Still going strong at 70: the RPO

By Alexander Hall, 20 September 2016

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“Her musicianship is special in the way it never draws attention to itself”

Reviewed at Royal Albert Hall, London on 19 September 2016

Rossini, Guillaume Tell (William Tell): Overture

Schumann, Piano Concerto in A minor, Op.54

Bruch, Violin Concerto no. 1 in G minor, Op.26

Stravinsky, The Firebird: Suite

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Charles Dutoit, Conductor

Pinchas Zukerman, Violin

Martha Argerich, Piano

Edusei’s Beethoven and Rangwanasha’s Strauss thrill at Cadogan Hall

Christopher Woodley, 26th February

Kevin John Edusei, Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra celebrate the joys of a life well-lived – rounded off to the sounds of larks ascending.

****1

Petrenko’s searing Shostakovich overshadows Grosvenor’s Beethoven

Nick Boston, 3rd February

Stylish Beethoven from Benjamin Grosvenor and dramatic Ustvolskaya from Yuriy Yurchuk, but Petrenko and the RPO’s blistering Shostakovich steals the show.

****1

Charisma and colour from Vasily Petrenko and the Royal Philharmonic

Chris Garlick, 7th September

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s BBC Proms matinee proves an ideal opportunity to demonstrate their strengths in a programme of Respighi, Milhaud and Vaughan Williams.

****1

Perception-altering Shostakovich from Serebrennikov and Petrenko

Mark Pullinger, 27th April

As part of the Southbank Centre's Multitudes festival, Shostakovich's Leningrad Symphony is given a stunning visual direction by Kirill Serebrennikov to match the RPO's gripping playing.

*****

A trio of exiled composers: Petrenko and the RPO at the RFH

David Truslove, 23rd March

Assured performances from the RPO as part of its ongoing “Lights in the Dark” series that brought career correspondences between three markedly different composers.

****1

Giltburg’s Beethoven enlightens the dark between Berg and Stravinsky

Roy Westbrook, 26th January

Vasily Petrenko frames his Royal Philharmonic Orchestra programme with Berg and Stravinsky, with Boris Giltburg playing Beethoven's Emperor Concerto in between.

****1

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Alexander Hall

Alexander Hall divides his time between London and Hamburg, where he had a career in academic administration and teaching. He reviews for Bachtrack and Opera Today, and has also reviewed for Classical Source. A connoisseur of the great orchestras of the world, his musical memories stretch back to Karajan/Berlin Phil, Mravinsky/Leningrad Phil, Bernstein/Vienna Phil, and he has seen most of the great conductors from the past, including Böhm, Klemperer, Kubelik, Ormandy and Szell.

Still going strong at 70: the RPO celebrates in style