Rare Russian repertoire fails to catch fire, despite the best efforts of Osmo Vänskä and the LPO.

By Renée Reitsma, 21 February 2014

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“Full of instantly memorable themes, it was a joy to hear the LPO perform it so well.”

Reviewed at Royal Festival Hall, London on 19 February 2014

Balakirev, Oriental Fantasy, "Islamey", Op.18

Khachaturian, Piano Concerto in D flat major, Op.38

Kalinnikov, Symphony no. 1 in G minor

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Osmo Vänskä, Conductor

Marc-André Hamelin, Piano

Paavo Järvi marks his new LPO appointment in Tchaikovsky and Sibelius

Mark Valencia, 4th March

Paavo Järvi demonstrates just why the London Philharmonic Orchestra has chosen him as its next Chief Conductor and Artistic Advisor.

*****

Canellakis, Mutter and the LPO at the Elbphilharmonie

Mengguang Huang, 24th February

Anne-Sophie Mutter’s commanding presence meet the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s exceptional adaptability, yielding a concert that balances tradition-steeped authority with modern transparency, rhythmic vitality and the orchestra’s own electrifying spontaneity.

****1

Phoenix Lands: the London Philharmonic blazes with energy

Charlotte Gardner, 4th February

Edward Gardner’s Bacewicz, Martinů, Lutosławski and Janáček set the Royal Festival Hall ablaze.

****1

Jurowski and the LPO’s Mahler cycle reaches a momentous climax

Peter Quantrill, 24th January

Retrospection held at bay by the conductor’s unusual choice of Rudolf Barshai's completion to Mahler’s last symphony.

****1

Explosive performances from Vladimir Jurowski and the LPO

Chris Garlick, 21st January

Jurowski took a full-on approach in the first movement, grinding through the discords without shame and only pulling back in those rare moments in the score where everyone is catching their breath.

****1

Beth Taylor’s commanding Sea Pictures with the London Philharmonic

Nick Boston, 26th November

The dream team of Edward Gardner and the LPO are joined by Beth Taylor for a glorious evening of Elgar at the Royal Festival Hall.

*****

More reviews...

Renée Reitsma

Renée lives in Essex and is a PhD student in Philosophy. She loves all sorts of classical and non-classical music, but has a particular love for Dmitri Shostakovich. She is in charge of the Heavy Symphonic playlist at Dutch classical music site 24classics and blogs here.