Prague Spring plugs in and lights up

By Frank Kuznik, 31 May 2017

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“a kaleidoscope of hums, whistles, roars, rumbles, percussion and an occasional recognizable chord”

Reviewed at National Technical Museum, Prague on 29 May 2017

Reich, New York Counterpoint

Rataj, Sentenceless Sentence

Goebbels, Bagatellen (Czech première)

Trojan, Circulation (World première)

Karel Dohnal, Clarinet

Miro Tóth, Saxophone

David Danel, Violin

Jan Trojan, Electronics

Bamberger Symphoniker: Wenn Töne aussagen, was Worte nicht fassen

Michael Vieth, 19th January

Brillante Solisten in Konzerten von Copland und Martinů sind die symphonischen Erzähler eines abwechslungsreichen Konzertabends der Bamberger Symphoniker unter Leitung von Jakub Hrůša

****1

LA Phil celebrates the California spirit with Andrés Orozco-Estrada

Cameron Kelsall, 3rd May

The program features Maria Dueñas in Korngold's Violin Concerto and a moving tribute to LA native Michael Tilson Thomas

****1

Subtle magic: Zubin Mehta celebrates his 90th birthday in Berlin

Zenaida des Aubris, 3rd May

Zubin Mehta celebrates his 90th birthday with a concert at the Staatsoper Berlin.

*****

Eric Lu brings scintillating Chopin to Singapore

Chang Tou Liang, 1st May

A world premiere by Wang Chenwei, familiar Chopin and a rare outing for Bartók’s Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta make for satisfying fare in Jahcun Wong’s Singapore Symphony programme.

****1

BBC Philharmonic’s bold but unbalanced Stravinsky and Adams

Leighton Jones, 1st May

Balance issues mar an otherwise compelling programme from John Storgårds and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.

***11

Denis Kozhukhin: captivating storytelling with the London Symphony

Clare Varney, 1st May

At the Konzerthaus Dortmund, Sir Antonio Pappano and the LSO are joined by Russian pianist Denis Kozhukhin to plunge into the depths of despair in Bernstein’s melancholic The Age of Anxiety.

***11

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Frank Kuznik

Frank Kuznik is the former Editor-in-Chief and Culture Editor of The Prague Post, Central Europe’s premier English-language weekly newspaper. He currently divides his time between Prague and his hometown in the US, Cleveland, where he covers northeast Ohio's dynamic classical music scene. In Prague he is an habitué of the Rudolfinum, National Theater, State Opera and other storied classical music venues, and an unabashed fan of Czech music.