BBCSSO, 22/11/2018
Debussy : Nocturnes
Ravel : Piano Concerto for the Left-Hand (Joaquín Achúcarro, piano)
Debussy : Prélude à l'Après-Midi d'un Faune
Debussy : La Mer
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Voices
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Thomas Dausgaard
Tonight's concert deserved to come with the label "change of scenery guaranteed" firmly attached, for conductor Thomas Dausgaard and the orchestra took us on a trip through some of Debussy's most effective, and most beautiful sound-scapes, with a side-step into the dark and primeval world of Ravel's D major Piano Concerto by way of contrast.
Nocturnes set the tone immediately, from the light, smoky volutes of Nuages, through the colourful procession of Fêtes, to the shimmer of Sirènes, with RCS Voices providing the wordless, alluring siren song. The strings were immediately noticeable for the quality of their timbre, whether in the cool meanderings of the first movement or the trills and swoops of the third.
Joaquín Achúcarro is the Grand Old Man of the Spanish classical piano, a greatly respected and admired artist who has regrettably never been a frequent visitor to Glasgow. He appeared tonight as one Basque artist interpreting another, though from the other side of the Pyrenees, and there was much to admire in his playing, particularly in the last cadenza of the Concerto. His performance was very warmly greeted, but from my point of view, it was unfortunate that I still have a vivid recollection of another performance of the same concerto, in February '17, in this same hall and with the same orchestra, but with Jean-Efflam Bavouzet at the keyboard (review here, for those interested). That performance possessed a smouldering intensity, and a tremendous sense of pagan ritual, that cast this one utterly into the shade, and Bavouzet is some thirty years younger than Achúcarro, with a correspondingly surer technique. There were a couple of points where Achúcarro and Dausgaard were not completely together, and rather than the volcanic ardour of some antique and arcane rite that Bavouzet evoked, what we got was merely a concerto. A very interesting one, certainly, but when you've experienced what can be done with this piece, it's difficult to accept anything less.
Faune has one of the great musical incipits of the repertory; that sighing, sinuous flute solo tells you instantly whether the orchestra is going to be able to immerse you in the lushly sensual world evoked by Debussy, or not. Charlotte Ashton's hushed, intimate tone wound itself invitingly around us, drawing us into the dappled haze of warmth and recollection. Dausgaard applied just the right degree of hedonistic languor to the piece.
La mer is a much cooler piece, though far from devoid of sensuality, but it belongs in more northern climes, and the water is the blue-grey of the Atlantic, rather than the bright turquoise of the Mediterranean. Debussy's orchestration is no less rich, but it has refined, as have his harmonies, and again, Dausgaard and the orchestra captured this very effectively. Well paced, with the surge and swell of the music generously expressive, it was the last movement that was particularly successful, from the opening, distant grumbling of the storm vibrating subtly in the hall to the exhilarating conclusion. Each section of the orchestra was able to shine as required, but never at the cost of the evocative whole. I have not been an unconditional admirer of Dausgaard's work here in Glasgow, but this concert went a considerable way to enhancing my opinion, because the Debussy was consistently excellent.
[Next : 29th November]
Ravel : Piano Concerto for the Left-Hand (Joaquín Achúcarro, piano)
Debussy : Prélude à l'Après-Midi d'un Faune
Debussy : La Mer
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Voices
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Thomas Dausgaard
Tonight's concert deserved to come with the label "change of scenery guaranteed" firmly attached, for conductor Thomas Dausgaard and the orchestra took us on a trip through some of Debussy's most effective, and most beautiful sound-scapes, with a side-step into the dark and primeval world of Ravel's D major Piano Concerto by way of contrast.
Nocturnes set the tone immediately, from the light, smoky volutes of Nuages, through the colourful procession of Fêtes, to the shimmer of Sirènes, with RCS Voices providing the wordless, alluring siren song. The strings were immediately noticeable for the quality of their timbre, whether in the cool meanderings of the first movement or the trills and swoops of the third.
Joaquín Achúcarro is the Grand Old Man of the Spanish classical piano, a greatly respected and admired artist who has regrettably never been a frequent visitor to Glasgow. He appeared tonight as one Basque artist interpreting another, though from the other side of the Pyrenees, and there was much to admire in his playing, particularly in the last cadenza of the Concerto. His performance was very warmly greeted, but from my point of view, it was unfortunate that I still have a vivid recollection of another performance of the same concerto, in February '17, in this same hall and with the same orchestra, but with Jean-Efflam Bavouzet at the keyboard (review here, for those interested). That performance possessed a smouldering intensity, and a tremendous sense of pagan ritual, that cast this one utterly into the shade, and Bavouzet is some thirty years younger than Achúcarro, with a correspondingly surer technique. There were a couple of points where Achúcarro and Dausgaard were not completely together, and rather than the volcanic ardour of some antique and arcane rite that Bavouzet evoked, what we got was merely a concerto. A very interesting one, certainly, but when you've experienced what can be done with this piece, it's difficult to accept anything less.
Faune has one of the great musical incipits of the repertory; that sighing, sinuous flute solo tells you instantly whether the orchestra is going to be able to immerse you in the lushly sensual world evoked by Debussy, or not. Charlotte Ashton's hushed, intimate tone wound itself invitingly around us, drawing us into the dappled haze of warmth and recollection. Dausgaard applied just the right degree of hedonistic languor to the piece.
La mer is a much cooler piece, though far from devoid of sensuality, but it belongs in more northern climes, and the water is the blue-grey of the Atlantic, rather than the bright turquoise of the Mediterranean. Debussy's orchestration is no less rich, but it has refined, as have his harmonies, and again, Dausgaard and the orchestra captured this very effectively. Well paced, with the surge and swell of the music generously expressive, it was the last movement that was particularly successful, from the opening, distant grumbling of the storm vibrating subtly in the hall to the exhilarating conclusion. Each section of the orchestra was able to shine as required, but never at the cost of the evocative whole. I have not been an unconditional admirer of Dausgaard's work here in Glasgow, but this concert went a considerable way to enhancing my opinion, because the Debussy was consistently excellent.
[Next : 29th November]