From pulpit to fairground: a fête à la française

By Mark Pullinger, 11 March 2016

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

Reviewed at Maison de la Radio et de la Musique: Auditorium, Paris on 10 March 2016

Chausson, Soir de fête

Poulenc, Organ Concerto in G minor, FP 93

Debussy, Printemps

Poulenc, Les Animaux modèles, FP 111a

Olivier Latry, Organ

Fabien Gabel, Conductor

Orchestre National de France

Spectacular Orchestre National de France program at Carnegie Hall

Susan Stempleski, 9th November

Cristian Mǎcelaru elicits enthralling performances from the ONF, Daniil Trifonov blends stunning virtuosity with poetic insight in a crowd-pleasing French program.

*****

Dances of reinvention: Măcelaru and the ONF at the Enescu Festival

Edward Sava-Segal, 19th September

Venturing into Gershwin, Rudolf Buchbinder joins an Orchestre National de France programme at the George Enescu International Festival marked by surprises.

****1

Fiesta! Philippe Jordan’s Spanish postcard from the Festival Ravel

Mark Pullinger, 4th September

Born to a Basque mother just ten miles from the Spanish border, Ravel excelled at authentic Spanish flavours as heard in this splendid festival concert by the Orchestre National de France.

*****

Măcelaru and the Orchestre National de France charm at the Proms

Christopher Woodley, 23rd July

Măcelaru's eclectic programming elicits passionate performances from the Orchestre National de France, and Randall Goosby shows his versatility with elegant and impassioned artistry.

****1

Saint-Saëns illuminated by the Orchestre National de France in Seoul

SangKwon Lee, 29th April

A sumptuous exploration of Saint-Saëns at Lotte Concert Hall in a programme forming a cohesive tapestry woven from the composer’s fascination with colour, all traced back to a distinctly Parisian sensibility.

****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.

*****

More reviews...

Mark Pullinger

Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.

From pulpit to fairground: a fête à la française with the ONF