originally premiered in 1905 are given a fresh outing by Ryan Bancroft and BBC NOW.

****1

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Philip May

A twice graduate of the RWCMD (BMus & MMus), Philip developed a strong interest in both early and 20th century music, particularly the works of the Second Viennese School and the late William Alwyn. A pianist and ensemble musician, Philip plays with the TripTych Trio and has a particular interest in orchestral and chamber music.