CONCERT REVIEW | Ruders, Shostakovich, & R. Strauss | BBC Symphony Orchestra/Abduraimov, Thomas, & Søndergård | Barbican, London | "...things were eventually held together under the wise baton of Søndergård"

United Kingdom: BBC Symphony Orchestra, Behzod Abduraimov (Piano), Alan Thomas (Trumpet), & Thomas Søndergård (Conductor). Reviewed at Barbican Hall, London on 23 November 2017

Ruders, Concerto in pieces (Variations on Purcell for orchestra)
Shostakovich, Piano Concerto no. 1 in C minor for piano, trumpet and string orchestra, Op.35
Strauss R., Also sprach Zarathustra, Op.30

Thomas Søndergård © Martin Bubandt
Thomas Søndergård, © Martin Bubandt

...On paper, the choice of the Uzbekistan-born Behzod Abduraimov as the soloist seemed an impeccable choice. Abduraimov has a strong foot in the Russian tradition, most notably in works of Rachmaninov. Yet Shostakovich is no Rachmaninov, and the sensitive pianism of Abduraimov was a touch too heavy and Romantic for a work so pronounced in its acerbic zest and irreverent wit...

Read the full review on Bachtrack

Young-Jin Hur
@yjhur1885