Bell and Znaider in London

Joshua Bell and Jeremy Denk (Photo: Lisa Marie Mazzucco)

Last week saw a couple of first rate violinists give outstanding performances at London’s Barbican Hall.  The first was Nikolaj Znaider, making the best possible case for Bartók’s knotty second Violin Concerto with the LSO (read my review at Classical Source); he was followed a night later by Joshua Bell, whose recital with Jeremy Denk was a reminder of just why he’s been at the top for three decades (also reviewed for Classical Source).

Coming up on Devil’s Trill this week: I review of the Takács Quartet at the Southbank Centre in a programme of Haydn, Ravel and Shostakovich.