Yearly Archives: 2007

...The Philharmonia is regarded as one of the world's great orchestras and arguably this country's finest. This was evidenced in the richness of tone in the first few bars played. Throughout, Japanese conductor Joji Hattori drew from his forces disciplined playing with strict observance of dynamics and tempi. Rossini's overture to The Barber of Seville opened the evening. He simply took this one "off the shelf" and substituted it. It has been a great favourite ever since. Hattori took [...]

...Tchaikovsky's Symphony No 6 with the Pathetique sombre opening (yes, the Philharmonia can do this too) showed the orchestra's melodic heart was on its sleeve and with fluid, energetic conducting - sometimes just a shrug of the shoulders - there was an exciting build-up to the third movement's march with string strength and bright brass inducing premature applause. But this happiness returned to the darker mood as they wrung out the emotion and one could sense them breathing the [...]

...From the very first notes of Beethoven’s Symphony No 7 in a major the scene was set and the excitement began. Under the firm director of Joji Hattori, the first movement positively bounded along enthralling the packed Cathedral audience. The second movement allegretto in a minor key was taken at a slower pace producing a majestic and haunting interlude in this otherwise fast moving symphony. Returning to a major key, the orchestra leapt into a much faster speed for [...]