Joanna MacGregor, Adrian Brendel, Gildas Quartet, Wigmore Hall review - gold and silver

★★★★ JOANNA MACGREGOR, ADRIAN BRENDEL, GILDAS QUARTET, WIGMORE HALL Generosity all round in this charity concert for the Royal Society of Musicians

Generosity all round in this charity concert for the Royal Society of Musicians

Startlingly high levels of expression and focused fire made this rich concert worthy of the dedicatee who radiated those qualities, Jacqueline du Pré.

Oriole Ensemble, Conway Hall review - sublimely peculiar chamber music

★★★★ ORIOLE ENSEMBLE, CONWAY HALL Sublimely peculiar chamber music

Interesting juxtaposition throws a light on 20th century repertoire

When I reviewed the Philharmonia’s Weimar season last year I expressed a hope to hear more Hindemith performed in London. When, also last year, I reviewed chamber music at Conway Hall I looked forward to my next visit. So a Conway Hall programme including Hindemith’s Clarinet Quartet was like a magnet.

Highgate International Chamber Music Festival opening concert review - top soloists blend to perfection

★★★★★ SHEKU KANNEH-MASON AND FRIENDS IN HIGHGATE Top soloists blend to perfection

Sheku Kanneh-Mason is only the best-known name in a quintet of leading string players

When celebrated individuals get together to play chamber music on special occasions, the result can often turn out as what the late cellist of the Borodin Quartet, Valentin Berlinsky, disparagingly called "festival quality" – meaning a clash, rather than a blend, of personalities. That was never the case for a moment in the opening concert of the eighth Highgate International Chamber Music Festival.

Leonskaja, Ferschtman, Várdai, Wigmore Hall review - direct line to Schubert's genius

★★★★★ LEONSKAJA, FERCHTMAN, VARDAI, WIGMORE HALL Direct line to Schubert's genius

Three peerless players clarify the wonders of the composer's two late piano trios

From the epic-lyric heaven storming of Beethoven's last three piano sonatas to the lyric-epic dances on the volcano of Schubert's two late piano trios isn't so big a leap, especially when you have the clairvoyant poise between colossal and intimate of the great Elisabeth Leonskaja.

theartsdesk at Incontri in Terra di Siena: galloping concertos and Stravinsky by starlight

INCONTRI IN TERRA DI SIENA FESTIVAL Galloping concertos and Stravinsky by starlight

Literary, historical and musical associations light up Tuscany in La Foce's annual festival

July in Tuscany and the heat is intense. Oak-forested hills offer tempting shade; pale dust flies from the roads; in the houses curtains are drawn against the ferocious sun and around irrigated gardens the mosquitos are growing plump.

Ax, Keenlyside, Dover Quartet, Wigmore Hall review – celebratory Schumann

★★★★ AX, KEENLYSIDE, DOVER QUARTET, WIGMORE HALL Celebratory Schumann

The great pianist marks his 70th with a congenial if unassuming programme

Emanuel Ax here celebrated his 70th birthday with an all-Schumann recital. In fact, it was an all-Schumann marathon, a three-hour concert at Wigmore Hall featuring solo works, Dichterliebe with Simon Keenlyside, and, with the Dover Quartet, the Piano Quartet and the Piano Quintet.