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- UK Editors - Roger Jones and John Quinn
Editors for The Americas - Bruce Hodges and Jonathan Spencer Jones
European Editors - Bettina Mara and Jens F Laurson
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SEEN AND HEARD UK CONCERT REVIEW
Elgar, Graham Fitkin and Shostakovich:
Sioned Williams (MIDI harp), BBC Symphony Orchestra, Andrew Litton, BBC Maida Vale Studios, London, 26.01.2011 (BBr)
Elgar: Overture: Cockaigne (In London Town), op.40 (1901)
Graham Fitkin: No Doubt (Concerto for MIDI harp) (2010)
Shostakovich: Symphony No.12 in D minor, "The Year 1917", op.112 (1957)
Shostakovich's 12th Symphony celebrates the
1917 Russian Revolution with music of extrovert gaudiness. The BBC Symphony
obviously had a really good time playing the piece and it showed in every bar.
The piece emerged as a thrilling example of cinema verité - the music is very
pictorial; gunfire, explosions and the roaring of the crowd are all vividly
displayed. It's not a subtle piece, but who really cares? It works simply as a
sonic experience with good, and very satisfying, construction. Litton allowed
the music to entertain and didn't make any attempt to "interpret" it,
it really can't take that kind of approach anyway.