Serially fascinating: Karim Said plays Schoenberg at The Rest is Noise

By Paul Kilbey, 05 March 2013

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Reviewed at Purcell Room, London on 3 March 2013

Schoenberg, 5 Pieces for piano, Op.23

Webern, Kinderstück (Children's piece) for piano

Webern, Piece (in the tempo of a minuet) for piano

Eisler, 4 Pieces for piano, Op.3

Schoenberg, Suite, Op.25

Karim Said, Piano

The art of fear, or the fear of art? The Rest is Noise with Karim Said

Ninfea Cruttwell-Reade, 9th June

This Sunday, pianist Karim Said returned to the Southbank Centre to put Arnold Schoenberg under the microscope for a third and last time. Performing as part of the International Piano Series 2012/13 and the cataclysmic Rest is Noise festival, Said’s concerts have focused on the genesis of the Second Viennese School.

*****

Black American music finds a new voice at the Concertgebouw

Clare Varney, 18th June

Dutch premieres, new faces and new arrangements result in a concert quite unlike any other from the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra under Antony Hermus.

****1

Apollonian radiance and women scorned: the Britten Sinfonia at Snape

Roy Westbrook, 18th June

Hell holds no fury like a woman scorned, and it was certainly so in Greek mythology, celebrated in this outstanding Aldeburgh Festival performance by the Britten Sinfonia and Helen Charlston.

*****

Improvisatory Gershwin from Ryan Wang with Chromatica Orchestra

Nick Boston, 17th June

Energetic yet atmospheric performances from Chromatica Orchestra, with Ingunn Korsgård Hagen providing firm yet spirited direction.

****1

A perfect landing with Harding and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra

Mengguang Huang, 17th June

Håkan Hardenberger joins the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Daniel Harding for a thrilling night concluding with a breathtaking, high-energy Beethoven Four.

****1

Poise over fire: McGegan, Chen and the Orchestra of St Luke’s

Edward Sava-Segal, 16th June

A late substitution turns a violinist-led showcase into a polished, orchestra-centred Bach Festival evening at Carnegie Hall.

***11

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Paul Kilbey

Paul was Reviews Editor at Bachtrack from 2012 to February 2014. He has written on music and culture for publications including Culture Wars, the Huffington Post, the Independent and the Guardian. He holds BA and MPhil degrees in music from Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, and is particularly passionate about contemporary music of all types. His website is here.