Country : États-Unis / Russia / United Kingdom Label : Linn Genres and styles : Modern Classical Year : 2024

Barbara Hannigan / Royal Academy of Music and Juilliard School Ensemble – Stravinsky Chamber Works

· by Frédéric Cardin

One of the most brilliant artists of her generation leads an ensemble made up of the best up-and-coming instrumental and vocal talents from two ultra-prestigious schools: the Royal Academy in London and the Juilliard School in New York. Barbara Hannigan, who needs no introduction, impresses as much when she conducts as when she sings (or even both, as Canadians in Montreal and Toronto had the honor of witnessing earlier in 2024!). 

The repertoire chosen is a reflection of the artist. Indeed, this program of Stravinsky’s chamber music, drawn almost entirely from the Russian composer’s neoclassical corpus of the inter-war period, is made up of delicately chiseled gems, finely traced in spare silhouettes and modeled on slender, stippled architectures. There’s no room for approximation in this music, and there’s no doubt that the Canadian has instilled her own sense of excellence and maniacal perfectionism in her young musicians. 

That said, the extra soul is difficult to teach and transmit. While the Dumbarton Oaks concerto is a total success (in my opinion), and the Octet brims with character and truculence, certain pieces, such as the more difficult Septet (influenced by Schoenberg), are not totally convincing, even if all the i’s are dotted and all the t’s crossed. The youngsters are apparently convinced but lack the necessary sparkle. 

Young soprano Alexandra Heath stands out in a few pleasantly tangy rarities (Three Japanese Lyrics, Three Little Songs) that we’ll enjoy listening to again and again, especially as their duration barely exceeds a few heartbeats.

An inspiring album led by Hannigan, and propelled in most cases by the fresh passion of young artists to watch.

Latest 360 Content

Vitta Morales, Our Versatile Colleague

Vitta Morales, Our Versatile Colleague

Late-Night Warehouse Ambiance for Juan Atkins All-Nighter at the SAT

Late-Night Warehouse Ambiance for Juan Atkins All-Nighter at the SAT

Lifeguard – Ripped and Torn

Lifeguard – Ripped and Torn

Brainwasher – At Least It Beats an Actor

Brainwasher – At Least It Beats an Actor

Nicholas Daniel – Complete Works for Oboe by Madeleine Dring

Nicholas Daniel – Complete Works for Oboe by Madeleine Dring

Christine Tassan; Marie-Véronique Bourque – Bruissement boréal

Christine Tassan; Marie-Véronique Bourque – Bruissement boréal

Lanaudière Festival | Metropolitan Orchestra/Yannick Nézet-Séguin/Marc-André Hamelin: When Nature Drives the Concert

Lanaudière Festival | Metropolitan Orchestra/Yannick Nézet-Séguin/Marc-André Hamelin: When Nature Drives the Concert

Festival de Lanaudière | Sol Gabetta : Queen of the cello meets les Violons du Roy

Festival de Lanaudière | Sol Gabetta : Queen of the cello meets les Violons du Roy

The “rodas de samba” That Never End

The “rodas de samba” That Never End

Friday night at the Dômesicle – All night long with Jump Source

Friday night at the Dômesicle – All night long with Jump Source

Éli Doyon et la Tempête – Attraper le ciel avant qu’il tombe

Éli Doyon et la Tempête – Attraper le ciel avant qu’il tombe

Barbara Hannigan; Katia et Marielle Labèque – Electric Fields

Barbara Hannigan; Katia et Marielle Labèque – Electric Fields

Montreal Vocal Arts Festival | The Magic Flute to conclude ICAV’s opera month

Montreal Vocal Arts Festival | The Magic Flute to conclude ICAV’s opera month

Fire, Fungi, and Family Fun: The ShazamFest XX Experience

Fire, Fungi, and Family Fun: The ShazamFest XX Experience

Festival de Lanaudière | Kent Nagano: The eternal, and always welcome, return

Festival de Lanaudière | Kent Nagano: The eternal, and always welcome, return

Tyler, the Creator – DON’T TAP THE GLASS

Tyler, the Creator – DON’T TAP THE GLASS

Off Piknic with Gorgon City, Dennis Ferrer, Riordan, and Linska

Off Piknic with Gorgon City, Dennis Ferrer, Riordan, and Linska

Jeff Bridges – Slow Magic, 1977-1978

Jeff Bridges – Slow Magic, 1977-1978

Piknic Electronik | DJ Fuckoff Turns Up The Heat for Pep Rally

Piknic Electronik | DJ Fuckoff Turns Up The Heat for Pep Rally

Orford 2025 | Collectif9: folk that innovates and grooves

Orford 2025 | Collectif9: folk that innovates and grooves

Nuits d’Afrique 2025 | The next global star of Tuareg blues is born, and it is in Montreal

Nuits d’Afrique 2025 | The next global star of Tuareg blues is born, and it is in Montreal

Ruby Creek – Forget Me Not

Ruby Creek – Forget Me Not

Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out

Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out

Ross Lee Finney : Landscapes Remembered

Ross Lee Finney : Landscapes Remembered

Subscribe to our newsletter