Swish playing from a Swiss orchestra

By Dominic Lowe, 22 November 2017

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“Holliger seemed acutely aware of the symphony’s architecture”

Reviewed at Cadogan Hall, London on 20 November 2017

Mendelssohn, The Hebrides Overture, “Fingal's Cave”, Op.26

Holliger, Meta Arca

Mendelssohn, Piano Concerto no. 1 in G minor, Op.25

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

Basel Chamber Orchestra

Sir Stephen Hough, Piano

Heinz Holliger, Conductor

Schumann v Schumann: a surprise victor in Vienna concerto play-off

Mark Pullinger, 11th February

Alexandra Dovgan plays piano concertos by Clara and Robert Schumann at the Konzerthaus, but it's the Kammerorchester Basel's performance of a forgotten symphony which most impresses.

****1

Handel's somewhat rare oratorio Susanna in the Halle Handel Festival

Sandra Bowdler, 14th June

Handel's oratorio Susanna is often considered to be less than consistently dramatic and this performance in the Halle Handel Festival did little to dispel that view.

***11

Daniel Hope and the Basel Chamber Orchestra

Mark Valencia, 18th April

Hope can spin high-lying musical phrases with a sweetness and suspension that few of his contemporaries can match.

****1

Sol Gabetta a stylish soloist with the Basel CO

David Larkin, 29th November

The final stop on the Basel Chamber Orchestra's Australian tour at the Sydney Opera House saw Sol Gabetta in fine fettle as soloist in Cello Concertos by Saint-Saëns and the Latvian Vasks.

***11

Mozart disappoints, but Rameau and Bizet compensate

David Pinedo, 25th July

It was an evening for showing off. The Basel Chamber Orchestra (being Bartoli and Scholl’s frequent partners) performed Bizet and Rameau, plus a Mozart concerto with conductor Christian Zacharias directing from the piano.

***11

Mozart concert arias from Rolando Villazón fail to engage

Aksel Tollåli, 6th May

Rolando Villazón and kammerorchesterbasel failed to impress in a programme of Mozart's concert arias for tenor.

**111

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Dominic Lowe

Dominic Lowe recently completed a degree in Classics, and one of his great interests is the reception of Greece and Rome in opera. A regular opera-goer since his very early teens, he is particularly keen on the hidden operatic gems of the 19th century. He is largely based in the South of England.

Swish playing from a Swiss orchestra: Kammerorchester Basel at Cadogan Hall