Moonstruck! Patricia Kopatchinskaja sings Pierrot lunaire

Patricia Kopatchinskaja as Pierrot

Patricia Kopatchinskaja and friends

By Christopher Woodley, 04 December 2023

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“a kind of hyper-sensitivity of expression which stretched the Sprechgesang almost to breaking point”

Reviewed at Purcell Room, London on 2 December 2023

Programme to include:

Schoenberg, Pierrot lunaire

Bach C.P.E., Presto in C minor for keyboard, Wq.114 no.3

Berio, Lied, for clarinet

Milhaud, Suite pour violon, clarinette et piano, Op.157b : Jeu

Kopatchinskaja, Flügeln Wund

Kopatchinskaja, Ghiribizzi

Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Vocals

Meesun Hong Coleman, Violin

Thomas Kaufmann, Cello

Júlia Gállego, Flute

Reto Bieri, Clarinet

Joonas Ahonen, Piano

Smart, stylish Klangforum Wien residency wraps at Prague Spring

Frank Kuznik, 1st June

Klangforum Wien finishes a far-reaching excursion into the boldest realms of modern music with a flourish.

****1

Patricia Kopatchinskaja battles the elements in Edinburgh

Simon Thompson, 9th August

The Edinburgh rain was the third performer in this concert, and unfortunately detracted from the two on the billing.

Klangforum Wien play music in the space–time continuum, in London

Paul Kilbey, 26th June

Kings Place’s Out Hear series of contemporary music is second to none in London, but these concerts – though never less than interesting – can also be strangely low-key. In a lot of ways, this Wednesday’s Out Hear concert, the last this season, was quite a big deal: a rare visit to London from leading contemporary ensemble Klangforum Wien, containing a world première.

***11

The Kuusisto effect: Brahms, Ives and Ligeti in Siuntio, Finland

Bèla Bianca, 11th November

Last Sunday, Pekka Kuusisto performed in Siuntio, a Finnish town not so far from Helsinki, as part of the Lux Musicae Festival, together with pianist Joonas Ahonen and hornist Hervé Joulain. In the penumbra of the candles and the gentle lights of a beautiful church from the 1400s, the first notes of Brahms’ Violin Sonata in G major resounded. Kuusisto’s sound is all about the power of simplicity.

****1

Pierrot lunaire dans tous ses éclats par Kopatchinskaja au Louvre

Chloë Rouge, 20th November

Habité par son personnage, la violoniste, chanteuse, compositrice et comédienne livre une performance de premier choix avec des partenaires au diapason.

*****

A curious evening from Noseda, Kopatchinskaja and the LSO

Mark Valencia, 26th February

Good, bad, but never ugly, a curious evening unfolds at the Barbican, inspired at times, ill-judged in places.

***11

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Christopher Woodley

Christopher’s professional background is in the public sector, and includes a spell in music librarianship. A composer, he is a keen follower of contemporary music and has attended all but four editions of the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, including the first concert in 1978. Other musical passions include a fascination with the “bad boys” of the New Complexity fixation, particularly the god-like Brian Ferneyhough – arguably the best thing to have come out of Coventry. When not listening to Boulez, Christopher relaxes by frequenting the fields, orchards, woodlands and pubs on the Weald of Kent, where he lives.