A celebratory platter of Polish music in the Elbphilharmonie

By Alexander Hall, 11 September 2018

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“ocarinas... heard hooting like admonitory owls”

Reviewed at Elbphilharmonie: Grand Hall, Hamburg on 10 September 2018

Penderecki, Als Jakob erwachte...

Panufnik, Lullaby

Paderewski, Piano Concerto in A minor, Op.17

Paderewski, 6 Humoresques de concert: Cracovienne fantastique, Op.14 no.6

Lutosławski, Concerto for Orchestra

Szymon Nehring, Piano

Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra

Alexander Liebreich, Conductor

Marin Alsop conducts Skrowaczewski, Panufnik and Prokofiev in Katowice

Linda Holt, 8th March

Marin Alsop conducts the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra in colorful repertoire including a concerto by Stanisław Skrowaczewski.

****1

A Requiem to soothe troubled souls at NOSPR in Katowice

David Karlin, 17th May

Debussy's early cantata is played with verve by NOSPR but exposes its composer's inexperience; Mansurian's memorial to genocide shows off the exceptional musicianship of the RIAS Kammerchor.

***11

Mystery and melancholy, but missing the madness

Jonathan Sutherland, 11th May

A stellar performance of Mahler’s cosmic Third symphony reinforces the reputation of Katowice as a bone fide member of the premier European music league.

***11

Zimerman / Polish National Radio Symphony at MITO

James Imam, 21st September

The all-Polish roster of Krystian Zimerman and the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra displayed consummate artistry in a tenebrous programme of Lutosławski and Brahms.

****1

Sublime Mahler and Penderecki: The Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra in Bristol

Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres, 24th February

What a concert – the programme and the musicans were sublime. This time, Colston Hall got it spot on with the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra. Seeing all of the credits for the orchestra in the back of the programme prepared me for a big and bold sound that was just short of 100 musicians. Each and every one of them contributed to a fantastic sound under the baton of Jacek Kaspszyk.

*****

L'Orchestre de la radio polonaise en digne ambassadeur à Bruxelles

Patrice Lieberman, 25th March

Dans un concert qui est allé crescendo, l’Orchestre symphonique national de la radio polonaise et sa cheffe Marin Alsop ont mis en lumière leur répertoire dans la capitale européenne.

***11

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Alexander Hall

Alexander Hall divides his time between London and Hamburg, where he had a career in academic administration and teaching. He reviews for Bachtrack and Opera Today, and has also reviewed for Classical Source. A connoisseur of the great orchestras of the world, his musical memories stretch back to Karajan/Berlin Phil, Mravinsky/Leningrad Phil, Bernstein/Vienna Phil, and he has seen most of the great conductors from the past, including Böhm, Klemperer, Kubelik, Ormandy and Szell.