a blog archive
BBC Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff 🎵
_Thursday 25th October 2025_
> Themes & Variations
Dmitri Shostakovich – Theme and Variations, Op. 3 (1921)
Dmitri Shostakovich – Piano Concerto No.2, Op. 102 (1956–7)
Joseph Haydn – Symphony No.6 in F major, ‘Le matin’ (1761)
Johannes Brahms – Variations on a Theme of Joseph Haydn, Op. 56a (1873)
Jaime Martín, conductor
Alim Beisembayev, piano
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
🎵 My top weekly artists as logged by last.fm: Cardiacs (33 plays), Avi Avital & Between Worlds (19), Tadaaki Otaka, BBC National Orchestra Of Wales (18), Gruff Rhys (3), Cat Burns (2)
🎵 My top weekly artists as logged by last.fm: Devendra Banhart (23 plays), Van Morrison (15), Gorillaz (2), Grateful Dead (1)
🎵 My top weekly artists as logged by last.fm: Cardiacs (54 plays), Dervaux, Choeurs et Orchestre du Théâtre National de l’Opéra, Paris, Duval, Crespin, Scharley, Berton (54), Devendra Banhart (30), Cate Le Bon (10), Bashy (2)
Released today, **LSD** is the sixth and final studio album by Cardiacs
Also available as double LP, double CD and on Bandcamp
🔗 Posthumous LP of the Week: Cardiacs' LSD – review on The Quietus 🎵
Welsh National Opera: Tosca
Tosca review – Natalya Romaniw is riveting in WNO's season-opener
> This was emphatically Romaniw’s night, every inch the absolute diva, in ravishing voice and investing her characterisation with such fine nuances of gesture and colouring of the words as to hold one riveted. It was certainly worthy of Sarah Bernhardt, for whom Victorien Sardou wrote his original play and whose performance inspired Puccini to compose his opera.
🔗 🎵
🎵 My top weekly artists as logged by last.fm: Public Service Broadcasting (41 plays), Devendra Banhart (33), Wolf Alice (18), Gorillaz (17), Suede (16)
🎵 My top weekly artists as logged by last.fm: Barbirolli, Hallé Orchestra (44 plays), Suede (11), Tasmin Little, Piers Lane (9), Van Morrison (9), Steve Mason (6)
Film log – watched: The Debussy Film, 1965 – ★★★★½ – Letterboxd link 🎥
