The Brightcecilia Great Performers Competition

[Philidor]

The Barbican Centre in London has kindly sent us a pack of CDs to give away:

Sarah Chang’s new album featuring the Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 and Brahms Violin Concerto, recorded with the Dresden Philharmonie and conducted by Kurt Masur.

Cecilia Bartoli's new album Sacrificium, which uncovers the beauty, glamour, controversy and cruelty of the world of the ʻcastratiʼ singers in 18th century Italy. The album features the music inspired by these singers, focusing on the coloratura showpieces and slow arias written for superstars such as Farinelli and Caffarelli.

Murray Perahia’s new recording of Bach’s Partitas No.1, 5 and 6.

Rather than dribble them out like Scrooge we thought we'd give them all away at once. To enter all you need do is write a review on Brightcecilia of a concert you've attended or recording you've heard. It doesn't have to be long. Short, pithy reviews are some of the best. Or involve describing some international performing genius. A concert by amateurs in a village church can be as good, or better.

Judges will be Florestan and me but if it's close we'll ask a respected, long-term member to help out i.e. take some of the blame. The closing date is 2pm GMT, Wed 9th December 2009 - four weeks from today.

So please get writing. It's only what many members already do on a daily basis, e.g. in the What Have You Been Listening To Lately? thread. We'd like to publish the best entries as site features (with the author's permission).

With thanks to the the Barbican and their Great Performers season.



NB 'Concert' includes 'Opera'

[ImmortalBeloved]

What a great idea! Thanks.

*Silly question alert*

Where would you like us to write the reviews? I'm assuming via PM to you or Flo?

[Philidor]

Originally Posted by ImmortalBeloved

What a great idea! Thanks.

*Silly question alert*

Where would you like us to write the reviews? I'm assuming via PM to you or Flo?

Ideally, on this thread. Or copy them here from whatever thread they've naturally occurred on. Despina comes to mind, her reviews are great. But Mirror Image, Haydnguy, Micrologus and many others review CDs all the time. Stephen Wainman attends concerts in village churches in the middle of nowhere and sometimes reviews those. Film music would be fine, a concert on YouTube, a school recorder class which put on a concert for the parents... or some old guy playing violin in the New York subway. If it contains music it can be reviewed!

[ImmortalBeloved]

Originally Posted by Philidor

Ideally, on this thread.

Sorry..got my thick head on today! I thought you might have meant on here, but the "....will be published as site features (with the author's permission)" made me think you wanted them via PM!

If I had a brain, I'd be dangerous!

*Goes off to write a review. I may be sometime...*

[Philidor]

I look forward!

[Florestan]

Me too!

They don't all have to be deadly serious - a bit of humour is welcome.

PS If you happen to be someone who has a whole blog full of their own reviews, you don't need to post them all up!

[Philidor]

*Bump*

I hear Sarah Chang is highly insulted that no one wants her new CD...

[marquis66]

Originally Posted by Philidor

*Bump*

I hear Sarah Chang is highly insulted that no one wants her new CD...

Hey man, it isn't even December yet Give us a month, we will take 28 days.

Maybe I will finally listen to that new Boheme recording that has been sitting on my desk.

[stephen w]

Originally Posted by Philidor

Ideally, on this thread. Or copy them here from whatever thread they've naturally occurred on.

07/05/09 Florilegium, St Peter Mancroft church, Norwich,

Originally Posted by stephen wainman

On Tuesday we went to a concert in St Peter Mancroft in Norwich:



The concert was by Florilegium. I was sitting in the front pew, right in front of the Viola da Gamba player. It taught me a lot about what a virtuoso and emotionally expressive instrument it can be, even when supplying the bass line in grounds.

I loved this ensemble: treble recorder, baroque violin, gamba and harpsichord. A beautiful (and gentle/restful) sound. I was immediately taken (swept away would be more like it!) by the music, one of my favourite of which was a composer hitherto unknown to me, John Weldon.

They are all marvellous players, but it was a great pleasure to experience their relationship as they played; and the enjoyment & humour as well as intensity they brought to, and derived, from the music.




www.florilegium.org.uk

09/11/08 Henschel Quartet concert:

I enjoyed a concert at the John Innis hall in Norwich last night by the Munich based Henschel Quartet.

Has anyone else heard this Quartet live? I thought their overall 'sound' was lovely, warm and intense. I appreciated the cohesiveness of their playing. Perhaps a minor downside for me was that they seemed to have a closer relationship with each other than the audience. The first violin (Christopher Henschel) in particular seemed to be very 'enclosed' in what he was doing; however Monika Henschel-Schwind (viola) and Matthias Beyer-Karlshoj (cello) appeared to be more aware of the audience, and the cellist in particular was a joy to listen to.

I thought it was imaginatively programmed:
Mendelssohn Four Pieces for String Quartet Op.81
Janacek Quartet No 1 in E minor 'Kreutzer Sonata'
Haydn Quartet in G major Op. 76/1
Mendelssohn Quartet No 6 in F minor Op.80.

There seemed to me to be a harmonious link between these pieces, each of which had at one point or another, very 'simple' appealing melodies, often with a folkmusic or country dance influence.

It would be fair to say that I have not gone out of my way to listen to Mendelssohn, apart from a young love of the violin concerto, and (while I still often struggle to hear a 'defining personal voice' in his music) I was completely taken with the Four Pieces for String Quartet Op 81, which was new to me. The 3rd and 4th piece in particular, were very moving, and I recommend them to anyone to try, who hasnt heard them before.