Turn of the screw: Gergiev’s masterful Tchaikovsky in Munich

By Mark Pullinger, 08 May 2021

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“Seong-Jin Cho shaped an introspective cadenza, caressing the keys poetically with a dreamy touch”

Reviewed at Philharmonie im Gasteig, Munich on 8 May 2021

Tchaikovsky, Piano Concerto no. 1 in B flat minor, Op.23

Tchaikovsky, Symphony no. 5 in E minor, Op.64

Seong-Jin Cho, Piano

Munich Philharmonic Orchestra

Valery Gergiev, Conductor

At home in Hamburg: Munich Philharmonic at the Elbphilharmonie

Mengguang Huang, 6th February

Lahav Shani offers fresh perspectives on Debussy, Mozart and Schoenberg, favouring structural clarity and youthful energy over traditional late-Romantic weight and atmospheric suggestion.

***11

Zubin Mehta brings the Munich Philharmonic to Carnegie Hall for Brahms

Edward Sava-Segal, 3rd February

Yefim Bronfman reunites with his old collaborator for Brahms' First Piano Concerto, reinforcing the qualities that exemplify him as a great chamber music player.

****1

A proficient but flawed opening at Dvořák’s Prague

Frank Kuznik, 8th September

Myung-whun Chung and Pablo Ferrández shine separately, but never quite get on the same page.

***11

Child's play: Crumb and Strauss make unconventional bedfellows

Matthew Rye, 12th November

Zubin Mehta brought together works by George Crumb and Richard Strauss in his latest concert as the Munich Philharmonic's honorary conductor.

****1

Grand Romantic statements from Gergiev at the Enescu Festival

Edward Sava-Segal, 6th September

Two giants of the Romantic repertoire that were met with disdain by Eduard Hanslick at their premieres are given persuasive readings in Bucharest.

****1

Technicolor Shostakovich and Brahms from the Munich Philharmonic

Laurence Vittes, 3rd September

A full frontal assault by Valery Gergiev on Brahms' First Symphony and Shostakovich's First Cello Concerto in explosive performances.

****1

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Mark Pullinger

Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.