A conflicted evening at the Three Choirs Festival

Transformations

By Simon Cummings, 01 August 2022

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“Watts... became the words and music, they were an integral, inextricable part of her,”

Reviewed at Hereford Cathedral, Hereford on 29 July 2022

Bach, Canonic Variations on Vom Himmel hoch da komm' ich her (arr. Stravinsky)

Finzi, Dies Natalis

Britten, The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op.34

Poulenc, Stabat Mater, FP 148

Elizabeth Watts, Soprano

Three Choirs Festival Chorus

Philharmonia Orchestra

Adrian Partington, Conductor

Benedetti ablaze with the Philharmonia

Christopher Woodley, 19th April

As gifts to the Philarmonia's 80th birthday season, Nicola Benedetti gives a barnstorming account of Elgar's Violin Concerto before Cristian Mӑcelaru gets emotionally drained by La Mer.

*****

A Resurrection for the ages: Kent Nagano conducts the Philharmonia

Eleanor Knight, 19th March

Any performance of Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony is an event, but this mighty Philharmonia account at the Royal Festival Hall proves extra special.

*****

A brilliant UK premiere of John Adams’ After the Fall

David Karlin, 25th February

The Icelandic pianist and Finnish conductor make a superb case for John Adams' latest concerto; the Philharmonia play Ravel's Daphnis et Chloé strongly but don't convince completely.

****1

Renes replaces Runnicles in a remarkable Philharmonia Bruckner 8

Dominic Lowe, 19th February

Stepping in for Sir Donald Runnicles at very short notice, Lawrences Renes conducts the Philharmonia in a sleek and vivid reading of Bruckner's magisterial Eighth Symphony.

****1

Karpman’s opera Balls tells a great story, but overshoots the line

David Karlin, 20th November

An entertaining portrayal of the 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs is marred by ham-fisted amplification.

**111

Giltburg and Foster celebrate the Philharmonia’s 80th birthday

Nick Boston, 17th November

Boris Giltburg emphasising the expression in not one but two piano concertos, with commanding performances from Lawrence Foster and the Philharmonia.

****1

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Simon Cummings

Simon Cummings is a composer, writer and researcher based in the Cotswolds. He composes instrumental and electronic music, exploring aspects of algorithmic composition, and has recently completed a Ph.D. in composition at the Birmingham Conservatoire under the supervision of Richard Causton and Howard Skempton. His musical tastes are ludicrously broad but are focused most on contemporary/avant-garde classical and electronic music. When not composing, he writes regularly about new music; Simon is the author of the contemporary music blog 5:4 (5against4.com), and regularly contributes articles for a variety of books, journals and websites. Follow him on Twitter @5against4.