Shostakovich, Brahms and Simon Holt in Birmingham

By Simon Cummings, 14 June 2018

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“music-making of terrifying authenticity”

Reviewed at Symphony Hall, Birmingham on 13 June 2018

Holt, Surcos (CBSO co-commission, UK premiere)

Shostakovich, Cello Concerto no. 2 in G major, Op.126

Brahms, Piano Quartet no. 1 in G minor, Op.25 (orch. Schoenberg)

Ilan Volkov, Conductor

Alisa Weilerstein, Cello

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

Yamada and the CBSO’s Walton expedition at the Elbphilharmonie

Mengguang Huang, 10th March

In Hamburg, Kazuki Yamada and the CBSO navigate the thorny brilliance of Walton’s First Symphony, proving that ‘difficult’ music can offer an evening’s most profound human connection.

****1

Kazuki Yamada and the CBSO stir up swelling seas with Scheherazade

Robert Gainer, 4th March

In the CBSO Benevolent Fund concert, the orchestra tells the timeless story, set in Persia, of Scheherazade who, through her storytelling, brings about peace.

****1

François Leleux and Lisa Batiashvili play fire and ice with the CBSO

Robert Gainer, 1st February

The CBSO’s Birmingham’s Town Hall matinee sets forth a curious mix of Baroque, Classical, and modern music, sandwiching a lesser-known concerto between some familiar tunes.

***11

Yamada and the CBSO luxuriate in line at Symphony Hall

Simon Cummings, 15th January

Mahler’s First Symphony is given a fresh take, revelling in melody, by Kazuki Yamada and the CBSO, while Dai Fujikura’s new Trombone Concerto proves an unsatisfactory indulgence.

****1

Kazuki Yamada and the CBSO showcase Richard Strauss

Robert Gainer, 10th December

The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra greet an old friend and say farewell to another in a thoroughly absorbing all-Strauss programme.

*****

Osmo Vänskä ruins Sibelius and Shostakovich in Birmingham

Simon Cummings, 19th November

Soprano Helena Juntunen does her best in Sibelius’ songs but finds little support from Osmo Vänskä and the CBSO.

*1111

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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.

The good, the bad and the ugly: Shostakovich, Brahms and Simon Holt in Birmingham