Michael Morton-Evans Archives - 2MBS Fine Music Sydney

Selby & Friends’ Lonely Angel Review

Michael Morton-Evans Reviews

In Lonely Angel, the latest iteration of Selby & Friends, Kathryn Selby once more teams up with husband and wife duo, violinist Dimity Hall and cellist Julian Smiles for an evening of piano trios and an excruciatingly lovely violin meditation by the contemporary Latvian composer, Pēteris Vasks. The concert starts in Spain with the Piano Trio in B minor by Joaquin Turina. Turina studied composition in Paris with Vincent d’Indy who inducted him into the mysteries of cyclical form, i.e. what you hear at the beginning, you’ll hear at the end.

Michael Easton – Sun Fun and other Disappointments

CD Reviews Classical Michael Morton-Evans

This compilation CD brings together the wide range of British/Australian composer Michael Easton’s compositional output (1981-1993) - ranging from solo piano and duo pianos to a flute sonata, a piccolo concerto, song cycles, and four songs from Easton’s one-woman show ‘Dorothy Parker Says’

Ensemble Liaison & Tony Gould Trio

CD Reviews Classical Michael Morton-Evans

In the same way as Nexus has rescued so many composers from oblivion, we can thank Melbourne-based Move Records for ensuring that some of our best Australian groups get to CD. Their latest brilliant move (pun intended) is to pair the classical trio Ensemble Liaison with the Tony Gould Trio, better known for their jazz interpretations.

Film Fantasia – Emily Sun

CD Reviews Classical Michael Morton-Evans

The title of this CD is slightly misleading. It suggests a disc full of film music, but in fact what you really get is two brilliant violin concerti and a movie theme. If you remember that tremendous 2011 Australian documentary film Mrs Carey’s Concert about a private girls' school's concert held at the Sydney Opera House and its lead-up at the school, you’ll certainly remember the stand-out schoolgirl violinist, Emily Sun

Evenings with the French Horn

CD Reviews Classical Michael Morton-Evans

Mark Papworth has recognised that French composers like Hector Berlioz realised that there were benefits to the valved instrument unobtainable by the old post horn, and rescored his Symphonie Fantastique to take advantage of the possibilities of the valved horn

Pinchgut Opera’s Eternal Light

Michael Morton-Evans Reviews

The Holy Roman Emperor Leopold the First was so enamoured of Gregorio Allegri’s Miserere that he asked the Pope for permission to obtain the music. I can just imagine his dismay when his court singers failed to deliver the tones he’d heard in Rome’s Sistine Chapel. Seeking an explanation, the Choir Master in Rome explained that the piece couldn’t be expressed by notes alone, but had to be taught by example.

Sally Walker – Boccherini

CD Reviews Michael Morton-Evans

18th century Italian composer Luigi Boccherini produced a vast catalogue of music, several of which elegantly showcased the flute. Renowned Australian flautist Sally Walker has taken a deep dive into Boccherini’s works for flute and strings, recorded with Adelaide's finest musicians.

Review of the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge

Michael Morton-Evans Reviews

Britain has a long tradition of choral music stretching right back to the 15th century, so it’s not surprising that the 2500 seat Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House was packed to overflowing for Musica Viva’s presentation of the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge on Monday night.

Ferruccio Busoni: composer, teacher and dog lover

Classical Fine Music Magazine Michael Morton-Evans

You couldn’t miss Busoni wherever he went for, he was sure to be accompanied by his dog, and not just any dog.

Mussorgsky’s Musical Pictures

Classical Fine Music Magazine Michael Morton-Evans

When asked what he thought of Modest Mussorgsky’s work, Tchaikovsky replied: “He is convinced of his genius. He seems to be proud of his ignorance and writes what occurs to him on the spur of the moment. But in truth his absolutely original talent is revealed everywhere. He speaks a new language.”