20th-century English quintets at Cadogan Hall

Mark Bebbington and RPO principals

By Nick Boston, 25 March 2024

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“he passion and clear enjoyment of predominantly orchestral players let loose on chamber repertoire”

Reviewed at Cadogan Hall, London on 24 March 2024

Ireland, Phantasie Trio

Vaughan Williams, Piano Quintet in C minor

Elgar, Piano Quintet in A minor, Op.84

Mark Bebbington, Piano

Tamas Andras, Violin

Andrew Storey, Violin

Abigail Fenna, Viola

Jonathan Ayling, Cello

Benjamin Cunningham, Double Bass

An English salad, French dressing from Shelley and the RPO

Dominic Lowe, 5th April

Shelley led an unusual mix of English music by Walton, Coleridge-Taylor and Delius, with a poignant addition of two small works by the young Lili Boulanger.

***11

English jewels in the European crown

Mark Thomas, 1st November

A delectable programme from Barry Wordsworth and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with pieces by Elgar and Vaughan Williams and a rare chance to hear John Ireland’s eclectic Piano Concerto.

***11

Two Dons and a señor: Payare’s debut with the RPO

Alexander Hall, 27th March

Rafael Payare, in his first appearance with the RPO, has musical encounters with Don Juan and Don Quixote, and a Mozart symphony provides a suitable contrast.

****1

Korngold and Mahler from Ray Chen, Vasily Petrenko and the RPO

Roy Westbrook, 12th May

Few violin concertos soar from the first bar as Erich Korngold’s does, especially as in Ray Chen's high-wire account at the Royal Albert Hall.

****1

Energetic Currentzis and Utopia at the Elbphilharmonie

Mengguang Huang, 12th May

From Berg’s crystalline intimacy to Dionysian Mahler, Teodor Currentzis and Utopia defy orchestral tradition with standing musicians, spatial acoustics and an emotional intensity that breathes new life into the concert life.

****1

Petr Popelka delivers a thrilling opening for Prague Spring

Frank Kuznik, 12th May

With Petr Popelka on the podium, the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra brings a native feel and colorful exuberance to a cultural icon.

****1

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Nick Boston

Nick has an MA in Music, specialising in performance and repertoire. His particular passions are choral music, chamber music and opera, with a particular interest in early music. He sings in a number of choirs in the south east of England, plays the piano and occasionally dusts off the violin. He writes about music here.

20th-century English quintets at Cadogan Hall: sensitivity and orchestral scale