Last night, Courtney Barnett at The Trades Club, Hebden Bridge. Small venue with a big rockin’ performance.
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How was his Schubert? That’s a difficult piece to get the right mood and not sure if he could pull it off…
He is a bit of a strange carachter, but he definitely pulled it off. A precision artist.
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Tuesday night I saw a performance of Arvo Pärt’s Passion by the Gesualdo Six at St Martin-in-the- Fields (a beautiful 300 year old church in Trafalgar Square London). It is a Latin setting of the Passion according to St John, stunningly beautiful in its simplicity and superbly performed. It was totally compelling, and the 30 seconds of silence after the performance concluded was testament to that.
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And last night I saw Arcangelo performing Bach’s St Matthew Passion at the Barbican (a neo-brutalist arts centre at the edge of the City of London). For me the Matthew Passion is one of the greatest works of art, and this was a fine performance. The counter tenor stood out for me among the soloists, but the choirs were the stars of the show. As ever with the Matthew Passion I left feeling deeply moved.
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It’s just a stunning piece of work isn’t it? Saw it last year at Wigmore with the English Comcert and, as you say, it is deeply moving
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WHO was it?
Hugh Cutting, sorry I should have said.
Thanks mate! 
Recent counter tenor I liked was Alexander Chance. He was really good, too.
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Thanks, I’ll watch out for any London concerts.
It was Hugh Cutting as well when I saw it last year. Fabulous voice
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Johnny Marr in Napa. He’s still got it.
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A lovely concert yesterday at the KKL in Lucerne, Switzerland, fitting for Good Friday: J.S. Bach’s St Matthew Passion performed by the Bach Academy Stuttgart from Germany. It was truly impressive, with superb acoustics right up to the fourth tier. During the break, we enjoyed a special view of Lucerne Bay from the KKL terrace.
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Know it well, fantastic venue.
Martin
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Buxtehude Membra Jesu Nostri
Performers:
Voces Suaves + Gli Incogniti
Amandine Beyer musical direction, violin
Getting into more Baroque music. This was an interesting program performed by Hip band lead by French Amandine Beyer. This is an all international cast musicians from Spain, Italy and France. She was terrific playing a fiddle as well as leading the band. They had a warm inviting tone as well as well balanced and subtle textures overall in tact.It was utterly beautiful.
\I thought Buxtehude was an organ player and did not reliase he composed beutiful music like these. In addition to the main program Memba Jesu Nostri, they played a several Trio Sonatas.
At Tivolivredenburg Utrecht
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Haydn Stabat Mater + Schubert Symphony 4
Performers
Radio Philharmonic Orchestra
Great Broadcasting Choir
Jan Willem de Vriend conductor
Gijs Leenaars choir conductor
Emőke Baráth soprano
Maria Hegele mezzo-soprano
David Fischer tenor
Nikolay Borchev bas
I have heard Radio Phil play many times but this set was exceptional! They were so right on in terms of rhythmic pulse and de Vriend let them breath freely. I did not realise how good they were! Schubert Symphony 4 is quickly becoming my fave piece especially when played right like this. Incredible he wrote it when he was just 19.
Haydn’s Stabat Mater was fitting for the Good Friday evening. It is a difficult piece for soprano but she delivered it with finesse and control. German tenor David Fisher, was a bit rough around the edges and the bass Borchev did not have enough deep resonant voice. Mezzo Hegele did not have enough volume and at times it was swalloed by the orchestra. Again, the band here was excellent in spite they were not played with period instruments.
@Tivolivredenburg Utrecht
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Three Gospel choirs last night at Smith Square Hall, Westminster. I’m no believer (a friend was singing in the first choir) but it was a good evening and as this music has underlain and energised much Soul and R&B, good to hear!
The Hall itself is a glorious (sic) 18th century building. A beautiful space.
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As always you take a great concert photo.
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@AndyP
Thanks Andy! Though lately I’ve not been too happy with many of my shots - taken by phone, it seems harder now to capture lowish light photos sharply. Focus seems off. Maybe time for an upgrade. Or, finally take my real camera to concerts.
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A play, which featured ‘concerts’ as key parts of the storyline:
Teeth ‘N’ Smiles at The Duke Of York’s Theatre in London with Rebecca Lucy Taylor (aka Self Esteem’) in the lead role.
The cast played and sang when the plot line required it and were actually good. RLT was in great voice and the bass player took opportunities to play some great lines. The acting was good and although the performance dipped when RLT was off stage, the cast did really well.
Oh but the script! A very thin story line that didn’t build any tension nor gave the audience much opportunity to care what happened next. Perhaps when it was first performed (1969) the antics of rock bands were less well publicised and the storyline was original.
RLT has the ‘experience’ to play the disillusioned musician very well and I can see how her second main role in the West End will help broaden her career opportunities and help her make a living. As she likes to say, ‘another Big Day’.
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