Strauss
Macbeth, Op.23
Philip Cashian
‘The Book of Ingenious Devices’ Piano Concerto [BBC commission: world premiere]
Busoni
Nocturne symphonique, BV262/Op.43
Elgar
Falstaff – Symphonic Study in C-minor, Op.68
Huw Watkins (piano)
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Oliver Knussen
Reviewed by: Colin Anderson
Reviewed: 20 January, 2017
Venue: Barbican Hall, London
“Welcome to Shakespeare 401 with Oliver Knussen conducting Macbeth and Falstaff as part of the BBC Symphony Orchestra’s latest Barbican Hall offering.”
That one line was written pre-performance, intended as an intro to what will now be an unwritten review, for the concert was cancelled due to Oliver Knussen succumbing to pneumonia during rehearsals and with no time to seek a replacement conductor for what anyway is an irregular line-up of pieces.
Our first concern is for Mr Knussen to recover fully and, then, hopefully this enticing programme can be revived; however, given that concert scheduling is planned well in advance, if this is not possible at the Barbican Centre or during the BBC Proms in the near-future, then maybe at Maida Vale, the BBCSO’s studio home…
- Concert was to have been recorded by BBC Radio 3 for future broadcast
- NB: Elgar’s Falstaff is on BBC Radio 3 this Monday evening, January 23, BBC Philharmonic/Andrew Davis (available on BBC iPlayer for thirty days afterwards)
- BBCSO www.bbc.co.uk/orchestras/so
- BBC Radio 3 www.bbc.co.uk/radio3
- Barbican www.barbican.org.uk