The Knussen Chamber Orchestra makes its Proms debut

By Nick Boston, 11 September 2019

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“the music is initially slow paced with watery piano cascades and echoing falling phrases”

Reviewed at Cadogan Hall, London on 9 September 2019

Knussen, ...upon one note – Fantasia after Purcell

Birtwistle, Fantasia upon all the notes

Waley-Cohen, Naiad (BBC commission: world premiere)

Knussen, Study for ‘Metamorphosis’

Abrahamsen, Herbstlied

Putt, Halazuni

Knussen, Songs without Voices

Knussen Chamber Orchestra

Ryan Wigglesworth, Conductor

Revelatory Birtwistle and Beethoven from the BBC Scottish SO

Peter Quantrill, 28th July

A composer-conductor's insight yields lasting rewards in Earth Dances and the Eroica at the Royal Albert Hall.

*****

Scintillating Bruckner from Wigglesworth and the BBC Scottish

Patrick Maxwell, 27th July

Ryan Wigglesworth conducts a premiere of his own work before steering the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra through a dextrous and fascinating performance of Bruckner's Seventh Symphony.

****1

Alice Coote owns Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder at the BBC Proms

Alexander Hall, 25th July

Alice Coote imbues every word of Mahler’s deeply affecting song-cycle with expressive intensity. Ryan Wigglesworth and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra struggle to match that achievement in Brahms and Schoenberg.

***11

BBC SSO triumphs in Bruckner and Unsuk Chin

Roy Westbrook, 20th June

At last, Bruckner conducting is no longer a specialism confined to a few Austro-German artists devoted to overcoming resistance to the composer’s greatness.

****1

Rejoicing spirits: a compelling new Magnificat by Ryan Wigglesworth

Peter Quantrill, 15th December

A concert journey from Ariadne's despair to Schumann's elation, and a compelling demonstration of Wigglesworth's gifts as both composer and conductor.

****1

Hymns ancient and modern from Ryan Wigglesworth and the BBCSO

Peter Quantrill, 22nd October

A major premiere from Romania and a Russian classic that’s forever new in a concert that struck out with a spirit of adventure at the Barbican.

*****

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Nick Boston

Nick has an MA in Music, specialising in performance and repertoire. His particular passions are choral music, chamber music and opera, with a particular interest in early music. He sings in a number of choirs in the south east of England, plays the piano and occasionally dusts off the violin. He writes about music here.

A fitting tribute to Knussen in the Knussen Chamber Orchestra's Proms debut