A beauty and two beasts: Music review by Fraser Beath McEwing

Under the baton of Simone Young, the SSO turned in a stirring performance last night from the two big Bs: Brahms’ first symphony and Beethoven’s violin concerto with soloist James Ehnes. Read more

Music for two wives and a hero…a music review by Fraser Beath McEwing

Wagner wrote a piece for his wife, Cosima. Bartok also wrote a piece for his wife, Ditta. Schoenberg, on the other hand, orchestrated a quartet already written by his hero, Brahms. Read more

Granite blocks with strange lace in between

Two heavyweights from the popular international composes list plus a rarely heard offering from Australia’s Nigel Butterley made for a hearty musical feast at the second of this year’s Sydney Symphony APT Master Series concerts last night, writes Fraser Beath McEwing. Read more

Bronfman returns and brings Mahler with him

He saw him rehearse the Brahms Piano Concerto No 1 with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra…now Fraser Beath McEwing reviews the concert itself. Read more

Yefim Bronfman, pianistic force, in two acts

J-Wire took its music reviewer Fraser Beath McEwing to watch one of the world’s top pianists Yefim Bronfman rehearse Brahms powerful Piano Concerto No1 with the Sydney Symphony orchestra followed by a private interview with the maestro…read his report. Read more

Favourite bookends and a bone-shaking middle

The grandeur and familiarity of Beethoven and Brahms sat either side of a pyrotechnic exhibition in sound at the SSO APT Master Series in the Sydney Opera House last night, writes Fraser Beath McEwing. Read more