Strong contrasts from Honeck and the EUYO at the Elphi

European Union Youth Orchestra, Manfred Honeck, Benjamin Grosvenor

By Alexander Hall, 18 August 2023

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“youth orchestras bring a special freshness and eagerness to whatever they play”

Reviewed at Elbphilharmonie: Grand Hall, Hamburg on 17 August 2023

MacMillan, Larghetto for orchestra

Prokofiev, Piano Concerto no. 3 in C major, Op.26

Shostakovich, Symphony no. 5 in D minor, Op.47

European Union Youth Orchestra

Benjamin Grosvenor, Piano

Manfred Honeck, Conductor

Exciting but inconsistent playing from the EUYO at Carnegie Hall

Cameron Kelsall, 6th August

Under Iván Fischer's direction, Mahler's First Symphony is notable more for bombastic passion than subtle artistry.

***11

Buzzing energy from Vasily Petrenko, Jess Gillam and the EUYO

Alexander Hall, 21st August

Vasily Petrenko unleashes powerful and poetic sounds in Sibelius' Second Symphony and Jess Gillam dazzles in one of Michael Nyman's works while the European Union Youth Orchestra shows off its remarkable qualities.

*****

Eloquence and elegance from the EUYO, Noseda and Cho

Alexander Hall, 19th August

The European Union Youth Orchestra confirms its exceptional quality in Zubel and Tchaikovsky. In Chopin, Seong-Jin Cho shows why he is a rising star of distinction.

****1

EUYO triumphs in Bolzano

Jane Shuttleworth, 19th August

An inspiring sight in a troubled year: a hundred young Europeans coming together in the European Union Youth Orchestra celebrating music and friendship.

****1

Noseda conducts Verdi and Mahler in Ravello

Lorenzo Fiorito, 27th August

Gianandrea Noseda conducts the EUYO at the Ravello Festival, in an unusual pairing of Verdi and Mahler.

****1

Vasily Petrenko and the EUYO in 20th Century symphonic rarities

Chris Garlick, 5th August

One Prom + two oddball 20th century symphonies = a strangely satisfying experience, especially when in the hands of a youth orchestra, evidently open to the technical challenges and quirkiness of this relatively rare concert material.

****1

More reviews...

Alexander Hall

Alexander Hall divides his time between London and Hamburg, where he had a career in academic administration and teaching. He reviews for Bachtrack and Opera Today, and has also reviewed for Classical Source. A connoisseur of the great orchestras of the world, his musical memories stretch back to Karajan/Berlin Phil, Mravinsky/Leningrad Phil, Bernstein/Vienna Phil, and he has seen most of the great conductors from the past, including Böhm, Klemperer, Kubelik, Ormandy and Szell.

Strong contrasts from Honeck, Grosvenor and the EU Youth Orchestra at the Elbphilharmonie