'A New World' - Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra kicks off their 101st season in style

Junyan Chen

Junyan Chen (piano)

Joanna MacGregor (conductor)

Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra

Ruth Rogers (leader)

2.45pm, Sunday 28 September

Dome Concert Hall, Brighton

★★★★

Rachmaninov, Sergei (1873-1943): Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30

Encore: 

Gershwin, George (1898-1937): The Man I Love, arr. by ?

Ravel, Maurice (1875-1937): La Valse, poème chorégraphique pour orchestre

Bartók, Béla (1881-1945): Suite from The Miraculous Mandarin, Sz.73

Joanna MacGregor

After a cracking 100^th season, the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra are back for their 101^st (my season preview is here),and there’s no sign of Joanna MacGregor letting up on the imaginative programming we’ve now come to expect. So whilst there was a big hitting concerto for the first concert of the new season, they went for Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 3 – popular of course, but not as well-known as the second. And rather than the usual overture-concerto-symphony sandwich, the Rachmaninov opened the concert, bold and up front, with Shanghai-born pianist Junyan Chen at the keyboard. A former pupil of MacGregor’s, Chen has performed with the BPO previously, and last year won not one but three prizes at the Leeds International Piano Competition, including the Silver Medal.

Right from the steadily rolling opening of the Rachmaninov, it was clear that Chen was in control here, setting the pace with incision and steering progress through the frequent rubatos at the ends of phrases. The orchestra were a little slower to get going, with a somewhat muted response, and MacGregor’s occasionally uncertain beat meant that in solo-free passages there were a few hesitant cadences. Woodwind solos were strong, however, with a particularly fine moment from the bassoon alone with the piano. Flute, oboe, clarinet and horn all got a chance towards the end of the movement, and all acquitted themselves well. The muted strings in the slow movement could have still had a little more weight in their sound, but their ensemble was tight, giving secure support to Chen’s swirling romantic solo. The movement’s conclusion was authoritative and arresting, with the finale following at a healthily steady pace. Once again, Chen drove the tempos, and apart from the odd uncertain pickup, the orchestra followed obediently. Chen demonstrated some particularly seductive, slinky playing here, with impressively virtuosic solo passages, and a glorious surge to the finish, here matched with a rich, full sound from the full orchestra. She then treated the appreciative Brighton audience to a sensual arrangement of Gershwin’s The Man I Love (possibly Art Tatum’s arrangement?), with its seductive outer thick chords beautifully contrasted with the brief vamping central section. Definitely a pianist to watch, and hopefully we’ll be treated to a return visit in Brighton sometime soon.

 

Junyan Chen & the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra
© Nick Boston

Ravel’s La Valse is a wonderfully anarchic unravelling of the Viennese Waltz, originally intended as a ballet for Diaghilev. He turned it down, souring their relationship for good, even though Diaghilev acknowledged it as a musical masterpiece. As well as a reflection on the dying world of the waltz, was it also a comment on political decay in Europe, post-World War I? Well Ravel said not, but it is hard not to read some sense of the end of an era into his wildly evocative picture of the opulent ballrooms of Vienna gradually swirling out of control into chaos. MacGregor and the BPO gave us a suitably dark opening, with slithering glissandi from the violas and an ominous cor anglais solo. MacGregor steered through the frequent rubatos and Viennese holdups, although these felt occasional a little mechanical rather than fully felt. As things built to the inevitable climax, timing unravelled ever so slightly, and the seasick surges from the orchestra needed even more, but MacGregor punched through to a suitably wild finish. 
 

Joanna MacGregor & the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra
© Nick Boston

Then came the most intriguing programming choice of the afternoon. Bartók’s The Miraculous Mandarin Suite is not performed as often as it should be, but when it is, at just over twenty minutes, it often appears as the warm-up act. But this densely imaginative and exciting score deserves more attention, and by ending their concert with it, the BPO were able to show off its dramatic and unsettling power. Described as a ‘pantomime ballet’, the original full work, with its shocking tale of tramps forcing a girl to entrap men so they could rob them, was in fact too shocking for audiences of the day, and it had to be withdrawn after its premiere. Bartók’s concert suite was however performed in his lifetime, perhaps because the ‘action’ now stops at the point when the mysterious Miraculous Mandarin, the tramps’ third victim, chases the girl, and avoids the ensuing failed attempts by the tramps to kill him, as well as his sexual union with the girl, before he finally dies. Nevertheless, the Suite still contains the darkness of the drama, right from the opening raucous cityscape to the chase scene, via the increasingly complex characterisations of the three victims, all portrayed via clarinet solos. MacGregor and the BPO were in their element for the opening bustling cacophony, with trombone car horns and swirling, whistling woodwinds. Principal clarintettist James Gilbert’s solos were full of the necessarily individual character, and with mournful turns from cor anglais and oboe, brittle col legno strings (hitting with the wood of the bow), trombone slides and glassy celesta combined with high flutes, they delivered much of the atmospheric detail of Bartók’s score with enthusiasm. MacGregor’s direction was also more confident throughout here, and the slowing up into the final finish was well judged, making for a thrilling conclusion to their assured performance of this exciting work. Once again, MacGregor and the BPO showed that taking risks with more adventurous programming choices pays dividends, as evidenced by another almost full and highly appreciative Brighton Dome audience.

A spectacular swansong for the Rosendal Chamber Music Festival

Kvinnherad Church in Rosendal
© Liv Øvland

Leif Ove Andsnes (Artistic Director, piano)

Yulianna Avdeeva (piano)

James Baillieu (piano)

Knut Christian Jansson (piano)

Johan Dalene (violin)

Oda Holt Günther (violin)

Timothy Ridout (viola)

Julia Hagen (cello)

Opus13:

Sonoko Miriam Welde (violin)

Edvard Erdal (violin)

Albin Usijärvi (viola)

Daniel Thorell (cello)

Leif Ove Andsnes & Ragnhild Gudbrandsen
© Liv Øvland

Ida Aubert Bang (harp)

Cecilie Løken Hesselberg (flute)

Sigrid Holmstrand (flute)

Björn Nyman (clarinet)

Marita Elise Holme (clarinet)

Åsmund Moen (percussion)

Bernhard Butenschön (percussion)

Magnus Lille Haugen (percussion)

Sebastian Lindland (percussion)

Mari Eriksmoen (soprano)

Hilde Haraldsen Sveen (soprano)

Daniel Sæther (countertenor)

Eirik Grøtvedt (tenor)

Ragnhild Gudbransen (voice)

Yulianna Avdeeva, Johan Dalene & Julia Hagen
© Liv Øvland

Ensemble C4:

Caroline Eidsten Dahl (recorder)

Ingrid Økland (violin)

Maria Innes Zanovello (violin)

Edda Stix (viola)

Gunnar Hauge (cello)

André Lislevand (viola da gamba)

Christian Kjos (harpsichord & organ)

Jadran Duncumb (theorbo)

Kjell Tore Innervik (percussion)

Bjarni Frímann (conductor)

Knut Vaage (composer)

Rosendal Chamber Music Festival

6-10 August 2025

Rosendal, Norway -

Riddershalen, Baroniet Rosendal

Kvinnherad Church, Rosendal

The Red Room, Baroniet Rosendal

★★★★★

Ensemble C4
© Liv Øvland

Shostakovich:

'Ridout’s taut, passionate playing drew out every note, yet his crying solo, as if from a distance, at the opening of the finale was achingly impressive'.

Mendelssohn:

'The enhanced acoustic and their enthusiasm raised the volume to extremes in places, but the sheer exuberance and obvious pleasure evident in their performance had the entire hall rapt'.

'Mari Eriksmoen communicated her Grieg with operatic drama and a bright yet powerful tone throughout'.

'Eirik Grøtvedt was the real vocal revelation, however. He showed incredible bravery when producing a tremulous, fragile pianissimo at the top of his range...yet he also had huge power when needed'.

Timothy Ridout & Leif Ove Andsnes
© Liv Øvland

Leif Ove Andnes:

'In his quiet, gentle way, he demonstrated a sense of the visionary leadership that has clearly built something very special in this beautiful part of Norway'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

James Baillieu & Mari Eriksmoen
© Liv Øvland

Grieg, Edvard (1843-1907): 19 Norske Folkeviser, Op. 66 No. 1, 'Kulok'

Mendelssohn, Felix (1809-1847): Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49

Tveitt, Geirr (1908-1981): Hestemennan (Horsemen)

                                         Marskveld (March evening)

                                         Bera ei sorg (Carrying grief), Op. 246 No. 9

Vaage, Knut (b.1961): Bumerang

Grieg, Edvard: Tolv Melodier (Vinjesangene), Op. 33 Nos. 6-12

                            Eit Syn (A Vision)

                            Gamle Mor (The Old Mother)

                            Det Første (The first thing)

                            Ved Rundarne (At Rondane)

                            Et Vennestykke (A Piece on Friendship)

                            Trudom (Faith)

                                Fyremål (The Goal)

Mendelssohn, Felix: Six Duets Op. 63, No. 1, Ich wollt' meine Leib' ergösse sich

                                  Die Hochzeit des Capacho, Op. 10, So kehrest du wieder

Grieg, Edvard: Seks Digte, Op. 4

                            Die Waise (The Orphan)

                            Morgen Thau (Morning Dew)

                            Abschied (Farewell)

                            Jägerlied (Hunting Song)

                            Das alte Lied (The Old Story)

                            Wo sind sie hin? (Where have they gone?)

Members of Opus13
© Liv Øvland

Gade, Niels (1817-1890): 4 Fantasiestücke, Op. 43 No. 3

Schumann, Robert (1810-1856): Violin Sonata No. 1 in A minor, Op. 105

Mendelssohn, Felix:  String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 13

Vaage, Knut: From 20 Views at Opus 54

Grieg, Edvard: Haugtussa, Op. 67

                            Det syng (The Enticement)

                            Veslemøy (Veslemøy)

                            Blaabærli (Blueberry Slope)

                            Møte (The Tryst)

                            Elsk (Love)

                            Killingdans (Kidlings' Dance)

                            Vond Dag (Hurtful Day)

                            Ved Gjætle-Bekken (At the Brook)

                             Lyric Pieces, Op. 54 No. 6, Bell Ringing

Vaage, Knut: Skråblikk på Haugtussa (Oblique Glance at Haugtussa)

Grieg, Edvard: Intermezzo for cello and piano in A minor, EG115

Vaughan Williams, Ralph (1872-1958): Six Studies in English Folk Song

Grieg, Edvard: from Barnlige Sange, Op. 61

                              3. Lok (Farmyard)

                              6. De norske fjelde (The Norwegian Mountains)

                              2. Sang til juletraet (The Christmas Tree)

                              5. Kveldssang for Blakken (Goodnight song for Dobbin)

Schumann, Robert: Märchenbilder, Op. 113

Opus13
© Liv Øvland

Grieg, Edvard:    Andantino serioso, Op. 28 No.4

                            Andante con moto, EG116

                            Tolv Melodier (Vinjesangene), Op. 33 No. 5, Langs ei Aa (Beside the Stream)

                            Norwegian Dances, Op. 35 Nos. 2-3

                            Holberg Suite, Op. 40, Sarabande & Rigaudon

Debussy, Claude (1862-1918): Syrinx

Ravel, Maurice (1875-1937): Introduction & Allegro

Clarke, Rebecca (1886-1979): Sonata for Viola and Piano

Ravel, Maurice:  3 Poèmes de Stéphane Mallar mé

                            Piano Trio

Grieg, Edvard: Fem Digte af John Paulsen, Op. 26

                            1. Et Håb (Hope)

                            2. Jeg reiste en deilig Sommerkvæld (I walked one balmy summer eve)

                            3. De Ærgjerrige (You whispered that you loved me)

                            4. Med en Primula veris (The first primrose)

                            5. På Skogstien (Autumn thoughts)

                         Sex Digte af Ibsens, Op. 25

                            1. Spillemænd (Fiddlers)

                            2. En Svane (A Swan)

                            3. Stambogsrim (Album Lines)

                            4. Med en Vandlilje (With a Waterlily)

                            5. Borte! (Departed!)

                            6. En Fuglevise (A Birdsong)

                         String Quartet in G minor, Op. 27

Rosendal Chamber Music Festival 2025
© Nick Boston

Rosendal Chamber Music Festival 2025
© Nick Boston

Vierne, Louis (1870-1937): Piano Quintet, Op. 42
Nordheim, Arne (1931-2010): from Three Unexpected Songs, No.2 Ore, fermate il solo

Marini, Biagio (1594-1663): Balletto secondo, Op. 22 No. 2

Vaage, Knut: Tilstandar, 'Opp av jorda' (Spring)

Silvestrov, Valentin (b.1937): Bagatelle Op. 1 No. 2

Marais, Marin (1656-1728): Suite VII en sol majeur du Troisième Livre de pièces de viole, Prelude No. 93

                                             Suite VI en sol majeur du Cinquième Livre de pièces de viole, Chaconne No. 83

                                             Suite VII en sol majeur du Troisième Livre de pièces de viole, Sarabande No. 99

                                             Suite VII en sol majeur du Troisième Livre de pièces de viole, La Guitare No. 107

Leclair, Jean-Marie (1697-1964): from Deuxième récréation de musique, Op. 8, No. 6 Chaconne

Vaage, Knut: Tilstandar, 'Hauste inn' (Autumn)

Shostakovich, Dmitri (1906-1975): Sonata for Viola and Piano, Op. 147

Scarlatti, Alessandro (1660-1725): Sinfonia di concerto grosso, No. 8 in G major

Grieg, Edvard: Romancer (ældre og nyere), Op. 39

                            1. Fra Monte Pincio (From Monte Pincio)

                            3. I Liden højt deroppe (Upon a grassy hillside)

                            4. Millon Roser (Among roses)

                        6 Digte af Holger Drachmann, Op. 49, No. 6 Forårsregn (Spring Showers)

Rosendal Chamber Music Festival 2025
© Nick Boston

Rosendal Chamber Music Festival 2025
© Nick Boston

Tveitt, Geirr: Femti Folkatonar frao Hardanger for klaver, Op. 150
                             25. The call of the dairy maid

                             39. Visiting Saturday in the mountains

                             10. What beer!

                             11. God's goodness and God's greatness

Duparc, Henri (1848-1933): Phidylé

                                             Cinq mélodies, Op. 2 No. 1. Soupir

                                             La vague et la cloche

Vaage, Knut: Tilstandar, 'kom lindereid kom' (Summer)

Mendelssohn, Felix: String Octet in E flat major, Op. 20

Vivaldi, Antonio (1678-1741):

Trio Sonata No. 12 in D minor, RV 63 'La Folia'

Andriessen, Louis (1939-2021): Workers Union

Rosendal Chamber Music Festival 2025
© Nick Boston

Brighton16 joins forces with Worthing Philharmonic Orchestra

Brighton chamber choir Brighton16 is joining forces with Worthing Philharmonic Orchestra for a performance of Duruflé's Requiem this coming Saturday at St George's Church in Worthing (St George's Road, Worthing BN11 2DS). 

The performance is at 7pm, and the concert will also include Vaughan Williams' Mass in G minor, a world premiere of Ansel Chaloner-Hughes' Elegy for organ, harp and strings, and Ravel's Pavane pour une infante défunte (Pavane for a Dead Princess) in a new arrangement, also for organ, harp and strings. The organist will be Edward Byrne (Magdalen College, Oxford) and the mezzo-soprano solo in the Duruflé will be Frances Rowberry. The concert will be conducted by Matt Jelf.

Tickets are available here.

Overtures & Dances - Impressive variety and virtuosity from the Mēla Guitar Quartet

The Mēla Guitar Quartet formed in 2015, graduates of the Guildhall School of Music & the Royal Academy of Music, and have established a reputation for interesting programming, combining clever arrangements (often their own) of works for other instruments, as well as commissioning new works. Following a change of line-up in 2023 (now comprising Matthew Robinson, George Tarlton, Michael Butten & Zahrah Hutton), they have now recorded a joyful album, entitled Overtures & Dances, including ingenious arrangements (by Tarlton) of two staples of the orchestral overture repertoire, Glinka’s Ruslan and Lyudmila (which opens the disc) and Humperdinck’s Overture to Hänsel und Gretel. The Glinka sets off at a wild pace, with no concessions made when it comes to the racing string scales, the guitars adopting a kind of mind-boggling hocketing technique, alternating semi-quavers between instruments, which quite frankly, sounds even more demanding! As well as all of the rapid virtuosity, they bring out the lyrical melodies, make use of harmonics for lighter textures, as well as drumming effects, and build to an impressive climax of orchestral dimensions. The Humperdinck opens with a more gentle, fairytale atmosphere, but once again, it is those impressive running scales that build up the drama. The guitars bring a music-box feel to the sound world, adding to the sense of fairytale, and the more rustic dance in the latter sections provides spirited dynamic to the more peaceful, delicate conclusion.

Tarlton also arranged the Deux Arabesques for piano by Debussy that appear here. The first gives the cascades of the piano a harp-like flow, and they achieve effective dynamic contrasts here too, as well as an impressive lyrical line. A slight change to the melodic line towards the end of the central section aside, this is otherwise a very effective arrangement, and the use of harmonics in the final cascade is a nice touch. The second Arabesque is playful and dances along, achieving a smoothness that is actually hard to achieve on the piano. The pace is steady and rhythmic, and once again, harmonics provide percussive contrast. Staying with French repertoire, Saint-Saëns’ Bacchanale from Samson et Delilah is up next, in an arrangement by former member of the quartet, Daniel Bovey. Following a dramatic opening, the dance gets going, with similar energy to the Glinka. The eastern-infused melodic line is effective in octaves, and there is drumming along the way to add to the drama. The mood is then calmed for Ravel’s Ma mère l’Oye (Mother Goose), arranged by Robinson, opening with Sleeping Beauty’s sparse Pavane. Petit Poucet ('Tom Thumb') follows, with relentless repeating scales and a wandering intensity. In Laideronnette, the strumming guitars are harp-like, with also more than a hint of the gamelan. Les entretiens de la Belle et de la Bête ('The Conversations of Beauty and the Beast' features a glorious glissando across all four instruments, and a de-tuned low E string to replace the contrabassoon of the orchestral scoring. The suite ends with Le Jardin Feerique ('The Fairy Garden', with gentle poise and courtly strumming building to a joyous conclusion, once again conjuring up a band of harps. Moving away from the French repertoire, we then have the Polka italienne by Rachmaninov, with harmonics now giving us dulcimer vibes. Initially the dance has halting rhythms, but then it starts to run away with itself, building to virtuosic craziness, before dying away into a darkly lugubrious finish. In contrast, Holst’s A Fugal Overture has bluesy lines, with complex rhythms and textures and a driving pace, before the mechanical, angular fugue takes hold. The third of Elgar’s 3 Characteristic Pieces, Contrasts: The Gavotte - AD 1700 & 1900 receives an arrangement by Hutton here, the delicate, courtly dance gradually transformed into something more playful and complex, with effective use of harmonics to thin the texture.

The disc ends with a highlight for me, former member Daniel Bovey’s arrangement of Joe Hisaishi’s (b.1950) My Neighbour Totoro Suite. The music is from a Japanese animated film from 1988, about two sisters who move to an old house in the countryside and meet the forest spirit, Totoro. The music is great fun, with an opening playful romp, and tapping rhythms. There’s a joyful, magical feel here, as well as moments of wistful atmosphere, building with a kind of ragtime, jazz energy, providing a great conclusion to this highly enjoyable collection. For a whole album of just four guitars playing, there is great variety of mood and texture here, as well as highly virtuosic display in those fast overtures. 

Various. 2025. Overtures & Dances. Mēla Guitar Quartet. Compact Disc and Download. trptk TTK 0145.

Baillie & Yandell impress in striking Crosse, restless Fauré, and lyrical Ravel

Cellist Alexander Baillie studied with André Navarra and Jacqueline du Pré, and has had an extensive career as a soloist, chamber musician and teacher, and has recently returned to the UK after his tenure as Professor of Cello at the Hochschule für Musik in Bremen. On his recent disc with First Hand Records, he was joined by pianist Nigel Yandell, who has an equally varied career, as soloist, collaborative pianist and teacher. Both worked with the London Sinfonietta, and it was their partnership that led to the desire to realise a new performing edition of Gordon Crosse’s (1937-2021) Wanderings. The work was originally recorded by Baillie with pianist Andrew Ball when it was composer back in 1983. This revival was originally intended for Crosse’s 80^th birthday in 2017, but delays and then COVID delayed the project, and sadly Crosse died aged 83 in 2021. Crosse had a relatively successful period in the 1960s and 1970s, writing choral and operatic works for the Three Choirs Festival and Sadlers Wells, as well as orchestral, chamber and vocal pieces. He moved into computer programming and music technology, but returned to composition later, completing four more symphonies and four more string quartets.

 

Crosse’s Wavesongs is a fascinating work which begins with a long introduction, Deep Sea. From empty space, glassy cello harmonics emerge, with rumbles and a persistent semitone pattern. It’s so quiet and mysterious, it’s initially hard to discern what’s happening, and low piano tolls hint of something in the distant depths of the ocean. Slow movement on both instruments develops, with fluttering from the cello and changing from the piano. Sea Shanty then emerges, with a lilting melody developing on the cello. Agitated repetition on the piano is taken over by the cello, building to wild piano scales and high wailing from the cello in Troubled Waves. Storm which follows is actually quieter, with rumbling turbulence, before piano strikes of lightening break through. The swinging shanty rhythms return over relentless movement in Cruel Sea, before calm arrives in Aria, cluster chords releasing into a soothingly harmonic melody. Turbulence returns in Tempest, with wild running piano scales and violent cello explosions. By now, the cello is screaming in its upper registers against repeated high piano notes in Lost at Sea. Homeward Bound is spiky and fragmentary with slithering, glassy cello. A train-like rhythm gets going, and there’s little let-up, until the piano slows first, and finally they both stop. Calm returns in Peace and Enlightenment, and the high cello harmonics of the very opening are back. Everything slows, with a final cry of the shanty tune from the cello, and quiet piano chords bringing the journey to a close. This is a highly effective piece, with evocative use of both instruments, and Baillie and Yandell’s performance is engaging, making coherent sense of this complicated and ever shifting score. 

 

First on the disc comes a rendition of Fauré’s Cello Sonata No. 1. Both of his sonatas for the instrument came from the latter period of his life, when he was plagued by distortion of sound and increasing deafness. The first Cello Sonata, from 1917, is a compact work of three movements. The jumpy, impetuous start sets the mood of restlessness, and lyricism when it comes has edgy harmonic twists, meaning the music never relaxes. Despite the intensity, Baillie is never too weighty, and Yandell rises to the demanding persistence of the piano part. The central Andante is warmer, and here Baillie’s lyricism is underpinned by delicate chords from Yandell. The sense of turbulence from the opening movement creeps in, and the middle of the movement moves into wistful sadness. The Finale has greater drive, and a conversation dances along between the two instruments. Baillie’s melodic line sings, if occasionally becoming a little astringent at the top, and both drive through to a spirited, joyful finish. 

 

They end their recording with an arrangement for cello and piano of Ravel’s Violin Sonata No. 1 in A minor. This was a very early work, but was not published until 1975. It works very well on the cello, particularly in the wistful, wandering opening, with the piano responding with rippling textures. There are lots of lyrical lines for the cello, and plenty of rhapsodic development of the material from both instruments. Emphatic octaves from the cello lead to a yearning climax, then as the opening materials returns, substantially transformed, a more relaxed, summery mood is established, leading to a light, major key conclusion. Baillie and Yandell make a great case for this arrangement here.

 

The two French works provide an interesting contrast to the striking work by Crosse, and allow Baillie and Yandell to demonstrate their command in varied repertoire for cello and piano.

Various. 2023. Fauré, Crosse, Ravel. Alexander Baillie, Nigel Yandell. Compact Disc. First Hand Records FHR152.