The Duke Trio make magnificent music in the afternoon at University of Toronto's Walter Hall

By Stanley Fefferman, 15 February 2013

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

Reviewed at University of Toronto: Walter Hall, Toronto on 14 February 2013

Haydn, Piano Trio in G major, "Gypsy Rondo," Hob XV:25

Babadjanian, Piano Trio in F sharp minor

Schoenfield, Café Music

Mendelssohn, Piano Trio no. 1 in D minor, Op.49

Duke Trio

Yuja Wang with the Mahler CO: between lyricism and volatility

Edward Sava-Segal, 1st May

Yuja Wang and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra frame Chopin’s E minor concerto with two Prokofiev works, the First Symphony and Second Piano Concerto.

****1

Denis Kozhukhin: captivating storytelling with the London Symphony

Clare Varney, 1st May

At the Konzerthaus Dortmund, Sir Antonio Pappano and the LSO are joined by Russian pianist Denis Kozhukhin to plunge into the depths of despair in Bernstein’s melancholic The Age of Anxiety.

***11

Eric Lu brings scintillating Chopin to Singapore

Chang Tou Liang, 1st May

A world premiere by Wang Chenwei, familiar Chopin and a rare outing for Bartók’s Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta make for satisfying fare in Jahcun Wong’s Singapore Symphony programme.

****1

BBC Philharmonic’s bold but unbalanced Stravinsky and Adams

Leighton Jones, 1st May

Balance issues mar an otherwise compelling programme from John Storgårds and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.

***11

Elim Chan and TSO reign supreme in Shostakovich’s Ninth

Michelle Assay, 30th April

After a Rachmaninov concerto that resembles a harangue, an uneven Toronto Symphony programme comes into focus with a sharply characterised Shostakovich Ninth.

***11

Echoes of Albion: Julian Bliss joins Chromatica at Wilton’s Music Hall

Mark Valencia, 30th April

An uncluttered evening of English music includes Gerald Finzi’s gorgeous Clarinet Concerto and Britten’s Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge.

***11

More reviews...

Stanley Fefferman

Stanley Fefferman is Professor Emeritus at York University, Toronto. He is active in classical, new music, and jazz circles as a writer and accredited performance photographer. His work is archived on Canadian sites The Live Music Report.com, Showtimemagazine.ca, and OpusOneReview.com. His website is here.