It is good to know we have access to live music as well as the many excellent recordings being streamed via YouTube. The most recent of these from Hastings International Piano Festival, which I caught up with on Saturday morning, was given by Fumiya Koido, winner of the 2019 Piano Concerto Competition.
Though the recital runs for only just over quarter of an hour, it seems to reflect the passing of a whole day.
He opens with Chopin’s Etude Op10 No11, its light, delicate, uplifting beauty ideally suited to the start of the day – particularly when the news seems to be increasingly bleak. This was followed by the first movement of Haydn’s Sonata No33 in C minor. We are certainly into the afternoon here – and a Spring afternoon at that, with the constant subtle changes of mood and texture. If at times it seems introspective, the moments soon pass and the optimism returns. The final item was the first movement of Scriabin’s Sonata No3 Op23, which, with its fiery dynamic, is certainly a work for the late evening, possibly with a large glass of claret.
The mood changes are more extrovert and demanding, and Fuyima Koido brings a real passion to his playing, which communicates well despite the fact that he is isolated in a rather large studio.
Earlier in the series we had heard Roman Kosyakov playing Haydn and Tchaikovsky, and Su Yeon Kim bringing us a Chopin Nocturne and Ballade. Keep up to date with all the events on www.hastingsinternationalpiano.org.
There are a number of very obvious difficulties with this production, the most immediate of which is the fact that it is far more play-with-music than opera. While Purcell’s score is very well sung and played under Rene Jacobs, the production itself updates the story to the 1940s with Arthur as an 8 year old indulging fantasies of his father who is a dead fighter-pilot. The musical numbers are sung in English but the play text is in German with subtitles. King Arthur has never been an easy work to stage – Dido is possibly the only stage work of Purcell which stages easily today – but this production, for all its occasional felicities, never quite comes off.
This production, like a number of other recent stagings, moves the action into the 1950s and then carries through with conviction. The opening scene in a cramped café is brilliant in setting the seedy background for the whole work, bringing the realities of class clearly into focus at the same time as making sense of the sexual politics. Roberto de Candia is a fine and rascally Falstaff, and I particularly enjoyed Joel Prieto’s Fenton, but the whole cast work well as an ensemble and their enjoyment carries sympathetically.
This was recorded live in Munich over a year ago but only just released. The previous Das Rheingold had assumed a fairly rapid release for the whole cycle, even if it was being built up over a number of years, but the rather lukewarm reception for that recording may lie behind the late release of the second part of the Ring. Rattle is not an obvious Wagnerian but the more romantic, lyrical score which imbues Walkure seems more to his taste and, with a very well balanced cast, this is certainly a much stronger argument for pursuing this Ring. Stuart Skelton is surely one of the finest Sigmund’s around at the moment, and the first act is very impressive. Irene Theorin is a steely Brunnhilde and James Rutherford a youthful Wotan. In all, a splendid release and one which makes me look forward to the other two operas with enthusiasm.
This is a pleasing set – a light, fresh approach to the concerti. I particularly enjoyed the Third and Fourth concerti which don’t get quite as much coverage as the Fifth. Stephen Hough is obviously enjoying himself and this comes across with ease.
Three works which prove to be highly contrasted. I particularly enjoyed Fanny Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio which is forthright, almost aggressive in its writing, and makes an immediate impact. If the Clara Schumann is more contemplative it is also lyrically uplifting. An impressive coupling.
This is an engaging disc with counter-tenor Christophe Rousset particularly impressive. In addition to the more familiar Stabat Mater we also have Nicola Porpora’s Salve Regina with Sandrine Piau as soloist and Leonardo Leo’s Beatus Vir. A fine combination and all the more valuable for the rarer works.
Grab an instrument and play along with thousands of musicians across the UK in a heartfelt performance of Beethoven’s ‘Ode to Joy’ dedicated to those who need it the most.
While the concert halls and schools are closed, the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain’s musicians are still on a mission, ready to share music and inspire others through performance, and making every effort to continue to be an uplifting musical community at this time.
Although NYO cannot meet physically as an orchestra, they are inviting every musician in the UK to pick up their instruments and share a massed performance of Beethoven’s ‘Ode to Joy’, as a gesture of community and solidarity, dedicated to the people in society who might be in need of a musical-pick-me-up: our hospital staff, key workers, supermarket workers, friends and family in isolation, and vulnerable members of society.
At 5pm on 17th April, NYO’s 164 musicians will throw open their windows, get out on their doorstep, and share their own 40 second performance of the well-known piece. In the days before, they will all be meeting on a ‘digital residency’, where they will spend time playing together in small groups, creating multi-track videos, perfecting their practice techniques, and connecting with each other musically, as well as creating resources and guidance for everyone joining in with the Ode to Joy-a-thon at home.
NYO want as many musicians as possible to join in, and have published the music for those who play at all levels, coming up with ways for everyone to perform, whatever their instrument.
Sheet music can be downloaded at this link: https://www.nyo.org.uk/ode-to-
They will be sharing the performances as widely as possible on their channels, and encourage those involved to capture their performance on video or photo and share using the hashtag #NYOdetoJoy, including who they’re dedicating the performance to.
Like all cultural organisations, we at the BBC Proms are currently dealing with unprecedented challenges and uncertainty. We are still hoping that the Proms will be part of the summer this year, although that will involve adapting and changing the festival we originally planned. We are working hard to find the best way to deliver Sir Henry Wood’s mission to make the best classical music available to the widest possible audience.
Due to the current situation we are delaying the announcement of our season, the publication of the Official Proms Guide and tickets won’t be going on sale on 16 May as had been planned. We are closely following developing news and guidance from the government and public health authorities, and will update everyone with our plans for the 125th-anniversary season of the Proms by the end of May. Our number one priority will always be the safety of everyone involved with, and attending the Proms.
All of us at the BBC Proms stand with music lovers everywhere and cultural friends and artists around the world affected by COVID-19.
Hastings International Piano presents a series of online short concerts, which continues this Friday 10th April at 7pm GMT+1 with a recital from our 2015 Competition winner Alexander Panfilov.
Programme
Watch on our FACEBOOK page or via our WEBSITE
In these times when the livelihood of our musicians is at risk, we have launched this series to support the careers of our prizewinners and will be paying them a performance fee. The concerts are free to view, but viewers will be able to make a voluntary donation to Hastings International Piano Engagement Fund, or choose to join as a Friend.
Handel: Messiah ed. Goossens / Beecham
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Jonathan Griffith
SIGNUM SIGCD610
Those of us of a certain age can recall a time when most Messiah’s were far closer to this full orchestral sound than the original instrument versions we have come to expect more recently. There really is a great deal to enjoy here particularly if you are prepared to indulge in the romanticised approach. The purists may not like it but I certainly did and the solo singing – minus any hint of ornamentation – is delightful, and tempi under Jonathan Griffith keep the pace moving smoothly. A welcome addition to the many recordings currently available – just sit back and enjoy the trombones and cymbal crashes.
Handel: works for viola da gamba and harpsichord
Ibrahim Aziz, viola da gamba; Masumi Yamamoto, harpsichord
FHR 91
This is not quite what it seems as much of the disc is given over to solo works for either gamba or harpsichord and two of the works are only attributed to Handel. That said most of the music here will be unfamiliar to all but the real enthusiast and therefore all the more welcome in expanding our knowledge of chamber music from Handel.
Cole Porter; A Celebration
Juliane Banse, soprano; Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, Dorian Wilson
SWR 19091CD
A strange mixture here but quite entertaining. Concert overtures are mixed with songs from Julianne Banse. Her voice is not an obvious one for musicals, seeming at times to be over-operatic but the music itself comes over with style and panache.
Rachmaninoff: Complete works for piano duo
Genova and Dimitrov Piano Duo
CPO 555 326-2
This recording mixes works specifically for piano duo with arrangements by the composer of more familiar works for two pianos. The cd opens with the Prelude in C sharp minor and the second concludes with the Symphonic Dances Op45. But as is so often the case, it is the lesser known works which prove to be equally engaging, even the brief Romance in G or the Polka Italienne.
Sullivan: Haddon Hall, Cellier: Captain Billy, Ford: Mr Jericho
BBC Concert Orchestra and BBC Singers, John Andrews
DUTTON EPOCH 2CDLX 7372
There was a time when the only way of hearing very rare works was thanks to the BBC and here we certainly have some rarities. While the G&S canon is over-familiar I doubt there will be many who know Sullivan’s Haddon Hall, written in 1892 to a libretto by Sydney Grundy. But preceding this is Mr Jericho by Ernest Ford and you could be forgiven for thinking this is also by Sullivan, so similar is the style and melodic structure. This, and Francois Cellier’s Captain Billy, was written as a short curtain raiser, like Sullivan’s own Cox and Box. The booklet notes that these are world premiere recordings of the Cellier and Ford, and the first professional recording of Haddon Hall. It is certainly good to have them.
Rachmaninoff: Victor Talking Machine Company Recordings
Sergei Rachmaninoff, piano – recorded 1922-24
NAXOS 8.111413
There are some fascinating items here. Not only do we hear the composer playing his own scores but can witness his approach to others, notably Chopin and Tchaikovsky. The recording also includes the second piano concerto, with two attempts at the first movement! Fascinating. My only slight caveat, as one who has a player piano, is that Rachmaninoff sounds far better playing on our piano than he does on 78s!