Latest news with #BBCPhilharmonic
ABC News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- ABC News
King of Kings: Orchestral Transcriptions of Bach
King of Kings, a collection of the late conductor Sir Andrew Davis' stunning orchestral transcriptions of Johann Sebastian Bach's organ music, is this week's Feature Album on ABC Classic. An organist himself before his career on the podium, Davis made all of the transcriptions on this album for the BBC Philharmonic. Davis conducted four of the works in a recording session in November 2023 but sadly died before he could record the rest, which are conducted here by Martyn Brabbins.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos 1 & 3; Two Scherzos album review – deft execution of the Russian's early exuberance
If the key stylistic reference in Shostakovich's symphonies from the Fifth onwards would unmistakably be Mahler, his early symphonies show a much more catholic array of influences, and often hint at other directions his music might have taken had events in the Soviet Union allowed him the freedom of choice. The First Symphony in particular, composed in 1924-25, is an energised bundle of ideas derived from many sources, with the Stravinsky of Petrushka and the early neoclassicism of Paul Hindemith vying for supremacy in music that careers along with sudden changes of direction – alternating exuberance with flashes of pathos – which never fail to surprise. In what is the latest instalment of their Shostakovich series for Chandos, John Storgårds and the BBC Philharmonic are more effective in maintaining the momentum of the faster music than they are in registering the moments of deeper, darker emotion, so that a crucial dimension often seems to be lacking. It's the rendition of the much less frequently performed and recorded Third Symphony, composed four years after the First, in 1929, that's the more convincing here. In between these works, the Second Symphony, composed for the 10th anniversary of the October revolution in 1927, contained some of the most radical music Shostakovich would ever compose, while the single-movement Third, subtitled 'The First of May' and which ends with a tub-thumping hymn celebrating International Workers Day, takes a step back and is distinctly less iconoclastic. But Storgårds skilfully negotiates its changes of gear and he pairs the symphonies with real curiosities – two pieces, both scherzos, that pre-date even the First Symphony. Scherzo No 1, which Shostakovich designated as his Op 1, was composed in 1919 when he was just 13 years old; it was dedicated to his composition teacher Maximilian Steinberg and shows the influence of Glazunov more than anyone else. While in Scherzo No 2, completed in 1924, Stravinsky has become part of the mix, and the First Symphony is just around the corner. This article includes content hosted on We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as the provider may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click 'Allow and continue'. Listen on Apple Music (above) or Spotify
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos 1 & 3; Two Scherzos album review – deft execution of the Russian's early exuberance
If the key stylistic reference in Shostakovich's symphonies from the Fifth onwards would unmistakably be Mahler, his early symphonies show a much more catholic array of influences, and often hint at other directions his music might have taken had events in the Soviet Union allowed him the freedom of choice. The First Symphony in particular, composed in 1924-25, is an energised bundle of ideas derived from many sources, with the Stravinsky of Petrushka and the early neoclassicism of Paul Hindemith vying for supremacy in music that careers along with sudden changes of direction – alternating exuberance with flashes of pathos – which never fail to surprise. In what is the latest instalment of their Shostakovich series for Chandos, John Storgårds and the BBC Philharmonic are more effective in maintaining the momentum of the faster music than they are in registering the moments of deeper, darker emotion, so that a crucial dimension often seems to be lacking. It's the rendition of the much less frequently performed and recorded Third Symphony, composed four years after the First, in 1929, that's the more convincing here. In between these works, the Second Symphony, composed for the 10th anniversary of the October revolution in 1927, contained some of the most radical music Shostakovich would ever compose, while the single-movement Third, subtitled 'The First of May' and which ends with a tub-thumping hymn celebrating International Workers Day, takes a step back and is distinctly less iconoclastic. But Storgårds skilfully negotiates its changes of gear and he pairs the symphonies with real curiosities – two pieces, both scherzos, that pre-date even the First Symphony. Scherzo No 1, which Shostakovich designated as his Op 1, was composed in 1919 when he was just 13 years old; it was dedicated to his composition teacher Maximilian Steinberg and shows the influence of Glazunov more than anyone else. While in Scherzo No 2, completed in 1924, Stravinsky has become part of the mix, and the First Symphony is just around the corner. This article includes content hosted on We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as the provider may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click 'Allow and continue'. Listen on Apple Music (above) or Spotify
The Guardian
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
BBCPhil/Weilerstein/Fröst; Arvo Pärt at 90 review – star clarinettist captivates and delights
Even among the staunchest classical music lovers, the phrase 'star clarinettist' rings false. Compared with celebrity pianists, violinists and singers, virtuoso woodwind players don't get much time in the spotlight. Yet Swedish clarinettist Martin Fröst isn't just capable of technical wizardry, but is also a mesmerising, full-body performer. On stage at the Royal Albert Hall, he danced, struck poses and contorted himself like a rock icon shredding a guitar solo. All while producing a tone of astonishing refinement, absolutely uniform across the instrument's multiple registers. Fröst dominated the first half of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra's latest Proms outing. Copland's Clarinet Concerto showcased his ability to blend minutely with orchestral timbres, his solo lines seamlessly interwoven with the cashmere warmth of the BBC Phil's strings under Joshua Weilerstein. Meanwhile Fröst's gear-change from the tenderness of its central cadenza into the sassy jazz-infused third section (here all hard-edged articulation and chippy, slightly rustic string playing) was utterly compelling. The much shorter concerto by celebrated jazz clarinettist and band leader Artie Shaw followed. Launching with a vibrant sting of trumpets, the BBC Phil sounded every bit like an unusually well-behaved big band with a string section for added pizzazz. Fröst clearly relished every glissando, every tricky corner of vocalise, every flight into the squeakosphere. By the time he demanded audience participation in his encore (Gounod's Ave Maria, with Fröst playing Bach's original prelude in C major as the audience sang), I suspect we'd have done anything he asked. Bookending the Fröst show: the short, beguiling Symphony No 2 by recently rediscovered French composer Elsa Barraine – its modernist angularity offset by hints of jazz, aerated by gracefully sculpted solos from the BBC Phil's own excellent wind players – and a taut, high-octane performance of Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances. Weilerstein approached the latter's many hairpin bends like a racing driver with a title in his sights, cleaving a direct line through changes of tempo and mood, drawing out colours that morphed from the ultra-dry to utter suavity in the central waltz, before letting rip in a thrilling, wild ride of a finale – the closing triumph of an orchestra on blistering form. The late-night prom couldn't have been more different. Celebrating Arvo Pärt's 90th birthday year, the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir performed various vocal works by the Estonian composer (most in their first Proms performances), alongside a Bach motet, a couple of numbers from Rachmaninov's All Night Vigil and two short works by Pärt's Estonian contemporaries. Most were a cappella; Kadri Toomoja provided the minimal accompaniment demanded on organ and piano. Under Tõnu Kaljuste, the choir's fine-grained blend sounded almost studio-produced and their intonation was remarkable, open fifths and octaves ringing brilliantly into the dome. Yet even the kaleidoscopic late-night lighting couldn't distract from the lack of variety in this blandest selection from Pärt's musical world. Only Veljo Tormis's haunting Curse Upon Iron, accompanied by shaman drum and climaxing in a blood-curdling collective scream, offered a glimpse of something more – but also felt entirely out of place amid the wall-to-wall soothing triadic harmony. Listen again on BBC Sounds until 12 October. The Proms continue until 13 September.
New Straits Times
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: MPO teams up with violin virtuoso Bomsori Kim
THE Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) continues its tradition of exceptional musical collaborations, this time featuring South Korean violin virtuoso Bomsori Kim. Kim's performance, this Saturday at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas (DFP), will mark her debut with the MPO. "I'm thrilled to perform Bruch's Violin Concerto with the MPO in Kuala Lumpur. I've heard about the warm, enthusiastic audiences here and it'll be my first time playing there, so I'm excited to share this experience together," the 35-year-old shared in an email interview with Groove. She added: "Performing with new partners is always inspiring. I love how an orchestra and a soloist connect. I hope the audience feels the blend of deep emotions and technical refinement in the music that we are creating. Kim, a regular guest at renowned music festivals across Europe and a prizewinner of many prestigious violin competitions, has been honoured with the Young Artist Award from the South Korean Ministry of Culture. She has performed under acclaimed conductors such as Paavo Jarvi and Fabio Luisi, captivating audiences in Hong Kong, London, New York and Los Angeles with her exceptional musicality. The MPO now joins the ranks of her illustrious orchestral collaborations, which include the New York Philharmonic, BBC Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Orchestra and San Francisco Symphony. Together with the MPO, Kim will enchant the DFP audience with Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1, a work celebrated for its brilliant lyricism. Completed in 1866, this piece opens with the MPO's vigorous and energetic musicianship before the soloist enters with a full, gypsy-like theme and virtuosic flair. A distingushed career In February 2021, Kim signed an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon in Berlin. Highlights of Kim's 2024/25 season include opening with the Philharmonia Orchestra under Santtu-Matias Rouvali, making her debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Fabio Luisi, and touring with the Bamberg Symphony and Jakub Hrusa in Germany and Asia. She is also set to debut with the RSB Orchestra Berlin, the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, and at Wigmore Hall. Additionally, she will return to the Concertgebouw with the Netherlands Radio Orchestra and Ryan Bancroft, and to Hong Kong with Jarvi. Recent career milestones include her debuts at the BBC Proms with the BBC Philharmonic and at the Hollywood Bowl with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. She has also toured with the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich and Jarvi, and made her debuts with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Pittsburgh Symphony, and the Spanish National Orchestra. Kim has performed with the Vienna Symphony at the Vienna Konzerthaus and made her Concertgebouw debut with the Residentie Orchestra. This highly experienced violinist is a regular guest at renowned festivals such as the Rheingau Musik Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, and Verbier Festival. In 2021, she became the Focus Artist of the Rheingau Musik Festival and began a five-year residency at the Gstaad Menuhin Festival as a Menuhin's Heritage Artist. Her discography with Deutsche Grammophon includes Violin on Stage with the NFM Wroclaw Philharmonic and a duo album with Rafal Blechacz featuring works by Faure, Debussy, Szymanowski, and Chopin, which won the Fryderyk Music Award for Best Polish Album Abroad. Her latest recording of the Nielsen Violin Concerto with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra and Fabio Luisi won the 2024 Gramophone Award. Born in South Korea, Kim studied at Seoul National University with Young Uck Kim and at The Juilliard School with Sylvia Rosenberg and Ronald Copes. Kim shared that watching fellow South Korean Kyung-Wha Chung at age 5 was a pivotal moment that deeply moved her and shaped her approach to music. "Chung inspired me with her direct, emotional tone. I also learned from every great musician I've worked with; each collaboration has shaped my voice. "Another moment was when performing Shostakovich Concerto in Montreal, the audience gasped at the cadenza. It was a breakthrough for me," explained Kim, who performs on the 1725 Guarnerius del Gesu violin 'ex-Moller', generously loaned by The Samsung Foundation of Culture and The Stradivari Society of Chicago. Despite demanding schedule, Kim prioritises her fitness routines. "I do yoga almost daily even while touring. it keeps my body flexible, prevents strain from long practices and helps me stay relaxed and focused," said Kim, who is a proponent of yoga, combining physical stretching with mental calm. Beyond her physical wellbeing, she dedicates considerable time to rehearsals. "I study rehearsals carefully, record them, and then mentally rehearse and imagine performing on stage. "That preparation builds confidence. Before going on stage, I will calm myself, focusing on the mood of the opening piece. That mental space prepares me to swim freely in the music," she added. t the upcoming concert, conductor Jaume Santonja returns to lead tha MPO for an evening of sweeping romanticism and passionate tonal colours. The MPO will open the concert with Overture to Byron's 'Manfred', composed by Schumann and based on Byron's great dramatic poem. In addition to the evening performance, Kim will host a violin masterclass on June 26 at 6pm at DFP for music enthusiasts.
