Prom 20: eventful all-Sibelius Prom

By Mark Valencia, 05 August 2019

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“the genial Finn played his countryman’s concerto without a trace of showmanship”

Reviewed at Royal Albert Hall, London on 3 August 2019

Programme to include:

Sibelius, Violin Concerto in D minor

Sibelius, Symphony No. 5 in E flat major (original version, 1915)

Pekka Kuusisto, Violin

Taito Hoffrén, Singer

Ilona Korhonen, Singer

Minna-Liisa Tammela, Singer

Vilma Timonen, Kantele

Timo Alakotila, Harmonium

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

Thomas Dausgaard, Conductor

Astonishing Mahler 2 from Runnicles and the BBC Scottish

David Smythe, 1st March

Sir Donald Runnicles and the BBC Scottish reunite for an astonishing Mahler 2 with Karen Cargill, Jennifer Davis and the Edinburgh Festival Chorus.

*****

Sweeping Rachmaninov and scorching Barber from the BBC Scottish

Simon Thompson, 8th February

Despite the presence of Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto on the bill, it is a gripping performance of Samuel Barber's First Symphony that steals this Usher Hall Sunday matinee.

****1

Meditative and powerful Górecki at Celtic Connections

David Smythe, 20th January

The Celtic Connections festival showcases Górecki’s Sorrowful Songs, the BBC Scottish with soprano Francesca Chiejina conducted by Pawel Kapula with a thoughtful introductory song set from Alice Zawadzki.

****1

Celebrating 90 years of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

David Smythe, 20th November

Martyn Brabbins conducts MacMillan’s Confession of Isobel Gowdie, BBCSSO founder Ian Whyte’s forgotten Violin Concerto with Stephanie Gonley, and a memorable Rachmaninov 2.

****1

Canellakis brings sparkle and shine to Stravinsky and Bernstein

Simon Thompson, 21st August

Karina Canellakis brings a riot of Technicolor to the Edinburgh International Festival, but countertenor Hugh Cutting threatens to steal the show in Chichester Psalms.

****1

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.

*****

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Mark Valencia

Mark has worked in arts journalism for four decades, both as a writer and as a French-English translator. Nowadays he focuses his energies on reviewing opera and music. Mark also writes for Opera magazine and for Musical America as a correspondent for Europe and the UK.

Prom 20: eventful all-Sibelius Prom from Thomas Dausgaard and the BBC SSO