BBC Philharmonic forges a pathway through the gloom

By Hugh Morris, 03 February 2020

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“with echoes of the late great Stephane Grappelli in her nonchalant double-stopped sliding”

Reviewed at The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester on 1 February 2020

Rimsky-Korsakov, The Golden Cockerel Suite

Szymanowski, Violin Concerto no. 2, Op.61

Ysaÿe, Violin Sonata no. 5 in G major Op.27 no.5 I. L'aurore

Myaskovsky, Symphony no. 6 in E flat minor, Op.23

Liza Ferschtman, Violin

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra

CBSO Chorus

Vassily Sinaisky, Conductor

Wagner and Strauss from Sarah Wegener and the BBC Philharmonic

Leighton Jones, 14th March

Celtic legends and dramatic landscapes fill Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall in an evening of emotional and reflective music under conductor Nicholas Carter.

****1

Watery worlds, rhythmic fire from Brauß and Hickox with the BBC

Leighton Jones, 7th February

Elisabeth Brauß excels in Ravel with the BBC Philharmonic and brings and unexpected encore.

****1

BBC Phil's Bluebeard's Castle eclipsed by Boulanger and Kodály

Peter Connors, 24th January

Anja Bihlmaier conducts the BBC Philharmonic in a moving D'un soir triste and joyful Dances of Galánta. Bluebeard's Castle, despite some fine things. feels less satisfying.

****1

Questions, answers and city nights: Storgårds and the BBC Philharmonic

Leighton Jones, 17th January

In three hugely different musical voices, John Storgårds with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra move from the intimacy of Ives to the exhilaration of Adams, taking in Beethoven on their way.

****1

John Storgårds leads the BBC Philharmonic through Shostakovich

Rohan Shotton, 15th November

The BBC Phil's chief conductor led a relentless account of Shostakovich's Tenth Symphony, paired with Dvořák’s Cello Concerto.

****1

Thunderous Mahler from Elena Schwarz and the BBC Philharmonic

Rohan Shotton, 8th November

Elena Schwarz conducts the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in Mahler's First Symphony, Debussy's La Mer and a rare outing for a trombone concerto.

****1

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Hugh Morris

Hugh is a freelance writer and composer based in Manchester. He contributes to a range of publications in the UK and US, including GRAMMY, Jazzwise, Reverb, The Sampler, The Calvert Journal and The Big Issue across music, politics and society. He also works for London-based jazz label Whirlwind Recordings, and for Manchester music charity Olympias Music Foundation.