Elisabeth Leonskaja, Wigmore Hall

ELISABETH LEONSKAJA, WIGMORE HALL Magisterial turbulence in Beethoven and Brahms, serene good humour in Schubert

Magisterial turbulence in Beethoven and Brahms, serene good humour in Schubert

Restlessness in a good sense was the keynote of Elisabeth Leonskaja's latest revelatory recital. At 71, the Russian pianist, now an Austrian citizen, has all the supreme mastery it takes to make the volatility work: perfect weight and balance, miraculous rhythmic articulation, the right sense of space and freedom, and the ability to see where a line or a movement is going.

Jeremy Denk, Wigmore Hall

JEREMY DENK, WIGMORE HALL Panorama of musical history reveals surprising connections

Panorama of musical history reveals surprising connections

Medieval to Modern – Jeremy Denk’s Wigmore Hall recital took us on a whistle-stop tour of Western music, beginning with Machaut in the mid-14th century and ending with Ligeti at the end of the 20th. The programme was made up of 25 short works, each by a different composer and arranged in broadly chronological order, resulting in a series of startling contrasts, but punctuated with equally surprising, and often very revealing, continuities.

Proms at...Roundhouse: London Sinfonietta, Gourlay

PROMS AT...ROUNDHOUSE: LONDON SINFONIETTA, GORLAY An enchanted fusion of microtonal magic and luminous projection

An enchanted fusion of microtonal magic and luminous projection

Some enchanted afternoon in Camden Town… the Proms returned to the Roundhouse after four decades with a dreamlike fusion of sound, space and light. Ron Arad’s Curtain Call – a 360° installation of 5,600 sillicon rods – encircled the London Sinfonietta and audience in its luminescent embrace, a haze of microtonal music slinking through a sequence of glimmering projections.

Prom 43: Argerich, West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, Barenboim

PROM 43: ARGERICH, WEST-EASTERN DIVAN ORCHESTRA, BARENBOIM Two great artists and a Middle Eastern success story give generous measure

Two great artists and a Middle Eastern success story give generous measure

It's not so long since Daniel Barenboim sat around a table with Israeli officials telling him that Wagner couldn't be played in the homeland when someone's mobile fanfared the "Ride of the Valkyries", demolishing the opposition's case. At the opposite end of the scale to all that flash of battle-lust came last night's unexpected first encore to a Wagner second half – the Act Three Prelude to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.

Lest We Forget, English National Ballet, Sadler's Wells

LEST WE FORGET, ENGLISH NATIONAL BALLET, SADLER'S WELLS Akram Khan's piece stands out in second airing of war-themed contemporary bill

Akram Khan's piece stands out in second airing of war-themed contemporary bill

When English National Ballet premiered Lest We Forget in April last year, to enthusiastic reviews, they were ahead of the pack with First World War commemoration, and the ambitious modern programme was the first sign of Tamara Rojo's determination to make the company's repertoire more contemporary. But in the intervening 18 months there have been war-themed ballet programmes aplenty, and we have all got used to the sense of dynamism that swirls around ENB under Rojo's leadership.

theartsdesk in Bergen 2: Leif Ove Andsnes curates

THE ARTS DESK IN BERGEN 2: LEIF OVE ANDSNES CURATES Uniquely imaginative programming in special places from a world-class local

Uniquely imaginative programming in special places from a world-class local

If this were only the usual international festival – and it’s still a big “only” where Bergen’s flagship fortnight of theatre, dance, art and music is concerned – it might not be easy to justify swanning off to one of the most beautifully situated cities in the world. What drew me in the programme, though, were two unique and probably unrepeatable concerts put together by local boy made more than good Leif Ove Andsnes.

theartsdesk Q&A: Pianist Yevgeny Sudbin

Q&A: YEVGENY SUDBIN Phenomenal Russian pianist talks about thinking orchestrally, inspirations, partnerships and Scriabin

Phenomenal Russian talks about thinking orchestrally, inspirations, partnerships and Scriabin

Whatever the recording industry may try to tell you, there is rarely any such thing as a single “best” among today’s pianists. We’ve had Benjamin Grosvenor and Leif Ove Andsnes, excellent artists both, touted as a cut above the rest. But hearing pianists in all corners of the world, you realize how much phenomenal and ungradable talent there is out there.

Donohoe, BBCSSO, Prieto, City Halls, Glasgow

DONOHOE, BBCSSO, PRIETO, CITY HALLS, GLASGOW Impressive, weighty Scottish debut by Brazilian conductor in Shakespeare-led programme

Impressive, weighty Scottish debut by Brazilian conductor in Shakespeare-led programme

Shock and Shakespeare were the two forces that powered a typically thoughtful programme from the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. I said as much in a pre-performance talk where the links weren’t hard to find: that also means coming clean at the start about my involvement. But the world needs to know about this one.

Richard Alston Dance Company 20th Anniversary Performances, Sadler's Wells

RICHARD ALSTON DANCE COMPANY, 20TH ANNIVERSARY PERFORMANCES, SADLER'S WELLS Two gems and two duds in celebratory mixed bill with live music

Two gems and two duds in celebratory mixed bill with live music

Testament to the work of Richard Alston Dance Company (RADC) over the 20 years since its foundation was not just the première-filled celebratory programme performed at Sadler's Wells last night, but the enthusiastic audience there to see it. Alston's own choreography never excites me particularly, but there's no denying his company has done sterling work for the British contemporary dance scene over the years, both through its association with the Place and London Contemporary Dance School, and through its extensive regional touring schedule.