From Poles to Rocks: superb musicianship from the ACO

The Australian Chamber Orchestra

By David Karlin, 30 October 2022

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“precision and intensity every bit as high as the ACO’s usual exalted standards”

Reviewed at Guildhall School of Music & Drama: Milton Court Concert Hall, London on 29 October 2022

Lutosławski, Musique funèbre (Funeral Music) (Prologue)

Dessner, Réponse Lutosławski

Kilar, Orawa

Penderecki, Three Pieces in Baroque Style (Aria)

Penderecki, String Quartet no. 1

Greenwood, Film music from There Will Be Blood

Szymanowski, String Quartet no. 2, Op.56 (arr Richard Tognetti)

Australian Chamber Orchestra

Richard Tognetti, Director, Violin

Guildhall School Musicians

Australian Chamber Orchestra in Melbourne: Gershwin, Shostakovich

Sandra Bowdler, 10th August

Two works by Shostakovich sandwiching Rhapsody in Blue made for an exhilerating concert from the Australian Chamber Orchestra in Melbourne

****1

Bach sheds light in an impressively dark outing from the ACO

Nick Boston, 21st March

Energetic commitment from the ACO at the Barbican, with precision and edge from Alexander Melnikov and Jeroen Berwaerts in an evening of darkness and light.

****1

Mesmerising, but relentless Brahms and Beethoven from the ACO

Zoltán Szabó, 11th February

Awe-inspiring performances of much loved classics in Sydney, yet the musical eyebrows have reasons to go (and stay) up.

****1

Why isn't the music enough? “Silence and Rapture” from the ACO

Sandra Bowdler, 14th August

Iestyn Davies joins the Australian Chamber Orchestra for music by Bach and Pärt in a programme featuring distracting modern dance.

***11

Symphony or song cycle? Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde in Sydney

Zoltán Szabó, 17th May

Mahler's epic five-movement symphonic song cycle is performed by a chamber ensemble with mixed results.

***11

A walk to Beethoven: Bezuidenhout and the Australian Chamber Orchestra

Zoltán Szabó, 23rd March

Kristian Bezuidenhout joins the ACO for a piecemeal programme leading to a complete performance of Beethoven's Emperor Concerto.

***11

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David Karlin

David is a co-founder of Bachtrack. He is a musical omnivore interested in almost all types of music, but with a particular love of Italian opera. You can contact him from this link.

From Poles to Rocks: superb musicianship from the ACO and the Guildhall School