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Top 10 upcoming events
AFTER the lull around Christmas, concert halls and music venues are getting back into the swing of things with their Spring seasons. So I have gone through the listings and picked out my top ten concerts for first few months of 2007. So get out your diary!
JOHN Etheridge is one of Britain’s best jazz guitarists. A member of Soft Machine, he has worked alongside the great violinist Stephane Grappelli and former Police member Andy Summers, as well as setting up the Frank Zappa tribute act, the Zappatistas.
From Monday he is spending a few days at Pizza Express Dean Street, performing alongside some of the world’s greatest musicians. For two nights he is joined by fellow guitarist John Williams and on Thursday by vocalist Liane Carroll. See listings.
THE Highgate Choral Society is among the best amateur choirs in London and in the first few months of 2007 is presenting three concerts.
In March they perform Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem and Kodaly’s Psalmus Hungaricus, in May they present Haydn’s Nelson Mass and Paul Patterson’s Stabat Mater and in July they perform Durufle’s Requiem, Bernstein’s Chicester Psalms, Faure’s Cantique de Jean Racine and Finzi’s Magnificat.
For more information ring 020 8883 8740.
THE Royal Opera House presents a new production of Debussy’s wonderful opera Pelleas and Melisande in May.
Conducted by Simon Rattle, now head of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra after making his name as the director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, it stars Angelika Kirchschlager as Melisande and Simon Keenlyside as Pelleas.
ROH’s other highlights this year include a new production of Benjamin Britten’s Owen Wingrave in April and Mozart’s ever-popular Don Giovanni in May.
THE Handel House Museum continues to present the best Baroque music in London in one of the most delightful settings, Handel’s former home in Brook Street Mayfair.
On January 28 the ensemble Spirituoso presents Academia Delle Passioni, a concert featuring works by Vivaldi and Bach.
A COUPLE of years ago Matthias Goerne performed Schubert’s Winterreise, accompanied by Alfred Brendel at Wigmore Hall.
The reviews were gushing and it has become a performance to compare all other presentations of the song cycle.
Goerne returns to the Marylebone concert hall on February 20 to present songs by Schubert and Ives. Ingo Metzmacher accompanies on piano.
THE excellent amateur opera company, Hampstead Garden Opera, will be appearing at the Gatehouse, in Highgate, in April presenting a production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni.
Their last productions of La Traviata, the Marriage of Figaro and Madam Butterfly were all very enjoyable and sold well so best book in advance.
A FEW years ago I stumbled across the Swedish jazz ensemble, the Esbjorn Svenssen Trio at a party and was immediately struck by the ingenuity, technical ability and great jazz rhythm.
They have gone from strength to strength since and are now one of the most respected jazz trios in the world.
EST are set to appear in Barbican Hall in March presenting their driving, energetic music.
Be warned, their last appearance, during November’s London Jazz Festival, sold out weeks in advance so book tickets early.
BEETHOVEN'S Moonlight Sonata is one of his most popular, mainly due to the terribly poignant and moving first movement.
It is, however, deceptively difficult, requiring a talented pianist to have enough poise to create the necessary timbre, balancing the arpeggiated chords with the singing melody.
On February 13, pianist Irina Botan, performs the work at St Martin-in-the-Fields as a special Valentine’s Concert.
Other romantic music includes Ravel’s Jeux d’eau, Debussy’s Claire de Lune and a pair of Chopin’s Nocturnes. Botan is a very skilled pianist, who graduated from the Yehudi Menuhin School, so this should be a great concert for lovebirds.
EMMA Kirkby is perhaps the most celebrated early music singer working in Britain today and she maintains a busy performing schedule across the world.
One concert worth mentioning is at St John’s, Smith Square, in April when she appears with the Academy of Ancient Music, performing Bach’s St John Passion.
IT is not one of London’s great concert halls but the National Gallery regularly presents excellent concerts and events featuring young musicians from the Royal Academy of Music and various jazz ensembles.
Every Wednesday evening from 6pm there are free concerts in the Central Hall of the Trafalgar Square gallery, in the Belle Shankman series.
This month features three quartets and a wind trio and on February 7 there is a performance of Renaissance Madrigals. Meanwhile in the Sainsbury Wing each Wednesday evening a bar is set up in the entrance foyer and there is live jazz.
This is one of the unheralded highlights of London. |
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