Tag Archives: Shostakovich

Russian heart: terrific performances from Mariss Jansons and the Bavarian RSO

Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Rachmaninov: Bavarian RSO/Jansons ***** Barbican Hall, 11th April 2017 “I have the brain of a Latvian and the heart of a Russian.” Born in Riga, Mariss Jansons has spent much of his life in St Petersburg, initially as … Continue reading

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Mediterranean heat: a scorching Daphnis et Chloé from Altinoglu and the LSO

Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Ravel: LSO/Altinoglu **** Barbican Hall, 23rd March 2017 It’s over twenty years since I last saw Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé danced by the Royal Ballet, yet every step of Sir Frederick Ashton’s choreography is imprinted on my memory: Stuart … Continue reading

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Black Angels: Kopatchinskaja and Jurowski brush with death

Denisov, Berg, Shostakovich: LPO/Jurowski **** Royal Festival Hall, 22nd February 2017 Heavily shrouded, Death loomed large over Vladimir Jurowski’s latest programme in the Southbank Centre’s “Belief and Beyond Belief” series which explores faith and spirituality. The Grim Reaper swept the … Continue reading

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Defying dictators: Soviet blockbusters given the St Petersburg Philharmonic treatment

Martha Argerich; St Petersburg Philharmonic/ Yuri Temirkanov ***** Royal Festival Hall, 29th January 2017 “Our business is rejoicing. Our business is rejoicing.” Dmitri Shostakovich learnt when to toe the political line. After his opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk was denounced … Continue reading

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Plums and turkeys: a musical voyage around 2016

Most people I know cannot wait to see the back of 2016. But in the year in which Brexit, Trump and the Grim Reaper were the big winners, I admit to having had a terrific twelve months. A whirl of … Continue reading

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