Counterpoise presents a concert of evocative new works at Kings Place

By Jonathan Russell, 01 October 2013

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Reviewed at Kings Place: Hall Two, London on 29 September 2013

Hasse, The Fall of the House of Usher

Bray, Soft City

Britten, 6 Metamorphoses after Ovid for oboe, Op.49

Casken, Shadowed Pieces, for violin and piano

Hepplewhite, Urban Abstract

Counterpoise

Caroline Balding, Violin

Kyle Horch, Saxophone

Deborah Calland, Trumpet

Iain Farrington, Piano

The BBC Singers at full throttle at Milton Court

Nick Boston, 26th February

Powerful Herbert Howells, together with affecting Shaw and engaging MacMillan from the BBC Singers, with the BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Sofi Jeannin.

****1

Lunch with Lenny: Wallis Giunta in Bernstein and Friends

Kevin W Ng, 27th August

Wallis Giunta and Michael Sikich serve up a delectable programme of Bernstein, Sondheim, and friends

****1

Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle in Greenwich

David Karlin, 6th August

The ultimate musical misnomer, Rossini's last major work is beautifully sung in the wonderful surroundings of the Chapel of the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich.

****1

Truly, madly, but not quite deeply enough

Charlotte Valori, 5th November

A superbly-sung title role from Ed Ballard is the best part of this otherwise patchy, well-sung but ultimately unmoving Werther from English Touring Opera.

**111

North Eastern Baroque with the Avison Ensemble

Jane Shuttleworth, 9th October

The Avison Ensemble illuminate the musical life of North East England in the 18th century.

****1

Chicago Symphony Orchestra music on death: whimper then bang

Graham Meyer, 9th April

Jakub Hrůša leads the CSO in pedestrian Janáček and Rachmaninov, but Strauss's Four Last Songs and Wagner's Tristan excerpts send audiences home deeply touched.

***11

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Jonathan Russell

Jonathan Russell is a London-based composer, clarinetist, conductor, and educator, active in music ranging from classical to contemporary to klezmer. He is a member of the Edmund Welles bass clarinet quartet and the Sqwonk bass clarinet duo, and co-founded San Francisco’s Switchboard Music Festival. He holds degrees from Harvard University and San Francisco Conservatory, and is a PhD Candidate at Princeton University.