Songs, dances, and Shakespeare

By Imogen Phoebe Webb, 08 February 2015

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Reviewed at City Halls: Concert Hall, Glasgow on 5 February 2015

Shostakovich, Music to the film King Lear after Shakespeare, Op.137

Mussorgsky, Songs and Dances of Death

Glazunov, The Seasons

Yuri Vorobiev, Bass

Ilan Volkov, Conductor

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

Astonishing Mahler 2 from Runnicles and the BBC Scottish

David Smythe, 1st March

Sir Donald Runnicles and the BBC Scottish reunite for an astonishing Mahler 2 with Karen Cargill, Jennifer Davis and the Edinburgh Festival Chorus.

*****

Sweeping Rachmaninov and scorching Barber from the BBC Scottish

Simon Thompson, 8th February

Despite the presence of Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto on the bill, it is a gripping performance of Samuel Barber's First Symphony that steals this Usher Hall Sunday matinee.

****1

Meditative and powerful Górecki at Celtic Connections

David Smythe, 20th January

The Celtic Connections festival showcases Górecki’s Sorrowful Songs, the BBC Scottish with soprano Francesca Chiejina conducted by Pawel Kapula with a thoughtful introductory song set from Alice Zawadzki.

****1

Celebrating 90 years of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

David Smythe, 20th November

Martyn Brabbins conducts MacMillan’s Confession of Isobel Gowdie, BBCSSO founder Ian Whyte’s forgotten Violin Concerto with Stephanie Gonley, and a memorable Rachmaninov 2.

****1

Canellakis brings sparkle and shine to Stravinsky and Bernstein

Simon Thompson, 21st August

Karina Canellakis brings a riot of Technicolor to the Edinburgh International Festival, but countertenor Hugh Cutting threatens to steal the show in Chichester Psalms.

****1

Revelatory Birtwistle and Beethoven from the BBC Scottish SO

Peter Quantrill, 28th July

A composer-conductor's insight yields lasting rewards in Earth Dances and the Eroica at the Royal Albert Hall.

*****

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Imogen Phoebe Webb

Imogen graduated with distinction in Contemporary Curating from Manchester School of Art, taking a particular interest in sound art. She read History of Art and Music at the University of Glasgow, receiving a prize for excellence in Performance, and enjoys a wide range of arts. She began studying voice with Patricia MacMahon in 2012, and covered 'Eve' in Scottish Opera Connect’s 2015 production of Dove’s The Walk from the Garden. In recent years she has studied with Susan Roper and Alison McGillivray, sung and performed on Baroque ‘cello and viol with Glasgow and Manchester-based ensembles.

Songs, dances, and Shakespeare as Volkov and the BBC Scottish traverse The Seasons