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[ 2010. 9/28 ]
"Leif Segerstam in London & Amsterdam"
Leif Segerstam has three concerts soon with the Philharmonia Orchestra. His concert with them at London's Royal Festival Hall is on Sunday, 10th October at 3 p.m. where the programme will be:
Stravinsky : Firebird Suite (1919)
Rachmaninov : Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (soloist: Alice Sara Ott)
Mussorgsky : Pictures at an Exhibition (arr. Ravel)
Later that week he will be conducting the orchestra of the Royal Academy of Music in London for a programme that includes the 5th symphonies by Sibelius and Nielsen in Duke's Hall at the RAM on Friday, 15th October at 7.30 p.m.
Very recent reviews for him conducting a concert performance of Prokoviev's "Fiery Angel" in Amsterdam's Concertgebouw with The Nederlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra included these comments in the reviews:
"He reveals the dark inner life in great detail, less brutal than the depressing example of Gergjev's rather unadorned and sometimes even slightly impressionistic rendition, but ultimately very effective ........ "
Eddie Vetter / De Telegraaf
" Conductor Segerstam made the virtuoso Radio Philharmonic play with a great cleverness which very rarely covered the singers."
Peter van der Lint / Trouw, 6th September 2010
" ....... this led the Finn Leif Segerstam to calmly whip up a shattering performance ......."
Frits van der Waa / De Volkskrant, 6th September 2010
Leif Segerstam returned to the Concertgebouw one week later bringing this review headed "Radio Philharmonic peaks with Segerstam" that included:
" ....... led by the Finnish conductor Leif Segerstam the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra was in top form. ......... he exudes the natural force of nature that belongs to the Great Conductor. It led to performance of works by Sibelius and an interpretation of Wotan's Abschied that was so exciting to make Wagner seem to be everything in the world."
Roeland Hazendonk / Het Parool, 14th September 2010
Leif Segerstam Biography
The Works of Leif Segerstam
Concert Review
[2009. 11/4 ]
Leif Segerstam & Philharmonia Orchestra, London
Review
Glinka
Ruslan and Ludmilla - Overture
Glazunov
Violin Concerto in A minor, Op.82
Dvorák
Symphony No.9 in E minor, Op.95 (From the New World)
Nicola Benedetti (violin)
Philharmonia Orchestra
Leif Segerstam
Southbank Centre, London - 10/9 Royal Festival Hall
Leif Segerstam's considerable body is a match for his largeness of spirit. When conducting, his hands turn into vibrant, fluttering birds at the end of up-stretched arms. There is no Kapellmeister beat. The results count - the Philharmonia Orchestra plays splendidly for him, with panache.
Where Segerstam excels is in projecting works of splendour and size - works of blazing vitality and colour. Pieces that all-too-often receive limp, lacklustre performances take on vigour and dynamism once more. Glinka's Overture to "Ruslan and Ludmilla" - well-known, well-worn - blazed with vitality. Its exuberant momentum swirled. The music sang in jubilation.
Glazunov's Violin Concerto is rarely played. It deserves wider repute. The piece is alive and melodic, its craftsmanship meticulous and assured. This is a highly civilised affair. Nicola Benedetti plays a Stradivarius and she takes her music seriously, giving us supple, sinuous, silvery phrases of soaring length, elegantly gliding over the water's surface, majestic and splendid as she coasted through the air, seamless and quite beautiful. Segerstam conducted with discretion.
With the 'New World' Symphony, Segerstam set the Atlantic on fire. He presented a card of greeting from Europe to the USA - a resplendent declaration of the finest and most exuberant that the European tradition could offer to the American people. It asserted - and celebrated - the nationalism that was the composer's life-blood. It then recognised - with blazing dignity - the presence of the American-Indian and the recently-freed African slaves in the potential of America's future. Yet this was no crudely-coloured propaganda poster. Segerstam and the Philharmonia Orchestra confidently pronounced that Dvorák's Ninth Symphony contains some of the finest music in the European tradition.
Leif Segerstam Biography
Discography
The Works of Leif Segerstam
Concert Review
[2009. 2/13 ]
Leif Segerstam --
KCM proudly adds the Nordic maestro's name on its artist list
Having written over 200 symphonies, Leif Segerstam is holding the most distinguished status among the living composer-conductors. Now, the name of this great Nordic maestro is found on the artist list of Kojima Concert Management Co., Ltd. as an artist with non-exclusive representation.
Maestro Segerstam served as Chief Conductor of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra from 1995 to 2007. During his twelve-year tenure, he led the orchestra to its golden era, and in recognition of this achievement, the orchestra granted him the title of conductor emeritus.
Maestro Segerstam was Music Director of the Royal Swedish Opera for many years. Also, he has guest conducted at world's leading opera houses including Vienna, Munich, Met, and the Scala, as well as major North American orchestras including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Recently, he guest-conducted the London Symphony Orchestra, deeply impressing the London audience with his large-caliber rendition.
This season, Maestro Segerstam conducted highly acclaimed, superb performances of Lohengrin and Salome at the Vienna State Opera. Future engagements include guest-conducting the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra in February 2010 and possible concerts of European orchestras on their tour to Japan.
Leif Segerstam Profile
Discography
The Works of Leif Segerstam
Concert Review
Artist News
