West-Eastern Divan Orchestra shows its stars at the Salzburg Festival

By Alexander Hall, 14 August 2021

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“Overlaid with a brooding quality, wisps of melody emerged gradually from the mists of time”

Reviewed at Großes Festspielhaus, Salzburg on 13 August 2021

Beethoven, The Creatures of Prometheus, Op.43: Overture

Brahms, Double Concerto in A minor for Violin, Cello and Orchestra, Op.102

Franck, Symphony in D minor, Op.48

Elgar, Enigma Variations, Op.36: Nimrod

Glière, 8 pieces for violin and cello, Op.39

Michael Barenboim, Violin

Kian Soltani, Cello

West-Eastern Divan Orchestra

Daniel Barenboim, Conductor

Joy and hope from Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra

Chris Garlick, 4th November

The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra are on fire with the joy of music-making to the delight of a very sympathetic and enthusiastic audience at London's Southbank Centre.

*****

Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan return to the BBC Proms

Asher Rubenstein, 11th August

Marking 25 years of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, Daniel Barenboim returns to the Proms with violin legend Anne-Sophie Mutter.

***11

BTHVN 2020 celebrated in Bonn by Barenboim and the WEDO

Zoltán Szabó, 17th December

A mixed performance from Bonn, but there was magic from Barenboim's fingers in the Third Piano Concerto.

***11

Resounding: Barenboim brings music back to the Pierre Boulez Saal

Hugo Shirley, 14th August

The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra presents a superb programme executed with power and urgency to herald the return of public music-making at the Pierre Boulez Saal.

*****

Bluster and conviction from Argerich and Barenboim

Mark Thomas, 12th August

There was vibrancy and subtlety in these cultured performances of Schubert and Lutosławski, with Martha Argerich still showing how it’s done with ‘that’ Tchaikovsky concerto.

****1

Between two worlds with Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan

Matthew Rye, 14th August

The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra’s Prom with Daniel Barenboim went in search of identity and found ecstasy

****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.