February at the Barbican

February gives us one of Handel's finest oratorios, along with premieres from Peter Maxwell Davies, Huw Watkins, Bruno Mantovani and Mark Simpson. The BBC will be exploring the music of Thea Musgrave, but there is still time for Rossini's delightful Petite Messe Solennelle. And the LSO helps launch the Panufnik centenary.


Handel's Theodora is performed by the English Concert and Harry Bicket with a strong line-up of soloists Rosemary Joshua, Sarah Connolly, Tim Mead , Andrew Kennedy and Neal Davies. Interestingly the choir is the Choir of Trinity, Wall Street (8/2).



Antonio Pappano conducts the LSO in a programme which pair's Britten's Violin Concerto (with Maxim Vengerov) with the premiere of Peter Maxwell Davies' Symphony No. 10 (2/2). The LSO help to kick off Andrzej Panufnik's centenary with his Sinfonia Sacra and Lullaby plus music by Dvorak, with Michael Francis conducting. Over at LSO St Lukes, Francois-Xavier Roth with be conducting the LSO in a workshop with the LSO Panufnik Young Composers. Daniel Harding conducts the LSO in the premiere of Huw Watkins Flute Concerto plus Mahler (23/2)


The BBC Singers are performing Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle at the Milton Court Concert Hall with soloists Ruby Hughes, Clara Mouriz, Robin Tritschler and Matthew Hargreaves. Paul Brough conducts and we get the original version, so an accompaniment from two pianos and harmonium! (4/2)

The BBC are devoting their first Total Immersion to the music of Thea Musgrave. The evening concert includes The Seasons, Horn Concerto, Songs for a Winter's Evening and Turbulent Landscapes with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Marin Owen, Lisa Milne and conductor Martyn Brabbins. The daytime events include talks, chamber music from Guildhall School musicians and the BBC Singers and Paul Brough in Musgrave's choral music including the wonderful Rorate coeli (15/2)

The BBC Symphony Orchestra under Fabien Gabel give the UK premiere of Bruno Mantovani's Concerto for Two Pianos with Francois-Frederic Guy and Varduhi Yeritsyan, plus music by Chausson, Debussy and Beethoven (22/2)


The Britten Sinfonia premiere a new work by Mark Simpson in a programme of music for piano and wind (14/2). The Academy of Ancient Music under Richard Tognetti are performing a programme of concertos by Vivaldi, Fasch, Pisendel, Veracini, Vivaldi and Bach.

And now for something completely different, a chance to hear Suzanne Vega on 7 Februrary.

Over in the theatre, Bristol Old Vic has joined forces with Handspring Puppet Company for Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream directed by Tom Morris. (6-15 Feb). And Circa are doing a performance to Shostakovich quartets played live by the Debussy String Quartet (18-22 Feb)

Elsewhere on this blog:

• Love Journeys: An encounter with Jacques Cohen
• Not for the fainthearted: JACK Quartet at the Wigmore Hall
• For completists only? Vivaldi's Concerto per archi from Concerto Italiano - CD review
• Stunning performances: Russian Treasures from Tenebrae - CD review
• Rare repertoire and enthusiasm: Interview with Oliver Zeffman and Bartholemew Lafollette
• Roxanna Panufnik's Dance of Life: Tallinn Mass CD review
• Dance of Life CD launch
• What is an opera? Second Movement's Rough for Opera
• Lunchtime recital: David Butt Philip
• Swashbuckling spectacular: ENB's Le Corsaire
• Well thought out programme: Elgar's Piano Quintet at King's Place
• Fascinating contrasts: masses by Palestrina, Lassus and Ashewell from the Huelgas Ensemble - CD review
• Home