Lacklustre interpretations of Romantic classics

By Jack Johnson, 05 July 2016

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Reviewed at Cadogan Hall, London on 30 June 2016

Elgar, Serenade for Strings in E minor, Op.20

Tchaikovsky, Andante Cantabile for cello and string orchestra, Op. posth.

Tchaikovsky, Sérénade mélancolique in B minor, for violin and orchestra, Op.26

Tchaikovsky, Romeo and Juliet, Fantasy Overture

Dvořák, Symphony no. 8 in G major, Op.88

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Pinchas Zukerman, Violin

Amanda Forsyth, Cello

Korngold and Mahler from Ray Chen, Vasily Petrenko and the RPO

Roy Westbrook, 12th May

Few violin concertos soar from the first bar as Erich Korngold’s does, especially as in Ray Chen's high-wire account at the Royal Albert Hall.

****1

Turangalîla underwhelms at the Southbank’s Multitudes festival

Roy Westbrook, 23rd April

Serious music ill-matched by filmic limitations as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra tackles Messiaen’s epic “symphony” as part of the Southbank’s cross-genre festival.

**111

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.

*****

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Jack Johnson

After completing a postgraduate degree in Music at King's College London in 2013, Jack now works in development for an arts charity based in London. Aside from regularly attending concerts, he plays piano and clarinet and enjoys singing with several choirs. Particularly passions include Bach, Prokofiev and the neglected choral works of Hummel

Lacklustre interpretations of Romantic classics from the RPO and Pinchas Zukerman