Little-known Britten juvenilia brought to the fore at Gresham's School

By Nathan Waring, 12 February 2013

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

Reviewed at Gresham's School: Auden Theatre, Holt, Norfolk on 8 February 2013

Britten, Bagatelle for violin, viola and pianoforte

Watkins, Sad Steps

Britten, String Quartet no. 3, Op.94

Britten, Poem of Hate

Bridge, Piano Quintet H.49

Aronowitz Ensemble

Andris Nelsons and the BSO arrive in New York, with baggage in tow

Cameron Kelsall, 9th April

In his first New York appearance since the termination of his contract as BSO Music Director, Nelsons courts public sympathy and makes some thrilling music.

***11

Nelson Goerner shines with the CBSO and Rachmaninov's Rhapsody

Robert Gainer, 9th April

The CBSO present the work of three European émigré composers of the 1930s and 40s, who reimagined their musical influences with contrasting approaches and results.

****1

Karabits and Szeps-Znaider carouse with the LPO

Christopher Woodley, 8th April

The sparkle of Max Bruch's Fecond Violin Concerto and the drama of Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony overcome the gloom of Anna Thorvaldsdottir’s dark forebodings.

****1

Savall conducts Beethoven and Haydn at the Elbphilharmonie

Mengguang Huang, 3rd April

Beethoven's Christus am Ölberge is paired with Haydn's Die sieben letzten Worte, a journey from agony to transcendence in which the agony proves the more honest companion.

***11

Portraits and pictures from Ibragimova, Gardner and the LPO

Roy Westbrook, 1st April

From Three Screaming Popes to Pictures at an Exhibition, a pair of works inspired by paintings frame a violin concerto by Béla Bartók at London's Southbank Centre.

****1

Energy, precision and drama from the Philadelphia Orchestra

Susan Stempleski, 31st March

Marin Alsop is joined by pianist Hayato Sumino as she conducts the Philadelphians in an exhilarating program of works by John Adams, Gershwin and Prokofiev.

****1

More reviews...

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.