RSNO, 04/12/2021

Ravel : Une barque sur l'océan

Ravel : Piano Concerto in G major (Javier Perianes, piano)

Tchaikovsky : The Nutcracker (excerpts)

RSNO Junior Chorus

Royal Scottish National Orchestra

Eva Ollikainen

"Une barque sur l'océan" is the third piece from Ravel's piano suite Miroirs, a set of pieces written in 1904-05 in homage to some of the other members of the loose collection of artists, poets and musicians known as "Les Apaches".  This particular number was dedicated to the painter Paul Sordes, who was the host for the early meetings of the groups (until neighbours started complaining of the noise!).  He orchestrated it almost immediately afterwards, quite why does not seem clear, but as always with Ravel, it's an object lesson in the art of orchestration, the shimmering textures perfectly translated into the high strings and fluttering winds, deep swell and surface ripples easily and simultaneously perceptible, extraordinarily graphic in its effects, lovingly transmitted by the orchestra.

In the games of musical chairs that I imagine most orchestras are having to play at the moment, as performers suddenly become unavailable due to health/transportation/quarantine issues, the RSNO seems particularly beset.  This week's conductor, Eva Ollikainen, should have been last week's, while this week was to have been conducted by Elim Chan.  And at almost the last moment, Bertrand Chamayou had to withdraw, but the orchestra was extremely fortunate to find a replacement in the Spanish pianist Javier Perianes.  I was looking forward to hearing Chamayou, but I was not at all sorry to see Perianes take his place, because this is a pianist for whom I've had a great deal of esteem since the first time I saw him exactly seven years ago (to the very day).  Whatever Chamayou might have brought to the Ravel G major, Perianes worked his own magic too, and I'm quite sure we did not lose in the exchange.  

The first movement was rather more relaxed than I often hear it, Perianes crisp on the attack when needed, but taking the time to let his part breath, too.  The jazz element was there, but I heard something a little Spanish about it in places, a hint of Ravel's Basque roots, perhaps, that was new to me, and the whole was far less of a fairground atmosphere, but a kind of almost philosophical ramble, one idea leading to the next in a strange, enticing sort of Only Connect fashion, that could have seemed oddly random, but worked extremely well.  He began the slow movement not as a dreamy promenade, but with the melancholy solemnity of a Chopin Nocturne, while the last movement was a swift, but perfectly controlled whistle-stop tour, not at all harum-scarum.  Perianes really stamped himself on this concerto, in possibly the best performance of it I have heard in years.

As they say, it's not Christmas without The Nutcracker.  This year's version was most of the movements from the Suite - minus, rather surprisingly, the Waltz of the Flowers - plus the great Act 2 pas de deux, and the finale of Act 1, from the battle with the mice right through to the Waltz of the Snowflakes that concludes the act, complete with the participation of the 100-strong (a shade over, even) RSNO Junior Choir.  I'm not entirely in favour of bringing that many singers to this item; the choir is meant to be a subtle, off-stage effect, and it's pretty well impossible to do subtle with those kinds of numbers, with the best will in the world.  However, I daresay these children have had precious few opportunities to perform lately, so one can't really begrudge them this. 

Apart from the Overture, I thought much of the Suite numbers a little pedestrian, particularly the Spanish dance which was, frankly, flat-footed rhythmically.  However, once we got on to the other material, less often played in concert, matters improved considerably.  The pas de deux - the most beautiful descending scale in all of classical music, as I've heard it (rightly) described) - had a majestic sweep to it, while the battle scene was positively symphonic in its execution, and very exciting.  From there to the end, it was a delight.

{Next : 5th December - maybe.  Otherwise, 9th December]