Luminous Beethoven and impetuous Connesson in Bruges

By Marc Haegeman, 03 March 2019

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“Znaider and Denève share the same care for detail and expressive force”

Reviewed at Concertgebouw Brugge: Concert Hall, Bruges on 1 March 2019

Connesson, Flammenschrift

Prokofiev, Romeo and Juliet

Beethoven, Violin Concerto in D major, Op.61

Brussels Philharmonic

Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider, Violin

Stéphane Denève, Conductor

Pressing the “pause life” button with Arvo Pärt in Brussels

Zenaida des Aubris, 15th May

Kristjan Järvi conducts the Brussels Philharmonic and the Vlaams Radiokoor in a programme of Arvo Pärt's music.

****1

Magisterial performance of Feldman's Rothko Chapel in Brussels

Timothy Robson, 6th November

Part of Brussels' Ars Musica festival, the concert also included a fun world premiere by Claire-Mélanie Sinnhuber, and the riveting Streaming Arhythmia by Anna Thorvaldsdottir.

****1

Magnificent Rachmaninov tribute from Lugansky and Denève in Ghent

Marc Haegeman, 4th April

Nocturne may not be your dreamlike, moonlit summer night stroll, but quite a grim-visaged journey, threateningly dark with the occasional shaft of light piercing through in powerful, sonorous tutti.

*****

An unfussy, memorable War Requiem from Noseda

Nicolas Nguyen, 11th October

Gianandrea Noseda conducts the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Netherlands Radio Choir and an ideal team of soloists in a memorable performance of Britten's War Requiem.

****1

Fiery, formidable Boris Godunov at the Concertgebouw

Jenny Camilleri, 8th September

This year’s NTR ZaterdagMatinee concert series in Amsterdam kicked off with a Boris Godunov that left nothing to be desired.

*****

Joyful, showy Bernstein at Cadogan Hall

Benjamin Poore, 31st May

Exuberance and reflection from the Brussels Philharmonic in a celebration of Leonard Bernstein.

****1

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Marc Haegeman

Marc Haegeman graduated as a historian from the University of Ghent. He developed a keen interest in music, ballet, photography and nature. As a dance writer and photographer he contributed to leading dance magazines in the last 20 years, including The Dancing Times, Dance International and Ballet2000, and has been working with companies worldwide. His classical music reviews appeared in Classical Net and on his blog I used mostly my ears. He is particularly interested in Russian music and the piano. When free, he loves spending time in nature, photographing landscapes and wildlife.