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ROSSINI "STABAT MATER"
HANOVER BAND & CHORUS

Benjamin Bayl, who has operatic experience and is comfortable with voices, was attuned to the score’s essential starkness and gravity. In music that’s all about texture, he unleashed sounds from these perio instruments that showed how radical Rossini was, and how indebted to this work Verdi’s Requiem is.

All the colours of Rossini's Alpine tone poem -  the Overture to William Tell - registered vividly on the Hanover Band's period instruments, and Bayl steered this familiar music with fresh imagination.

ITALIAN ROMANCE
australian romantic & classical orchestra

It was Wagner who theorised that the dramatic C Minor opening depicts Coriolanus’s warlike determination while the yearning secondary melody represents his mother’s appeal for mercy. Principal Guest Conductor Benjamin Bayl delivered just such a dramatic trajectory.

There was a tangible solidity to the ARCO sound, from the resolute opening through the bosom-heaving dramatics, and all done with impeccable intonation. Bayl offered a controlled performance, yet one that pulsed with energy, ensuring the development section always had a sense of purpose. A real buzz in the lower strings mingled with sonorous brass (in particular the superb natural horns), while the woodwind featured mellow flutes and a bassoon sound so entirely different from that of the modern instrument.

SCHUBERT & MOZART PROGRAMME
ORQUESTA SINFÓNICA DEL PRINCIPADO DE ASTURIAS

Benjamin Bayl is a familiar figure at the OSPA. He is one of the few guest conductors invited to work with the orchestra, who manage to give it its own personality and a better sound.
On Thursday in Gijon and yesterday in Oviedo, he conducted an excellent concert with Schubert and Mozart in the programme. Bayl's way of understanding and conveying Schubert's music is, in fact, Schubertian. That is to say, direct and moving, infused with emotional variability based on melodic tenderness and fluctuating changes of tempi, modulations and expression. These features were apparent in the Symphony No. 9 which tied the monumental and energetic with the subtle and poetic.
A picturesque performance, very full of color, well played and expressive.

The return of much loved Benjamin Bayl to OSPA sealed the success of the evening at the Auditorium. His conducting is well known here, both in symphonic and also operatic repertoire. Bayl never leaves any note sounding indifferent, always looking for the balance of orchestral sonority in his dynamic interpretations.

MOZART "LA CLEMENZA DI TITO"
POLISH NATIONAL OPERA

Benjamin Bayl displayed a mature understanding of Mozartian musical line and elicited some fine playing from the Polish National Opera Orchestra, especially the strings and woodwinds, who were both virtuosic and subtle.

Bayl led the orchestra of the Polish National Opera gracefully. They sounded soft, agile and elegant - the qualities necessary to perform Mozart’s music.

JS BACH "BRANDENBURG CONCERTOS"
HONG KONG PHILHARMONIC

The Hong Kong Philharmonic under the leadership of Benjamin Bayl perfectly interpreted Bach’s joyous Six Brandenburg Concertos

CIMAROSA "IL MATRIMONIO SEGRETO"
DUTCH NATIONAL OPERA

The Dutch National Youth Orchestra played exuberantly under the direction of Benjamin Bayl, who was able to combine both spontaneity and attention to detail.

In the orchestra pit the Dutch National Youth Orchestra sparkled under the direction of Benjamin Bayl; not without occasional ebullience, but the balance between orchestra and soloists was at no time forgotten.

The Dutch National Youth Orchestra conducted by Benjamin Bayl was bursting with energy and enthusiasm, exactly the qualities that a piece like this requires.

The orchestral under Benjamin Bayl played beautifully and with a keen ear for Cimarosa’s precise musical characterisation.

From the pit, the Dutch National Youth Orchestra and conductor Benjamin Bayl delivered chuckling violins and whooping horns.

The National Youth Orchestra aptly reacted to Benjamin Bayl’s conducting, remaining beautifully on track at all times.

PURCELL "THE FAIRY QUEEN"
HUNGARIAN STATE OPERA

Conductor Benjamin Bayl led the musical side of performance with impressive musicality, good tempo choices and a great sense of proportion.

MOZART PROGRAMME
MUSICAE ANTIQUAE COLLEGIUM VARSOVIENSE
WARSAW CHAMBER OPERA
 

Benjamin Bayl raised the orchestra to new heights in the overture to the Marriage of Figaro. Despite the fast tempi, the sound remained transparent and flawless. He also drew from the musicians unprecedented energy, lightness and playfulness in a fully Mozartian manner.

GRIEG AND HAYDN PROGRAMME
BOCHUMER SYMPHONIKER

In view of his precise musical ideas the musicians seemed very malleable under the baton of young but already established conductor Benjamin Bayl. Grieg’s ‘Symphonic Dances’ had great temperament – the dancing gestures and lyrical clarity were ravishing, and Haydn’s symphony, with only a few simple ingredients, conveyed so much more. Benjamin Bayl held the musical parameters
perfectly in balance, like a tightrope walker.

DODERER "FATIMA, ODER VON DEN MUTIGEN KINDERN" WIENER STAATSOPER

Conductor Benjamin Bayl and the orchestra of the Staatsoper perform Doderer’s music with devotion, making the beauties of this score ring out.

Doderer’s music - full of vitality and humour - is in good hands with conductor Benjamin Bayl.

Conductor Benjamin Bayl created colourful sounds and led the orchestra through a supple, precise performance.

The stage orchestra of the Vienna State Opera under Benjamin Bayl play heartily, the instrumentation utilising all the colours of the powerful and vast orchestra, from fragrant harp tones to thundering timpani. 

MOZART "LE NOZZE DI FIGARO"
ÓPERA DE OVIEDO

Banjamin Bayl’s musical direction corresponded with the liveliness of each scene – his tempi and dynamic shading significantly related this masterpiece to opera buffa, and the Orquesta Sinfónica del Principado de Asturias responded well to such a challenging proposal. After the initial shock of the electric Overture, the musicians demonstrated that a crazy day could be maintained throughout the performance. Bayl never lost that persistent drive forward: always with a potential to run wild, but never losing direction or balance.

Benjamin Bayl led the famous overture with vivacity and ease, to which the orchestra responded fluently, creating beautiful atmospheres throughout the evening.

This was a Figaro of great musical fluency, thanks to the work of conductor Benjamin Bayl. The orchestra responded both as chamber musicians - and indispensable partners to the voices - and in the symphonic elaboration of the finales.

Spectacular, fun and entertaining: Benjamin Bayl’s musical direction united plot and drama superbly. He passed the tests of the Second Act Finale with flying colours. Bayl remained faithful to the score in the sung parts, avoiding the ornaments and coloratura that are becoming common in the interpretations of Mozart, and was extremely free and creative in his playing of the recitatives, creating pure theatre.

RAMEAU "PYGMALION" 
WARSAW CHAMBER OPERA

Benjamin Bayl prepared the richly sumptuous orchestra Musicae Antiquae Collegium Varsoviense of Warsaw Chamber Opera. He managed to achieve a stylish, dynamic chiaroscuro and elasticity of pulse, as well as gutsy rhythm.

MOZART "COSÌ FAN TUTTE"
DANISH NATIONAL OPERA

The electric lights and the numerous modern instruments in the orchestra pit would have probably surprised old Wolfgang Amadeus… On the other hand, I think he would have liked Benjamin Bayl’s conducting.

The heartfelt emotions came forward through the vocals, well supported by the Orchestra. One must consider himself lucky to have witnessed the devoted conducting of Benjamin Bayl, who together with the young vocal performers delivers the show so well.

Musically, it was excellent… The Aarhus Symphony Orchestra led by conductor Benjamin Bayl gets full points.

HANDEL "MESSIAH"
AALBORG SYMFONIORKESTER & FILHARMONISK KOR

We heard one of the most gripping performances of Messiah I can recall. The main reason for this was Australian conductor Benjamin Bayl… His primary aim was to make the music dance, and the musicians responded with infectious and lively energy…

After Bayl had held the drama and concentration throughout the first two parts, with swift tempi and no pompous pathos, and without putting a foot wrong, he opened the locks for the final Hallelujah chorus, concluding the most memorable interpretation of this work for many years.

BACH "B MINOR MASS"
THE HANOVER BAND AND CHORUS

Bach’s monumental masterpiece, his Mass in B minor, was indeed a rare treat given by the highly acclaimed Hanover Band and Chorus. In spite of being such a large-scale work, this was a refreshingly intimate performance in which every nuance could be clearly heard and defined, and was all energetically and sensitively co-ordinated by their gifted young conductor Benjamin Bayl.

BIZET "CARMEN"
TEATRO COMUNALE DI SASSARI

The musical direction deserves a separate mention. Benjamin Bayl had a confident technique that demonstrated itself especially in his excellent control of phrasing and rhythm.

Benjamin Bayl, already acclaimed for his performances in Sassari last year, led the “Orchestra dell'Ente" through four intense acts with energy, precision and authority.

The major strength of this “Carmen” was the direction of Benjamin Bayl, whose interpretation was extremely refined, and who ensured the cohabitation between the tragic and the lighter tones of the opera.

PURCELL / OEHRING "FAIRY QUEEN / ASCHEMOND"
STAATSOPER BERLIN

With Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin under the skilled leadership of Benjamin Bayl, the ghostlike singers deliver Purcell’s messages of love and pain with an ethereal beauty, as if from the underworld.

Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, directed by Benjamin Bayl, caressed and flattered the music of Purcell, against the background of Oehring’s distorted modernity.

The musicians of Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin and Benjamin Bayl - with an outstanding roster of soloists - realised in an exemplary fashion this liaison of contradictory spheres.

In the pit of the Staatsoper sat two orchestras. Besides the Staatskapelle, Benjamin Bayl’s Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, plus three musicians with electronic instruments. And from the pit, with each other, despite each other and even against each other, both irritating and iridescent music arose, floating and delicate, never bombastic, accompanying with mournful beauty the stars on the stage.

HANDEL "ORLANDO"
OPERA AUSTRALIA

Orchestra Victoria, under Benjamin Bayl… creates a stream of lyrical music-making.

The superb look, the taut orchestra conducted by Benjamin Bayl and the beauty of Handelʼs score make this an intriguing production.

Orchestra Victoria were in excellent form, led by conductor Benjamin Bayl… it’s remarkable how big a punch this production packs.

HANDEL "ARIODANTE"
ENGLISH TOURING OPERA

Ariodante, conducted by Benjamin Bayl, held us in thrall… Try not to miss this touring delight.

This is a thrilling evening in which vocal glories are matched by outstanding playing from ETOʼs baroque orchestra. Or, more accurately, thatʼs the excellent Benjamin Bayl, whose conducting is marked by flawless tempo choices and a precise ear for stage-pit balance… The three short hours of ETOʼs Ariodante are sheer bliss.

MUSICALCRITICISM.COM

The baroque orchestra, beautifully controlled by conductor Benjamin Bayl, played with verve and precision… There was tremendous rapport between pit and stage.

AUDIO

Video

ARNE “THE JUDGEMENT OF PARIS” BAMPTON CLASSICAL OPERA
WIGMORE HALL

A golden apple and a few flirtatious glances aside, this was a concert performance but a pleasingly sung one, directed from the harpsichord by Benjamin Bayl, who revelled in Arne’s dapper tunes, busy violin descants and sizzling coloratura.

Conductor Benjamin Bayl deftly captured the character of the piece, inspiring vigorous playing from the period instrumental orchestra and drawing out the distinctive woodwind colourings in particular numbers.

The musical support was uniformly excellent; Benjamin Bayl proved to be an exponent of Baroque music par excellence, conducting with great flair and assurance.

GLUCK "IL PARNASO CONFUSO" 
SOUTH BANK CENTRE, LONDON

From the fortepiano, Benjamin Bayl led the small orchestra with captivating instrumental invention and unaffected poise.

MONTEVERDI
"L’INCORONAZIONE DI POPPEA"
KØBENHAVNS MUSIKTEATER

An intimate setting of this early opera classic seduces with live theatre and effortless management, with assured direction from Benjamin Bayl and his band of seven musicians who play lightly and precisely. A top hit.

BACH "CHRISTMAS ORATORIO" SYMFONIORKESTER NORRLANDSOPERAN

An interpretation of both profundity and humility.

A performance of the Christmas Oratorio with both subtlety and heart.

HANDEL "MESSIAH"
ORQUESTA SINFÓNICA DEL PRINCIPADO DE ASTURIAS

Bayl’s version sought a balance between the formal score and the more profound and tenderly personal nature of his message. For this, he revised issues like the tempi, the articulation and dynamics, in a version full of contrasts, with some moments of intimacy and others of vibrancy.

HAYDN & BEETHOVEN PROGRAMME
ORQUESTA SINFÓNICA DEL PRINCIPADO DE ASTURIAS

In an extremely beautiful and heartfelt performance, Bayl did not put a foot wrong… Haydn’s Symphony no.104 reached a new height of interpretation… It was a colourful and polished performance.

Bayl sought surround sound stereo and dialogue, achieving clarity of phrasing, richness of colour and stylistic fidelity, sometimes imbued with a slight baroque. This fully caught on in the ‘London Symphony’, steeped in pre-romantic atmosphere, and especially in the last movement of folk-sounding colour.

SCHUMANN & RAVEL PROGRAMME AALBORG SYMfoniorkester

Schumann’s Spring Symphony caught fire and came to life… the melodic phrases were carried forward with effortless and unerring musicality.

RECORDING
BRITTEN SINFONIA: HINDEMITH “KAMMERMUSIK NO.7″ 
SIGNUM CLASSICS

The triumph of this disc is an extremely exciting account of Hindemith’s first organ concerto, the 1927 Kammermusik No. 7, with its brass-heavy chamber orchestra, by turns brazen, beefy and baleful. Throughout, incisive rhythmic articulation and clear delineation of line allows the music’s essential vitality to come through with the greatest possible impact. Highly recommended — 5 stars.

The artfully chosen programme is played with suavity and tenderness.

A bracing combination of organ and chamber ensemble… Hindemith at his bubbliest.

This disc positively sparkles! With such intelligent and innovative programming, it is the ideal introduction to Hindemith’s organ music.