What are you listening to?

[Jose Echenique]

If Fux hadn´t composed anything but these partitas he would already be considered one of the great composers of the early XVIII Century. Gunar Letzbor and Ilia Korol, the 2 principal violinists of Ars Antiqua Austria, play with supreme affection and understanding these intricate masterpieces.

[bombasticDarren]

Mozart - Symphony No.29 (Guido Cantelli, Philharmonia Orchestra, EMI)

[bombasticDarren]

Tchaikovsky - Variations on a Rococo Theme (Yo-Yo Ma/Lorin Maazel, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Sony Classical)

[bombasticDarren]

Walton - Symphony No.1 (Alexander Gibson, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Chandos)

[fergus]

This was a most enjoyable listen; the music was lively and well played and the textures of the instruments lent great interest to the atmosphere.

[bombasticDarren]

Sibelius - Symphony No.2 & Karelia Suite (Pietari Inkinen, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Naxos)

[bombasticDarren]

Prokofiev - Sinfonia Concertante (Yo-Yo Ma/Lorin Maazel, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Sony Classical)

[Ciaran]

Prokofiev - Sinfonia Concertante (Yo-Yo Ma/Lorin Maazel, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Sony Classical)

I heard the Sinfonia Concertante with the incomparable Natalia Gutman



as soloist in an excellent concert last night at the NCH. I love the way Russians like to play Bach as an encore, though cellists tend to anyway! I was worried about Buribayev towards the end of the Tchaikovsky: he was bent double over the conductor's desk, grasping it with both hands for a few bars. He seemed to recover then, though.

Audience small but enthusiastic: not as disastrously small as some recent NSO concerts, though. I don't know how long they'll be able to keep going. Ironic, as they've been very good lately.

• RIMSKY-KORSAKOV The Three Wonders from The Tale of Tsar Saltan Suite, Op. 57 [7']
• PROKOFIEV Sinfonia Concertante for cello and orchestra, Op. 125 [37']
• TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64 [50']

Natalia Gutman cello
Alan Buribayev conductor

[bombasticDarren]

Mozart - Piano Concerto No.16 (Mitsuko Ichida/Jeffrey Tate, English Chamber Orchestra, Philips)

[bombasticDarren]

• RIMSKY-KORSAKOV The Three Wonders from The Tale of Tsar Saltan Suite, Op. 57 [7']
• PROKOFIEV Sinfonia Concertante for cello and orchestra, Op. 125 [37']
• TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64 [50']

Natalia Gutman cello
Alan Buribayev conductor

I like the look of that programme Ciaran. I have made an effort to refamiliarise myself with Russian works in the past few weeks, so that concert would have appealed to me also. I'm glad you enjoyed it.