Czech Phil/Bychkov review – fiendish Mozart duo contrasts with gargantuan Mahler
Barbican Hall, LondonThe Labèque sisters gave an uncannily composite performance of Mozart’s Concerto for Two Pianos, then chief conductor Semyon Bychkov took the Czech Philharmonic through a mighty rendering of Mahler’s FifthPairing early Mozart and blockbuster Mahler on a stage unmistakeably dominated by male musicians, the second instalment of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra’s two-concert Barbican residency was untouched by its coincidence with International Women’s Day. Presumably there are complex reasons why female musicians remain such a minority in this orchestra. In that of all contexts, novelty programming as an annual exception would do little to improve matters.So it was business as usual – and a reminder of just how good that can sound from the ensemble named Orchestra of the Year at last year’s Gramophone Awards, under its chief conductor Semyon Bychkov. Continue reading...
Barbican Hall, London
The Labèque sisters gave an uncannily composite performance of Mozart’s Concerto for Two Pianos, then chief conductor Semyon Bychkov took the Czech Philharmonic through a mighty rendering of Mahler’s Fifth
Pairing early Mozart and blockbuster Mahler on a stage unmistakeably dominated by male musicians, the second instalment of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra’s two-concert Barbican residency was untouched by its coincidence with International Women’s Day. Presumably there are complex reasons why female musicians remain such a minority in this orchestra. In that of all contexts, novelty programming as an annual exception would do little to improve matters.
So it was business as usual – and a reminder of just how good that can sound from the ensemble named Orchestra of the Year at last year’s Gramophone Awards, under its chief conductor Semyon Bychkov. Continue reading...
