Philharmonia wows with Ives, Berg and Schubert 9

By Penny Homer, 02 October 2015

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“this was a full-blooded exploration of the gamut of human emotion”

Reviewed at Royal Festival Hall, London on 1 October 2015

Ives, The Unanswered Question

Berg, Violin Concerto "To the Memory of an Angel"

Schubert, Symphony no. 9 in C major, "The Great", D.944

Christoph von Dohnányi, Conductor

Carolin Widmann, Violin

Philharmonia Orchestra

A Resurrection for the ages: Kent Nagano conducts the Philharmonia

Eleanor Knight, 19th March

Any performance of Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony is an event, but this mighty Philharmonia account at the Royal Festival Hall proves extra special.

*****

A brilliant UK premiere of John Adams’ After the Fall

David Karlin, 25th February

The Icelandic pianist and Finnish conductor make a superb case for John Adams' latest concerto; the Philharmonia play Ravel's Daphnis et Chloé strongly but don't convince completely.

****1

Renes replaces Runnicles in a remarkable Philharmonia Bruckner 8

Dominic Lowe, 19th February

Stepping in for Sir Donald Runnicles at very short notice, Lawrences Renes conducts the Philharmonia in a sleek and vivid reading of Bruckner's magisterial Eighth Symphony.

****1

Karpman’s opera Balls tells a great story, but overshoots the line

David Karlin, 20th November

An entertaining portrayal of the 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs is marred by ham-fisted amplification.

**111

Giltburg and Foster celebrate the Philharmonia’s 80th birthday

Nick Boston, 17th November

Boris Giltburg emphasising the expression in not one but two piano concertos, with commanding performances from Lawrence Foster and the Philharmonia.

****1

Paavo Järvi and the Philharmonia: a debut and a swansong

Roy Westbrook, 9th November

Alena Baeva impresses in her belated Philharmonia debut, playing Max Bruch’s evergreen First Violin Concerto.

****1

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Penny Homer

Penny Homer graduated from the University of Nottingham with a Bachelor of Music degree in 2003, where she was also a choral scholar at St Barnabas Cathedral. She is keenly interested in arts and education, and her work across both includes stints at Akademi South Asian Dance UK and Benslow Music Trust. Additionally she worked for Edition Peters in their sales department before joining the Association of British Choral Directors as their Training Manager. Penny currently sings at Eton Lower Chapel, St Andrews Fulham Fields, Wimbledon Choral Society, Londinium and Vocal Constructivists, and continues her vocal studies with Ian Kennedy.