Reviews
Liszt, Grøndahl & Brahms Symphony No. 1 / Berlin Konzerthaus / Greek Youth Symphony Orchestra
"[Liszt Prometheus] must glow, blaze, flicker, in short, it must be played with pathos, which is the ancient Greek word for passion. It is precisely this fire that blazes in the hearts of the young talents, and Dionysis Grammenos knows how to unleash it in such a way that the music literally jumps at the audience - without, however, blurring the colours of the tone painting.
"[Grammenos'] conducting style is conceivably far removed from any lectern lion behaviour, the adjective "expedient" imposes itself the longer one watches him. But he must have rehearsed fantastically. Because the musicians always know exactly where the music is heading and what holds it together at its core, even in Brahms' complex 'First'.
"Beautiful sound and concentration unite here with unconditional devotion to an interpretive intensity rarely heard in the works of the romantic composer from Hamburg."
Rossini La Cenerentola / Royal Northern Sinfonia
"Rossini uses the voices fabulously, so that all six - from tenor to lowest bass - were audibly offset and finely balanced, some emerging, others sidling alongside - something young Greek newcomer conductor Dionysis Grammenos prised out with notable expertise.
“[...] But the overall orchestral sections attentiveness and wide-ranging pacings owed much to Grammenos. There were moments in the violins, and indeed the lower strings, that positively beamed."
Rossini La Cenerentola / Royal Northern Sinfonia
“[...] There’s a very fine orchestral ensemble in the pit in the shape of the Royal Northern Sinfonia and conductor Dionysis Grammenos puts plenty of vigour into ensuring the score’s strong forward march."
Rossini La Cenerentola / Royal Northern Sinfonia
“Producing an evening of featherweight, brilliantly achieved fun is as high an artistic challenge as anything in theatre, and thanks to an imaginative director, an engaging cast, and the Royal Northern Sinfonia under Dionysis Grammenos (spooling out solo after exquisitely turned woodwind solo), Nevill Holt brought it off."
Debussy & Stravinsky / Orchestre Symphonique de Québec
A Greek miracle at the Orchestre Symphonique de Québec
“From Debussy's ‘Prelude, L’Apres-Midi d’un Faun, the conductor stood out with a slow but precise, economical gesture, allowing the various strands of the orchestra to unfold quietly... Grammenos was impeccable here, as he was later, in the orchestral main course, Stravinsky's 1919 Firebird Suite. Again in this latter work, Grammenos brings out absolutely incredible colours, from the first bars of the score through to the Berceuse. The interpretation, of great flexibility, could perhaps seem a little too romantic to some ears, but it demonstrates how much the work has a strong foothold in the 19th Century. This boy is destined for great things in all probability. We hope to see him again soon on the same stage.”
Debussy & Stravinsky / Orchestre Symphonique de Québec
“The young guest conductor of Greek origin, Dionysis Grammenos, took charge of the OSQ with great mastery. His sobriety, precision and efficiency provided a beautiful shape to the orchestra."
Les ArtsZe
Puccini La Bohème / English Touring Opera
“This is one of the best Bohèmes I have heard in recent years... Anyone who has heard Beecham or Karajan’s recordings of Bohème will know that, like all great opera, the starting point is an exceptional conductor. Here we get one with Dionysis Grammenos, whose command of Puccini’s idiom is impressive.”
Puccini La Bohème / English Touring Opera
“Puccini’s way of sweeping the listener straight up with youthful high spirits, wistfulness and the bustle of Bohemian Paris can render much else redundant. Dionysis Grammenos’ firm and flexible conducting establishes that clear enough.”
Puccini La Bohème / English Touring Opera
“... the sparer forces found a more concentrated wiry intensity in the music, spurred on by remarkably crisp conducting from Dionysis Grammenos, who excelled in focusing the rhythmic energies of the score. Seldom in London has that treacherous opening downbeat, with its wafer-thin semiquaver rest, burst forth with such control and promise. Grammenos has thrown a gauntlet down to the other major pit orchestras in London who frequently revive this bread-and-butter work.”
Puccini La Bohème / English Touring Opera
“In the pit, conductor Dionysis Grammenos draws animated, richly coloured playing from the 27- strong orchestra, providing plenty of Puccinian perfume and punch, but a welcome clarity and freshness too.”
Puccini La Bohème / English Touring Opera
“Under conductor Dionysis Grammenos the orchestra achieves a pleasing transparency while not skimping on the occasional blatancy that Puccini demands.”
Puccini La Bohème / English Touring Opera
“Really gorgeously conducted by Dionysis Grammenos with acute sensitivity to the emotional flow”
Puccini La Bohème / English Touring Opera
“The orchestra is expertly handled by conductor Dionysis Grammenos. The music is truly moving, underscoring the emotion played out on the stage.”
Puccini La Bohème / English Touring Opera
“In the pit Dionysis Grammenos gave us a lithe and engaging account of the score. Grammenos zipped along, and the dialogue flowed beautifully. This was very much Puccini as heightened dialogue, rather than a series of set pieces arias, and it worked very well indeed.”
Beethoven Symphony No. 3 'Eroica' / Berlin Konzerthaus / Greek Youth Symphony Orchestra
“The Beethoven interpretation was an astonishing breath of fresh air with the 'Eroica'. Grammenos, who studied clarinet in Weimar and then turned more to conducting, makes you feel that he comes from the instrument. He insists on cantabile solo winds and encourages the homogeneous string groups to play with pinpoint precision. In the finale, he surprises with a long general pause before the oboe entry, which leads con espressione to the triumphant song of the score.”
“A child prodigy!”