Frivolity, tragedy and serenity: BBC NOW at the Proms

By Hazel Rowland, 28 July 2014

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Reviewed at Royal Albert Hall, London on 27 July 2014

Ravel, Valses nobles et sentimentales

Holt, Morpheus Wakes (BBC commission; world première)

Ravel, La Valse

Duruflé, Requiem

Emmanuel Pahud, Flute

Ruby Hughes, Soprano

Gerald Finley, Baritone

BBC National Chorus of Wales

National Youth Choir of Wales

BBC National Orchestra of Wales

Thierry Fischer, Conductor

Nail-biting Shostakovich from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales

Dominic Lowe, 15th August

Before a searing performance of Shostakovich's Thirteenth from Ryan Bancroft and his Welsh forces, Benjamin Grosvenor delivers a terrific performance of Ravel's Piano Concerto in G major.

****1

Bancroft and BBCNOW at the Proms: a deeply satisfying Mahler 3

David Karlin, 11th August

Bancroft and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales provide a Mahler 3 of exceptional clarity and forward momentum, with terrific posthorn solos from Corey Morris and Beth Taylor an outstanding soloist.

****1

Exciting Bacewicz and Lutosławski from Tadaaki Otaka and the BBC NOW

Nick Boston, 30th July

Strong performances of Bacewicz and Lutosławski in Tadaaki Otaka's final outing with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales at the Proms, with technically commanding and sincere Rachmaninov from Vadym Kholodenko.

***11

Nil Venditti impresses in BBC Proms debut

Christopher Woodley, 12th August

Beethoven and Sir Karl Jenkins receive top-notch performances from Nil Venditti and the BBC NOW.

****1

A choral treat to savour: Verdi’s Requiem at the BBC Proms

David Karlin, 23rd July

An outstanding choral performance by nearly 300 singers of the BBC National Chorus of Wales and the Crouch End Festival Chorus lights up Verdi’s hybrid of opera and devotional music.

*****

Music that eats into you: Schoenberg and Zemlinsky at the BBC Proms

Alexander Hall, 22nd July

The Proms are often very clever at recreating musical events from the past. Here, two works originally premiered in 1905 are given a fresh outing by Ryan Bancroft and BBC NOW.

****1

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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.

Frivolity, tragedy and serenity: the many sides of BBC NOW at the Proms