Xavier Phillips and François-Frédéric Guy in Beethoven at Wigmore Hall

By Zoltán Szabó, 08 July 2019

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Reviewed at Wigmore Hall, London on 6 July 2019

Beethoven, Cello Sonata no. 2 in G minor, Op.5 no.2

Beethoven, 12 Variations on a theme by Handel from Judas Maccabaeus, WoO 45

Beethoven, Cello Sonata no. 3 in A major, Op.69

Beethoven, 7 Variations for cello and piano on "Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen", WoO 46

Beethoven, Cello Sonata no. 4 in C major, Op.102 no.1

Beethoven, Cello Sonata no. 5 in D major, Op.102 no.2

Xavier Phillips, Cello

François-Frédéric Guy, Piano

A tale of two pianists: the HK Sinfonietta at La Roque

David Karlin, 22nd July

Yip Wing-sie and the HK Sinfonietta show admirable qualities in their Beethoven cycle. François-Frédéric Guy plays a splendid Third Piano Concerto but Anne Queffélec is disconnected from the orchestra in the Fourth.

****1

Powerful Chopin and commanding Beethoven from François-Frédéric Guy

Alexander Hall, 3rd October

With only the latest composition by Tristan Murail acting as a palate-cleanser, this was a recital by a leading French pianist that was full of Romantic power and passion in works by Chopin and Beethoven.

****1

Spectacular Vaughan Williams from the BBC SO and Ryan Wigglesworth

Roy Westbrook, 13th May

Will this centenary year yield a finer Vaughan Williams symphony performance than this account of the Fourth?

****1

Beethoven cello sonatas à la française

David Karlin, 18th February

Phillips and Guy produce a French-accented rendering of three cello sonatas, favouring elegance and crystal clarity over overt romantics.

****1

High-powered pianism from Guy and Bavouzet

Frances Wilson, 13th June

French pianists François-Fréderic Guy and Jean-Efflam Bavouzet returned to London’s Wigmore Hall to present a programme of three 20th century orchestral scores transcribed for two pianos.

****1

Epic, romantic Liszt from François-Frédéric Guy

David Pinedo, 31st May

Outside of the opera pit, Marc Albrecht and his Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra demonstrated their magic at the Concertgebouw.

****1

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Zoltán Szabó

Zoltán Szabó is a cellist and musicologist. Having migrated from his native Hungary to Australia in 1985, he worked with the Australian Chamber Orchestra in Sydney until 1991, when he became Principal Cello with Opera Australia. In 2017, he was awarded with a Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD). Currently, he is teaching music history and musicology at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.