Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

"Just as precise and confident... Karabits directed the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra succeeding in delivering an enthralling and dramatic Symphony No. 5 by Petr Tchaikovsky in the second half."  (Die Welt, November 2012)

"...the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra had certainly endured a workout, and muscle was lithe, energy maximised for the Fifth Symphony. Karabits had clearly rehearsed some meticulously shaped detail. But what characterised this performance above all was its galvanised strength and relentless momentum. Without any sense of excessive speed, climax points were reached with rapidity and tightly meshed ensemble. And there was scarcely a moment to take breath, even within the urgent song of the slow movement, before the finale was upon us, hammered out with both majesty and menace.” (The Times, November 2012)

“The Musorgsky pieces are superbly performed. Bare Mountain is heard in its original form (instead of the more usual reworking by Rimsky-Korsakov), of which there have been several recordings including two by Claudio Abbado; Karabits and the Bournemouth Symphony totally surpass all of these, Bare Mountain’s hair-raising opening sounding genuinely menacing rather than brash, and every cackle of the witches as impersonated by strings and woodwind brought to vivid life. Pictures, too, is a triumph, with Ravel’s orchestration telling in every vignette, perhaps most powerfully in the chilly ‘Catacombae’."  (BBC Music Magazine, February 2012)

“The technical fluency of the BSO’s woodwind and brass sections, coupled with quick-silver dynamic fluctuations (closely controlled by Kirill Karabits) makes for a feast of musical detail. This is deeply impressive orchestral playing: exuberant, fullhearted and characterful....The moment when the blazing glory of “The Great Gate of Kiev” emerges from “Baba-Yaga” is perfectly managed, and when the leash is let off the BSO in those glorious final pages, the effect is breathtaking...This is not the angst-ridden Tchaikovsky of the later symphonies; the music requires a lightness of touch and instrumental agility that is perfectly tailored to the Bournemouth orchestra’s virtuosity. This is a supreme performance, expertly recorded. The BSO is on a fascinating artistic journey with their young music director. And I for one can’t wait to see what they do next.” (Classic FM Magazine, December 2011)

“Not a hair of a note was out of place. This was a performance by a world-class orchestra.” (The Times, February 2009)