Quirky Rachmaninov from Buniatishvili and the RPO in Atlanta

By William E Ford, 17 January 2020

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Reviewed at Emory University, Schwartz Center for Performing Arts: Cherry Logan Emerson Concert Hall, Atlanta on 15 January 2020

Dove, Sunshine

Rachmaninov, Piano Concerto no. 2 in C minor, Op.18

Debussy, Suite bergamasque: Clair de lune

Sibelius, Symphony no. 2 in D major, Op.43

Glinka, Ruslan and Lyudmila: Overture

Mark Wigglesworth, Conductor

Khatia Buniatishvili, Piano

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Turangalîla underwhelms at the Southbank’s Multitudes festival

Roy Westbrook, 23rd April

Serious music ill-matched by filmic limitations as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra tackles Messiaen’s epic “symphony” as part of the Southbank’s cross-genre festival.

**111

Edusei’s Beethoven and Rangwanasha’s Strauss thrill at Cadogan Hall

Christopher Woodley, 26th February

Kevin John Edusei, Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra celebrate the joys of a life well-lived – rounded off to the sounds of larks ascending.

****1

Petrenko’s searing Shostakovich overshadows Grosvenor’s Beethoven

Nick Boston, 3rd February

Stylish Beethoven from Benjamin Grosvenor and dramatic Ustvolskaya from Yuriy Yurchuk, but Petrenko and the RPO’s blistering Shostakovich steals the show.

****1

Charisma and colour from Vasily Petrenko and the Royal Philharmonic

Chris Garlick, 7th September

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s BBC Proms matinee proves an ideal opportunity to demonstrate their strengths in a programme of Respighi, Milhaud and Vaughan Williams.

****1

Perception-altering Shostakovich from Serebrennikov and Petrenko

Mark Pullinger, 27th April

As part of the Southbank Centre's Multitudes festival, Shostakovich's Leningrad Symphony is given a stunning visual direction by Kirill Serebrennikov to match the RPO's gripping playing.

*****

A trio of exiled composers: Petrenko and the RPO at the RFH

David Truslove, 23rd March

Assured performances from the RPO as part of its ongoing “Lights in the Dark” series that brought career correspondences between three markedly different composers.

****1

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William E Ford

William has enjoyed classical music for over five decades. He is a frequent concertgoer and blogs about classical music . He has a YouTube channel in which he interviews a variety of people in the world of music, such as composers, musicians, writers, and artistic directors. William is a clinical psychologist.

Quirky Rachmaninov from Buniatishvili with the Royal Philharmonic in Atlanta