Paul Berkowitz has built a solid reputation with heavy-duty recordings of German composers. His complete Schubert piano sonatas, in particular, have earned him much praise. The Canadian-born pianist has now turned his hand to very different French 20th century repertoire with Francis Poulenc’s piano works. Poulenc frequented avant-garde music and literary circles and came to…
Tag: Stravinsky
English Touring Opera stages Stravinsky’s rare Rake’s Progress at the Hackney Empire
As part of their 2024 Spring opera season, English Touring Opera staged The Rake’s Progress by Igor Stravinsky at the Hackney Empire. Conceived later on in Stravinsky’s life, when he was living in America, The Rake’s Progress was his one and only full-length opera. Drawing inspiration from a William Hogarth exhibition he had visited in Chicago, he got writing…
Kensington Igor: Prom 8, Pergolesi ‘Stabat mater’ & Stravinsky ‘Pulcinella’
It’s a phrase we’ll hopefully hear a lot more of in the coming weeks and months: “it’s good to be back”. Cliché, perhaps: but the thought filled me like a billowing sail when the Royal Albert Hall loomed into view for my first live Prom of the season. There isn’t another classical music experience quite…