Prom 2: A tentative orchestra but a dazzling soloist

By Hazel Rowland, 20 July 2014

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“Zhang avoided flamboyant gestures or distracting showmanship”

Reviewed at Royal Albert Hall, London on 19 July 2014

Elgar, Pomp and Circumstance March no. 4 in G Major, Op.39

Tchaikovsky, Romeo and Juliet, Fantasy Overture

Liszt, Piano Concerto no. 1 in E flat major, S 124

Chen, Joie éternelle (BBC co-commission: UK première )

Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition

Haochen Zhang, Piano

Alison Balsom, Trumpet

China Philharmonic Orchestra

Long Yu, Conductor

Brilliant performance from Serena Wang, but lackluster CPO at the Davies Symphony Hall

Mayumi Wardrop, 4th December

Young prodigy Serena Wang delights audiences in her performance of Beethoven's Piano Concerto no. 1 while the China Philharmonic's cautious approach falls flat.

***11

Hong Kong Phil revels in Schoenberg’s beefed-up Brahms

Christopher Halls, 17th October

Led by celebrated Chinese conductor Long Yu, the Hong Kong Philharmonic shines in Schönberg’s bold Brahms “makeover” and features two of their own as soloists in a finely contoured performance of the Double Concerto

****1

Prom 57: Shanghai Symphony Orchestra makes its Proms debut

Rohan Shotton, 1st September

The Shanghai Symphony Orchestra bring an entertaining programme of Mozart and Rachmaninov to the Proms, followed by an unexpected “Gift from China to the UK”.

****1

A trio of Slavic works in Hong Kong

Alan Yu, 21st June

The Hong Kong Phil and Long Yu crossing the cultural divide in a trio of Slavic works.

****1

Weaving tales: Long Yu conducts Scheherazade in Hong Kong

Dr. Anton D. Luiten, 15th December

A globally-connected journey of exoticism: Yu Long delivers with Scheherazade.

****1

Pacy Tchaikovsky from Long Yu and the Philharmonia

Mark Thomas, 29th November

Long Yu certainly didn’t rest on his laurels as he powered through Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony, while Jian Wang introduced subtlety and deftness in the Rococo Variations.

***11

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Hazel Rowland

Hazel is in her final year reading music at Oxford University. As well being a classical music reviewer, she has written arts commentary for the Oxford Student and reviewed plays at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Her particular interests lies in early German Romantic music and in how classical music functions within contemporary popular culture. Follow her blog here.