Mena and the BBC Phil chasing the other-worldly

By Phil Barrett, 11 August 2016

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Reviewed at Royal Albert Hall, London on 9 August 2016

Simpson, Israfel (London premiere)

Dutilleux, Tout un monde lointain, concerto for cello and orchestra

Davies, Sir Charles his Pavan

Elgar, Symphony no. 1 in A flat major, Op.55

Johannes Moser, Cello

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra

Juanjo Mena, Conductor

Wagner and Strauss from Sarah Wegener and the BBC Philharmonic

Leighton Jones, 14th March

Celtic legends and dramatic landscapes fill Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall in an evening of emotional and reflective music under conductor Nicholas Carter.

****1

Watery worlds, rhythmic fire from Brauß and Hickox with the BBC

Leighton Jones, 7th February

Elisabeth Brauß excels in Ravel with the BBC Philharmonic and brings and unexpected encore.

****1

BBC Phil's Bluebeard's Castle eclipsed by Boulanger and Kodály

Peter Connors, 24th January

Anja Bihlmaier conducts the BBC Philharmonic in a moving D'un soir triste and joyful Dances of Galánta. Bluebeard's Castle, despite some fine things. feels less satisfying.

****1

Questions, answers and city nights: Storgårds and the BBC Philharmonic

Leighton Jones, 17th January

In three hugely different musical voices, John Storgårds with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra move from the intimacy of Ives to the exhilaration of Adams, taking in Beethoven on their way.

****1

John Storgårds leads the BBC Philharmonic through Shostakovich

Rohan Shotton, 15th November

The BBC Phil's chief conductor led a relentless account of Shostakovich's Tenth Symphony, paired with Dvořák’s Cello Concerto.

****1

Thunderous Mahler from Elena Schwarz and the BBC Philharmonic

Rohan Shotton, 8th November

Elena Schwarz conducts the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in Mahler's First Symphony, Debussy's La Mer and a rare outing for a trombone concerto.

****1

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Phil Barrett

Phil is a radio professional working on content for BBC Radio 3 at Somethin' Else Productions and is also the presenter and producer of ‘Classical Cambridge’ on Cambridge 105. With a particular passion for Baroque music & Lieder, he can usually be found at the Wigmore Hall taking full advantage of their generous under-25s scheme. He is also committed to changing attitudes towards modern and contemporary music and hopes to champion young composers. He blogs at philbarrettlistens.wordpress.com

Prom 33: Mena and the BBC Philharmonic chasing the other-worldly