Mixed minimalism with the Labèques

By Paul Kilbey, 28 November 2011

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Reviewed at Kings Place: Hall One, London on 25 November 2011

Tenney, Postal Piece no. 10: Having Never Written a Note for Percussion

Pärt, Hymn to a Great City

Skempton, Images

Skempton, Postlude

Bryars, My First Homage

Pupillo, Conversations with Yama (for Elaine Radigue)

Chalmin, Gameland

Eno, Discreet Music for Tape

Flynt, Work such that no one knows what's going on

Satie, Vexations

Cage, Four^3

Skempton, Six Figures, for solo cello

Glass, One Plus One

Tescari, En 4 parenthèses

Young, The Tortoise, His Dreams and Journeys

Marshall, Fog Tropes

Katia Labèque, Piano

Marielle Labèque, Piano

Nicola Tescari, Keyboard

David Chalmin, Electric guitar

Massimo Pupillo, Electric bass

Raphaël Séguinier, Percussion

Matthew Barley, Cello

Brilliant showpieces from Fabien Gabel, the Labèques and the OSM

Phillip Nones, 8th May

Fabien Gabel showcases his French music bona fides, while Katia and Marielle Labèque offer a trademark Philip Glass concerto with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal.

****1

Bychkov and the Labèques give New York premiere of Dessner concerto

David Wolfson, 30th November

Semyon Bychkov leads the New York Philharmonic in flattened Strauss, wondrously physical Rachmaninov, and the New York premiere of Bryce Dessner’s terrific Concerto for two pianos.

****1

Slavic homelands: Bychkov and the Czech Philharmonic in Edinburgh

David Smythe, 20th August

Festive Dvořák, intense Martinů with Katia and Marielle Labèque, and an awesome performance of Janáček’s Glagolitic Mass at the Edinburgh International Festival.

****1

Music-making of polish and commitment from Bychkov and the BBCSO

David Truslove, 5th August

A world premiere, a rarely performed concerto and a slice of late Rachmaninov formed a well-conceived programme that also featured the internationally renowned Labèque sisters.

****1

Fabien Gabel brings the maison down in Paris with rare Florent Schmitt

Phillip Nones, 12th May

Outstanding performances of two Florent Schmitt scores anchor a winning concert by the Orchestre National de France at the Maison de la Radio.

*****

Gimeno and The Cleveland Orchestra serve French-inflected feast

Sam Jacobson, 26th November

Gustavo Gimeno conducts The Cleveland Orchestra in works by Ravel and Franck, along with a recent Bryce Dessner concerto featuring the Labèque sisters.

***11

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Paul Kilbey

Paul was Reviews Editor at Bachtrack from 2012 to February 2014. He has written on music and culture for publications including Culture Wars, the Huffington Post, the Independent and the Guardian. He holds BA and MPhil degrees in music from Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, and is particularly passionate about contemporary music of all types. His website is here.