A blossoming relationship

By Nathan Waring, 22 January 2015

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“Copland’s ability to paint the wide American skies and pioneering spirit was... a joy to behold”

Reviewed at St Andrew's Hall, Norwich on 21 January 2015

Carter, Elegy for string quartet

Bennett, A History of Thé Dansant

Copland, Appalachian Spring

Crawford Seeger, Andante for Strings

Copland, 8 Poems of Emily Dickinson, for mezzo-soprano and orchestra

Dame Sarah Connolly, Mezzo-soprano

Jacqueline Shave, Violin

Britten Sinfonia

At Aldeburgh Festival, Nicholas Daniel plays the Pied Piper of Cool

Christopher Woodley, 13th June

For the Aldeburgh Festival's 75th anniversary celebrations, Daniel delivered a great performance of Vaughan Williams's Oboe Concerto, in the company of Gustav and Imogen Holst.

****1

Britten Sinfonia ablaze on the BBC Proms’ hottest night

Nick Boston, 6th September

Inventiveness, joyful performance and intuitive communication from Thomas Gould and the Britten Sinfonia in recompositions from Richter, Auerbach and Tippett.

*****

Donizetti's L’esule di Roma: a Roman triumph for Opera Rara

Dominic Lowe, 11th May

This is the 27th Donizetti opera given the Opera Rara treatment and their ability to spot a hidden gem remains as adroit as ever.

****1

Love and death in Scotland: Mercadante’s Il proscritto

David Karlin, 28th June

A great orchestral performance of an exciting score don't quite mask the dramatic weaknesses of Opera Rara's latest.

***11

Holst's Sāvitri: near-death experience in the Barbican

Roy Westbrook, 4th May

A game of three halves from the Britten Sinfonia, with a late appearance by three star soloists.

****1

Colin Currie conducts Reich/Richter at the Barbican

Benjamin Poore, 23rd October

A new collaboration from Gerhard Richter and Steve Reich tantalises and enthralls in London.

****1

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Nathan Waring

Nathan is Director of Music at Gresham's Prep School, Holt. Aside from being a busy pianist and conductor, his principle interest lies in researching the less familiar musical output of 20th-century British composers such as Britten, Hales and Berkeley.

A blossoming relationship between Britten Sinfonia and Sarah Connolly