A second installment for the RSNO Friday Night Club today – and an appropriate choice for Good Friday in the form of Brahms‘s German Requiem. This particular archive performance is conducted by Gregory Batsleer, with soloists Alison McNeill (soprano) and Oskar McCarthy (baritone), with the RSNO Chorus and pianists Edward Cohen and Christopher Baxter.
You can watch the on the orchestra’s website here, or join on Facebook here
Tonight’s recommendation for online musical fulfillment comes in the form of Verdi’s Requiem. This can be viewed on the London Symphony Orchestra’s YouTube channel, with principal guest conductor Gianandrea Noseda leading a performance with soloists Erika Grimaldi (soprano), Daniela Barcellona (mezzo-soprano), Francesco Meli (tenor) and Michele Pertusi (baritone). The London Symphony Chorus, prepared by their director Simon Halsey, provide the choral fireworks.
The performance began at 7pm BST but you can still watch the whole work from the start below:
As you may well know, Arcana is undertaking a Beethoven listening project this year, in celebration of the 250th year since his birth.
We are approaching Beethoven by way of composers and teachers that had an influence on his output – J.S. Bach, son C.P.E., Handel and teachers Albrechtsberger and Salieri. We have also had a quick look at the Mannheim school of composers who helped the forms of the symphony and sonata to spread their wings.
We will shortly hear from Haydn and Mozart, then a quick look at Clementi – who Beethoven held in very high regard – before a guide to the music of 1770, the year of Beethoven’s birth. Then – finally – we will start on the music of Beethoven himself.
Arcana have several exciting interviews in the bag to help us with our discovery of Beethoven. Pianist Angela Hewitt has given some pearls of wisdom on the Piano Sonatas, while this morning Cyprien Katsaris held court as he talked of his upcoming Beethoven Odyssey. Many discoveries were made! We will also hear from cellist Steven Isserlis, who has offered his thoughts on the Cello Sonatas.
It has been a relatively slow start – but expect the tempo to rise considerably over the coming months! Meanwhile here are clips from one of Hewitt’s discs for Hyperion on the Piano Sonatas, including the wonderful opening pages of the Pastoral:
A quick nod in the direction of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra’s Friday Night Club, beginning in half an hour! It’s designed to combat the difficulties of isolation through uplifting concert experiences – most of them new to viewers. Tonight will provide the ideal antidote to our current situation with the Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony conducted by Neeme Järvi
You can watch the action unfold on the orchestra’s YouTube channel here
Or alternatively join here on Facebook
This is not a regular feature, but I thought it would be good to highlight new albums released today that fall into Arcana’s ‘circle of interest’ – the idea being that listening to them or hopefully even buying them will reward the creators in these difficult times. So, without further ado…
Víkingur Ólafsson releases his much-anticipated third album for DG today. A collection of music for keyboard by Rameau and Debussy, it has the hallmarks of Ólafsson’s meticulous presentation, and – I suspect – his meticulous and intimate approach, which has proved so effective with his albums of Philip Glass Etudes and Bach keyboard music.
Sticking with classical music but moving ever so slightly closer to Hollywood, the Sinfonia of London and John Wilson release their third collaboration on Chandos today. It sees them returning to Korngold, whose Symphony in F sharp major they played so brilliantly to celebrate their rebirth as an orchestra. This time they are taking on the composer’s glitzy Violin Concerto, with soloist Andrew Haveron stepping up from duties as orchestral leader. This is coupled with the substantial String Sextet, a work definitely worth getting to know:
Switching on the power, we arrive at Daniel Avery and his collaboration with Nine Inch Nails‘ Alessandro Cortini, Illusion Of Time. This is an intriguing match that on first listen is a successful blend of electronic soundscapes, with Avery’s wide open perspective and Cortini’s analogue synth sensibilities complementing each other:
It’s great to see Little Dragon back. The Swedish band have changed labels, arriving at Ninja Tune – and their sixth album New Me, Same Us. It finds them rejuvenated and pressing forward, with Yukimi Nagano providing the ever-distinctive vocals.
Moving outside of Europe we come to Tamikrest. I can’t pretend to have a good knowledge of African music, but here is a band I have latched onto for their unique blend of Tuareg music and rock. Their new record Tamotaït has the same thrilling combination of propulsive rhythms and heat-soaked atmosphere:
Finally – if you’re after a good house party for your nearest and dearest – you would do well to consider including some of the new Dua Lipa album! She may not be someone who needs the investment, but you can guarantee good vibes throughout Future Nostalgia, especially when the likes of hit singles Don’t Start Now and Physical are present.
Arcana.fm 