Vondráček, LSO, Tilson Thomas, Barbican review - mixed messages

★★★ VONDRACEK, LSO, TILSON THOMAS, BARBICAN Detail in Liszt & Mahler, drama lacking

Fine detail in Liszt and Mahler, but drama was lacking

Conductor and pianist came at Liszt from opposite directions last night. Michael Tilson Thomas is a venerable presence at the podium and has been Laureate Conductor of the London Symphony for decades. Their relationship speaks of deep empathy and close communication. In the Liszt First Piano Concerto, MTT dug deep into the rich string tone of the LSO for round, warm sonorities, and always with plenty of bass.  

Dandy, BBC Philharmonic, New, Bridgewater Hall, Manchester review - energy and fierce attention

★★★★ DANDY, BBC PHILHARMONIC, NEW, BRIDGEWATER HALL Energy and fierce attention

Gustav and Alma Mahler, and pictorial music, are linked in a fascinating programme

Saturday’s concert by the BBC Philharmonic was in large measure about the Mahlers – Gustav and Alma. The former’s First Symphony formed the substantial second part of the programme: Frau Mahler was the inspiration of the piece that opened the evening. New Zealand-born Gemma New returned to Manchester to conduct: we saw her last October on the Hallé rostrum, and the energy and fierce attention she brought then were even more evident this time.

Rangwanasha, OAE, Fischer, RFH review - Mahler reimagined

★★★ RANGWANASHA, OAE, FISCHER, RFH Mahler reimagined

Period-instrument approach offers distinctive woodwinds and bright, clear textures

Mahler on modern instruments is ubiquitous these days, so historically informed performance is bound to be revealing. Here, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment brought transparency and focus to Mahler’s often complex textures in his Fourth Symphony. The concert was programmed as a showcase for young South African soprano Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha, whose voice is ideal for this repertoire.

Coote, Jackson, Drake, Middle Temple Hall review – Mahler's long goodbyes

★★★★★ COOTE, JACKSON, DRAKE, MIDDLE TEMPLE HALL Mahler's long goodbye

Fine singing and playing grace a Remembrance Day journey through love and loss

Sometimes you know the quality of music by the depth of the silence when it ends. Last night at Middle Temple Hall – and thank Mahler’s mystical heavens for it – the final ghostly “Ewig” of Der Abschied faded away into a soundless void that lasted just as long as it had to.

Proms Festival Orchestra, Wigglesworth, BBC Proms review - brilliant work in progress, perfect Adagietto

Freelance musicians prove an army of generals, marshalled by a great British conductor

You don’t expect a great orchestral string section to be born overnight, yet under the circumstances of the Proms Festival Orchestra’s rapid creation and only three rehearsals of three hours each, this was more than good, with detailed articulation demanded and delivered. You also wouldn’t have expected, until it was announced a few weeks back, a big Mahler symphony in a slimmed-down Proms season.

Matthews, LPO, Ticciati, Glyndebourne review - out of this world

★★★★★ MATTHEWS, LPO, TICCIATI, GLYNDEBOURNE A brilliantly programmed sequence

From solemn ritual to far horizons, a brilliantly programmed sequence

Why travel to Glyndebourne for a concert? Well, for a start, none of us has heard a Mahler symphony live in full orchestral garb for at least 15 months, and though the Fourth is smaller-scale than some, its innocent beginnings belie the cosmic adventures ahead.

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