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Music in Durham

Not the Messiah…. Israel in Egypt

image of figure crossing the red sea

Royal Northern Sinfonia with Nicholas McGegan and six Samling Artist soloists bring a Handel oratorio to Durham Cathedral in Holy Week. But it’s not Messiah. I’ve been finding out more about the technicolor glories of Handel’s “Israel in Egypt” .

Autumn 2016 concerts

botanic gardens durham autumn

A run-down of some of the concerts taking place in Durham over the next few months, including one of the world’s greatest early music groups, baroque opera, Messiah, Royal Northern Sinfonia at Ushaw, and a world premiere performed by Orchestra North East.

Late Mix review: Britten

Last night, I was at Sage Gateshead Hall Two reviewing the first Late Mix concert of the season for Bachtrack. The programme was built around Britten’s first and last major works – the Sinfonietta and the 3rd string quartet. The final movement of the string quartet, was an absolute revelation to me. It’s quite simply one of […]

Brahms German Requien

I was back at Sage Gateshead last night for the opening night of the Royal Northern Sinfonia season, which I reviewed for Bachtrack: http://www.bachtrack.com/review-german-requiem-northern-sinfonia-sage-gateshead One thing I didn’t mention in my review was an amusing programme translation error, where someone was being too literal. Apparently we will awake from the dead at at the sound of […]

Sage Gateshead: classical season preview

Sage Gateshead classical season 2013/14

I always enjoy the new-year feeling of September, when everything gets going again, and since I started concert reviewing, I’ve had the the extra excitement of thumbing through Sage Gateshead’s classical season brochure, filling up my diary and getting exciting about the coming year’s musical treats.