In a recent interview, we discussed the exciting performance featuring a talented ensemble of students from both the UK’s Royal Academy of Music and the prestigious Juilliard School. Conducted by the renowned Barbara Hannigan, this concert offered audiences a captivating mix of Igor Stravinsky’s well-loved classics alongside some lesser-known gems.
Andrew Clements highlighted this concert, which showcases a remarkable range of Stravinsky’s works spanning over forty years—from the early “Two Poems of Balmont,” composed in 1911, to the innovative “Septet” from 1953, marking Stravinsky’s first ventures into serial techniques.
When asked about the selection of pieces, the interviews revealed that while the reasoning behind the program may not be instantly obvious, the concert strikes a beautiful balance between popular favorites like “Ragtime,” the “Dumbarton Oaks Concerto,” and the “Octet,” and more obscure works like the “Septet” and the enchanting “Three Japanese Lyrics.” The latter composition draws inspiration from Stravinsky’s reaction to hearing Schoenberg’s “Pierrot Lunaire,” shedding light on his artistic evolution.
This recording is the latest outcome of a fruitful collaboration between the Royal Academy of Music and Juilliard, highlighting the extraordinary talents within the student ensemble. Their rendition of “Dumbarton Oaks” radiates compelling energy, while “Ragtime” bursts with vibrant intensity, especially with the striking use of the cimbalom. However, some noted that the performance of the “Octet” felt a bit more subdued.
The ensemble features the elegant soprano Alexandra Heath, a recent graduate from RAM, whose contributions shine in both the Balmont and Japanese settings, as well as in the “Three Little Songs” (entitled “Recollections of My Childhood”). Moreover, the “Concertino for 12 Instruments,” which reimagines Stravinsky’s earlier neoclassical string quartet from 1920, is expertly conducted by another talented alumna, Charlotte Corderoy.
Listeners can now dive into this remarkable blend of Stravinsky’s musical landscape on platforms such as Apple Music and Spotify, reflecting the collaboration’s dedication to presenting a diverse range of Stravinsky’s works.
