MENDELSSOHN – LIEDER OHNE WORTE (SONGS WITHOUT WORDS) IGOR LEVIT piano This new release on CD and streaming from German-Russian pianist Igor Levit is his personal response, in music, to the 7th October 2023 atrocities in Israel and the alarming rise of anti-semitism around the world. ‘I made this recording out of a very, very…
Author: ArtMuseLondon
ArtMuseLondon is a site for reviews of art exhibitions and music in London, and general cultural musings, written by people with a keen interest and an honest, accessible approach.
Retrospecstive 2023: Adrian Ainsworth’s 25 recordings of the year
At last! The wait is over. Here is my round-up of favourite releases from the previous calendar year. 2023 felt richer than ever and there were so many wonderful records to choose from. As usual, I’ve spared myself the agony of ranking the selections: democracy rules and the list is in alphabetical order, by artist…
Elisabeth Frink : A View from Within
A concise, detailed and sensitively curated new exhibition of work by British sculptor and printmaker Dame Elisabeth Frink (1930-1993) is currently on show at Dorset Museum & Art Gallery in Dorchester. The exhibition focuses on the period when Frink lived in Dorset, working from her home and purpose-built studio at Woolland House near Blandford Forum….
EARTHCYCLE – A Four Seasons for the 21st century
EARTHCYCLE Orchestra of the Swan An innovative and timely project from ever-inventive Orchestra of the Swan (OOTS), Earthcycle finds a compelling way to engage with the threat of climate change, and the human impact on the Earth’s environment and the disruption of its natural rhythms through music inspired by or evoking the natural world,…
Reinterpreting Brian Eno’s Music for Airports
ENO PIANO Bruce Brubaker, piano “Is it possible to play Music for Airports on the piano?” American pianist, Bruce Brubaker, asked himself this question when thinking about his new album, Eno Piano, a remarkable reinterpretation of Brian Eno’s ambient masterpiece Music for Airports (the album which defined “ambient music”), together with three of Brubaker’s own…
‘Every Tree Speaks To Me’ Peter Ash, conductor of the Odyssey Festival Orchestra, talks about his latest project
American-born conductor and composer, Peter Ash, has always embraced ambitious classical music projects. With the Odyssey Festival Orchestra, an orchestra he founded, he has built up a huge following, presenting classical music in new, exciting ways. Last year, he packed out the Cadogan Hall with Astonish Me – Sergei Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes. Karine Hetherington…
Voice recognition: Carolyn Sampson
As many of you will know, soprano Carolyn Sampson reached her 100th recording as a soloist with the release of ‘but I like to sing…’ in November. She celebrated this achievement online, with a series of short videos explaining some of the background to each recording. Full of relaxed charm – with an extra layer…
Up close with National Opera Studio’s Young Artists
It can be a rocky road for young artists in the opera world. Years of opera training and no guarantee of success. Still – there is help out there. Private patrons and mentors are part of the answer, providing much needed financial support and mentoring for cash-strapped singers. The National Opera Studio, NOS for short,…
Noriko Ogawa – soon to play at King’s Place, speaks to ArtMuseLondon
Pianist Noriko Ogawa is an internationally respected pianist and recording artist. She is one of the judges of the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition and is soon to play at King’s Place with the current winner of the 2023 Hamamatsu International Piano Competition, pianist, Can Çakmur, On 19th January 2024 you will be playing with Can at…
Photo synthesis: Hiroshi Sugimoto, Hayward Gallery, London
I came to this exhibition very late, so this is something of an ‘emergency’ post to encourage any of you with some time over the holiday season to catch it in its final fortnight. Sugimoto’s photography is always different; always the same. The subjects change but they are all viewed, literally, through the same lens….
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