Turkish delights tickle the Proms palate

By Mark Pullinger, 29 July 2014

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“Respighi paints an exotic score in eye-popping Technicolor worthy of Hollywood”

Reviewed at Royal Albert Hall, London on 29 July 2014

Balakirev, Oriental Fantasy, "Islamey", Op.18

Holst, Beni Mora Oriental Suite, Op.29 no.1

Prokofiev, Violin Concerto (BBC commission: world première)

Mozart, Die Entführung aus dem Serail, K384: Overture

Handel, Solomon, HWV 67: Arrival of the Queen of Sheba

Respighi, Belkis, Queen of Sheba, P.177

Erkin, Köçekçe Dans Suite

Daniel Hope, Violin

Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra

Sascha Goetzel, Conductor

Istanbul metropolis in sound: Fazıl Say and Borusan in Hamburg

Mengguang Huang, 1st September

At the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, Fazıl Say concluded his residency with the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic with an evening of jazz, Ravel and his own symphony, capturing the restless energy of an Istanbul-style metropolis.

****1

Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic: spiritually fulfilling Beethoven

Phil Parker, 10th April

That a Turkish orchestra excels in Turkish music is no surprise... but in mainstream Western repertoire too? BIPO and Carlo Tenan charm Sheffield with their fresh take on the classics.

****1

Carlo Tenan delivers a tempestuous, desperate Mozart Requiem

Simon Cummings, 2nd June

The Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic and Hungarian National Choir give a searing account of Mozart’s Requiem, superbly guided by conductor Carlo Tenan.

*****

She's got rhythm: Barbara Hannigan in Istanbul

Peter Quantrill, 3rd June

The Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra opens the Istanbul Music Festival featuring a showstopping, all-singing, all-conducting Gershwin finale.

****1

Glass' Eleventh given Turkish première

Alain Matalon, 16th June

Philip Glass' Eleventh Symphony, given its Turkish première at the Istanbul Music Festival, returns to his signature repetitive style.

****1

Opening concert of the Istanbul Music Festival

Jonathan Sutherland, 29th May

Most music Festivals only have to deal with demanding divas, mercurial maestros or bad weather. In Istanbul there is a lot more at stake.

***11

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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.

Turkish delights as the Borusan Philharmonic tickles the Proms palate