Chamber Orchestra of Europe brings all-Brahms evening to Philadelphia

By Cameron Kelsall, 11 December 2025

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“whisper answered whisper, fire answered fire”

Reviewed at Kimmel Center: Marian Anderson Hall, Philadelphia on 10 December 2025

Brahms, Tragic Overture, Op.81

Brahms, Double Concerto in A minor for Violin, Cello and Orchestra, Op.102

Ravel, Sonata for Violin and Cello (Très vif)

Brahms, Symphony no. 1 in C minor, Op.68

Veronika Eberle, Violin

Jean-Guihen Queyras, Cello

Chamber Orchestra of Europe

Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Conductor

Beauty from Iestyn Davies, energy from Robin Ticciati in Gstaad

David Karlin, 2nd February

Iestyn Davies shows how to make every word count in a fairly standard sampler of Baroque arias; Ticciati is a fireball on the podium with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe.

***11

Robin Ticciati shuffles incidental music with the COE

Alexander Hall, 19th April

Beethoven was the spiritus rector of Ticciati's COE concert at the Elbphilharmonie, with Lisa Batiashvili in commanding form for that composer's fiddle concerto.

****1

Jansen dazzles Antwerp in fine Prokofiev with Pappano and the COE

Clare Varney, 3rd December

Janine Jansen’s exquisite reading of Prokofiev's First Violin Concerto leaves the Belgian audience on a high.

****1

Yannick Nézet-Séguin's Beethoven cycle concludes

Alexander Hall, 10th July

Nézet-Séguin and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe bring to a triumphant end their Beethoven cycle in Baden-Baden with coruscating performances of the Second and Third Symphonies.

*****

Nézet-Séguin and the COE bring Beethoven to Baden-Baden

Cameron Kelsall, 4th July

The elegance of the First Symphony served as a perfect curtain raiser for the mammoth, exultant Ninth.

*****

In Zurich, Leonidas Kavakos wears two hats

Sarah Batschelet, 9th April

Greek violinist Leonidas Kavakos plays – and conducts – the Chamber Orchestra of Europe in works by Mozart, Schoeck and Beethoven.

***11

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Cameron Kelsall

Cameron Kelsall is a classical music critic and cultural reporter. He has written for Bachtrack since 2019, and his byline has appeared in many national and international classical music publications. Based in Philadelphia, he regularly travels around the United States for musical events. In addition to his career in journalism, Cameron also teaches in the Theatre Arts program at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a certified sommelier and avid home cook. His favorite composer is Mahler. Twitter: @CameronPKelsall.