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Reviews
Sinfonia Viva, Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, 29 October, 2023. 4****: William Ruff
‘Sinfonia Viva in warm, perceptive performances of favourite pieces for string orchestra.’
Petr Limonov (piano), Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, 29 October, 2023. 4****: William Ruff
‘Pianist Petr Limonov impresses across a wide range of musical styles.’
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, 27 October, 2023. 5*****: William Ruff
‘A concert of glorious tunes, virtuoso fireworks and unbridled emotion.’
Chiaroscuro Quartet, Lakeside, Nottingham, 26 October, 2023. 5*****: William Ruff
‘The Chiaroscuro Quartet: playing of wit, elegance and subtlety.’
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No.2, CBSO, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, 12 October, 2023. 3***: David Gray & Paul Gray.
‘Some wonderful, large-scale orchestral playing, but a rather lacklustre piano solo.’
Photo of Jeneba Kanneh-Mason
Leonkoro Quartet, Lakeside, Nottingham, 12 October, 2023. 5*****: William Ruff
‘The Leonkoro Quartet: one of the world’s finest chamber ensembles.’
Kazuki Conducts Rachmaninoff, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, 04 October, 2023. 4****: David Gray & Paul Gray.
‘Exceptionally fine playing of what was, predominantly, some rather less than overwhelming music.’
Photo of Sergei Rachmaninoff
Thomas Trotter – Celebrating 40 Years as Birmingham City Organist, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, 06 October, 2023. 5***** David Gray & Paul Gray.
‘City Organist, Thomas Trotter quite literally “pulls out all the stops”.’
Nottingham BBC Philharmonic OrchestraRoyal Concert Hall, Nottingham, 05 October, 2023. William Ruff: 4****
‘The BBC Phil kickstarts a new Nottingham concert season with colour and excitement.’
Shostakovich Symphony No.8, CBSO, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, 28 September, 2023. 5***** David Gray & Paul Gray.
‘Committed and engaging performances of two very different Russian Masterpieces.’
Southwell Music Festival 2023Southwell Minster and other venues in Southwell, 25 - 28 August, 2023. Review: William Ruff
‘The sound was a revelation.’
BBC Prom 49: Robert Schumann Das Paradies und die Peri, 22 August, 2023; Royal Albert Hall. 5*****: Clare Colvin
‘Outpouring of song exerts its romance in Schumann’s oriental fairy tale.’
Photo Credit: Mark Allan
BBC Prom 41: György Ligeti Lontano; Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major; Dmitry Shostakovich Symphony No. 10 in E minor. 4****: Clare Colvin
‘A pivotal moment of 1953 was linking up with the uncertain world of today.’
Photo Credit: BBC and Andy Paradise
Shipwreck! Three Choirs Festival, Holy Trinity Church, Gloucester, 29 July, 2023. 5*****: David Gray & Paul Gray
A fascinating exploration of a moment in history through words and music.
The Apostles, Edward Elgar, Three Choirs Festival, Gloucester Cathedral, 29 July, 2023. 5*****: David Gray & Paul Gray
A magnificent reading of Elgar’s choral masterpiece.
Standing Waves, Three Choirs Festival, Gloucester Guild Hall, Friday 28 July, 2023. 4****: David Gray & Paul Gray
A chilled end to a hard day of festival going.
The Age of Aspiration, Three Choirs Festival, Gloucester Cathedral, Friday 28 July, 2023. 4****: David Gray & Paul Gray
Wonderful Vaughan Williams followed by less inspiring new music.
Bach’s St John Passion, Three Choirs Festival, Gloucester Cathedral, Thursday 27 July, 2023. 4****: David Gray & Paul Gray
A dramatic and moving telling of the passion story.
ORA Singers: A Choral Fantasia, Three Choirs Festival, Gloucester Cathedral, Wednesday 26 July, 2023. 4****: David Gray & Paul Gray
A concert of music from two Golden Ages of English music.
A Song on the End of the World, Three Choirs Festival, Gloucester Cathedral, Tuesday 25 July, 2023. 4****: David Gray & Paul Gray
Wonderful new music; not so sure about the old stuff.