Peter Mechen

Upbeat contributor on New Zealand music and musicians looks at the first commercial recording by John Hopkins and the National Orchestra of the New Zealand Broadcasting Service in 1959.

Archival… Audio

Peter review's last night's Wellington performance of Chamber Music New Zealand's Rhythm and Resonance series featuring pianists Dierdre Irons and Michael Endres as well as percussionists Thomas… Audio

Peter Mechen sits in our Critic's Chair, and talks to Hannah Sassman about a recent release on the Rattle label called Landscape Preludes. It features twelve compositions by New Zealand composers… Audio

Review of the NZSO National Youth Orchestra's Wellington performance. Audio

Peter looks at historic recordings of international artists collaborating with New Zealand musicians. Audio

Peter reviews last Saturday's 20th Anniversary concert by Wellington based vocal ensemble Baroque Voices. Audio

Peter reviews last night's Orchestra Wellington concert with mezzo soprano Bianca Andrew, featuring works by Haydn, Mahler and Mozart. Audio

Peter reviews Nikki Chooi's 'Winner's Tour' performance in Wellington on Friday, featuring pianist Stephen de Pledge and cellist Ashley Brown. Audio

Peter reviews the NZSO's complete Beethoven Symphony cycle which they performed in Wellington from the 12-15 of June. Audio

Peter reviews the first Wellington concert of the NZSO's Beethoven Symphony Cycle. Last night's concert featured Symphonies 1, 2 and 3. Audio

Peter Mechen surveys some of the great Beethoven symphony cycles: from the intense and visionary accounts of Bruno Walter in 1949, to the formative 1962 Karajan recordings, and into the 21st century… Audio

Peter reviews Orchestra Wellington's performance of 'The Angel' on Saturday evening at the Wellington Cathedral of St Paul, which included works by Bruckner, Haydn and Wagner, and featured Australian… Audio

Peter reviews the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra's 'Russian Fire' performance. Audio

Review of the New Zealand String Quartet performance with clarinettist James Campbell Audio

Peter review the NZIAF production of Benjamin Britten's 'Noye's Fludde'. Audio

Peter reviews the NZIAF production of 'Between Zero and One' by Strike Percussion ensemble and composer John Psathas. Audio

Peter Reviews the New Zealand Festival of Tales from the Forbidden City. Audio

Peter Mechen presents a tribute to one of the great conductors of our time Claudio Abbado, who passed away in January of this year. We get an overview of Abbado's key recordings from throughout his… Audio

Peter reviews the NZIAF production of Ross Harris and Vincent O'Sullivan's Requiem for the Fallen. Audio

Peter explores the legacy of a leading conductor in NZ's music history. Audio