Rattle and the LSO sell a travel package to Hungary and Spain

Patricia Kopatchinskaja and the London Symphony Orchestra

Rinat Shaham and the London Symphony Orchestra

By Roy Westbrook, 19 January 2026

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“the LSO could not have told us more clearly that we were in Spain had they donned sombreros”

Reviewed at Barbican Hall, London on 18 January 2026

Bartók, Violin Concerto no. 2, Sz 112

Bartók, 5 Hungarian Folk Songs, Sz 33, BB 97

Falla, The Three-Cornered Hat

Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Violin

Rinat Shaham, Mezzo-soprano

London Symphony Orchestra

Sir Simon Rattle, Conductor

Han Kang’s The White Book takes on a compelling new life

Peter Quantrill, 5th March

At the Barbican, Laura Bowler's new work for Barbara Hannigan translates Han Kang's novel into a soundscape of icy stillness

****1

A curious evening from Noseda, Kopatchinskaja and the LSO

Mark Valencia, 26th February

Good, bad, but never ugly, a curious evening unfolds at the Barbican, inspired at times, ill-judged in places.

***11

Borodin steps into the symphonic limelight: Noseda and the LSO

Mark Pullinger, 15th February

Seong-Jin Cho continues his Artist Portrait series with the LSO by performing Chopin's poetic Second Piano Concerto.

****1

Rare Vaughan Williams from Pappano and the LSO

Chris Garlick, 7th December

Tchaikovsky and Vaughan Williams make rare bedfellows, but Pappano's grip on these disparate scores impresses, with the London Symphony Chorus and Orchestra on wondrous form.

****1

Top drawer French music from Ott, Bloch and the LSO

Roy Westbrook, 27th November

Debussy and Ravel frame a performance of Lutosławski’s Concerto for Orchestra as Alexandre Bloch guests with the London Symphony Orchestra.

****1

Maxime Pascal shows his mettle in Boulez and three world premieres

Peter Quantrill, 20th November

Seong-Jin Cho brings pianistic glamour to a bold programme of premieres in the LSO's Futures concert.

****1

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Roy Westbrook

Roy Westbrook gained a diploma in music history at London University (Morley College) and was for some years the head of music day schools at Oxford University, where he also led music summer schools. After some years leading the University's business school he has returned to music teaching and writing, and recently took part in the Arts in Residence courses on Bruckner, Mahler and Bach He is co-author (with Terry Barfoot) of a history of opera, and has taught day schools on Sibelius in Oxford and elsewhere.