This evening saw what has now become something of an annual event, as the talented instrumentalists from the RNCM who make up their mighty Symphony Orchestra, perform their last concert of the year at Manchester's Bridgewater Hall. For many on stage this evening, it marked the end of their tutelage, whilst others will remain to continue with post-graduate studies; but whatever the stage of each individuals' musical journey, their talent and musicianship was never in question.
The programme was perhaps a little overlong, each half of the concert featuring a large orchestral work of some stature and duration, as well as starting each half with a short concert piece. And as we all know, length doesn't always mean quality, except here it most certainly did.
The concert started with a composition by current RNCM student Matthew Martin titled, 'Facade'. In his own programme notes for this piece, Martin tries to explain that the piece continually jostles between "harmony" and "noise", a battle that continues throughout the piece as they try to drown each other out. In my listening to this music for the first time, it was far more elegaic than that; as I distinctly had the impression of being by the shoreline in the evening, and was listening to the the sounds of nature both around me on land and out in the open sea as the wind lapped the waves over the nearby rocks. Neither my companion nor I are fans of contemporary music generally - especially the experimental variety - however we both independantly said that we had enjoyed listening to this piece. The work was conducted by Robin Wallington, who showed both great precision and sensitivity with this piece.
For the main piece of the first half of the concert, the orchestra chose to play one of the most famous and beloved piano concertos of all time, Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto (opus 23). The opening melodies (and their subsequent developments) in all three movements are instantly recognisable, especially that of the first movement, and even those who don't know the work in its entirety will still be familiar with some of the melodies present. To play the piano solo in this flamboyant and melodious work, the RNCM found a Russian pianist who had graduated from none other than The Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow, Maxim Kinasov. Under the conducting of Martyn Brabbins (our conductor now for the remainder of the concert), the concerto was steady and rhythmic, but for me at least, it never truly came alive and shone. Kinasov was undoubtedly a talented pianist, but again, for me at least, I didn't particularly like his choice of when to use the sustain pedal (and for how long to hold it down). I felt also that the work had been given too much 'reverence'. Tchaikovsky's music should be ebullient and delightful to listen to, even in the darker and more dramatic ssctions. This evening I was finding that listening to the music was more challenging as Kinasov brought his own emotions and interpretations into play over and above those supplied by Tchaikovsky.
In our present world political situation, and with this concert showcasing two prominent Russian composers, our conductor, Martyn Brabbins, felt that perhaps the second half of the concert should start with a short piece by a Ukrainian composer. We therefore were treated to a short work for strings, Nocturne In D Major, by Theodore Akimenko. Heavily featuring a solo cello melody, this beautifully harmonic and lyric piece of string orchestra composition was a far cry from anything happening in Ukraine at the present; however, despite the lush harmonies and beautfully scored lyric progression you could not escape the feeling of melancholia that this work imbued.
To finish the concert, the behemoth that is Shostakovich's 8th symphony. Dmitri Shostakovich wrote 15 symphonies in his lifetime, and his 8th, perhaps due to its duration (60 minutes) or the scoring, or maybe because of its ambiguity and difficulty, is rarely performed. Whatever the reason for its absense on concert schedules, it came as a welcome addition to this evening's concert. If I didn't particularly enjoy the Tchaikovsky as much as I was hoping I would, then the exact opposite happened here, as I enjoyed this piece, and Brabbins's interpretation of it, greatly. It is such a difficult piece to both play and listen to; it requires a certain level of musical intellect I feel in order to fully connect with this work. Tchaikovsky makes no such demands. Shostakovich is a composer whose music never truly follows convention, but neither does it ever fall too far away either; a passage of dissonance is brought back by a jolly melodic march, or dense scoring is juxtaposed with a passage for only a handful of instruments playing pp. The balance and dynamics in this performance were brought out masterfully. I loved the chirpy dialogue of woodwinds, which is succeeded by one of many war-like themes in this symphony, which starts first in violas, and is taken up by violins and trombones, before a war-like gallop on trumpet and snare drum. Many critics have connected this symphony to war / battle, and in that respect I am no different; it isn't difficult to recognise the call-to-arms and the roar of a battle in full swing. It is the denouement of this symphony which is interesting. After the blast from the percussion signalling the end of the battle, there is a long, much softer and more reflective section - the battle's aftermath. The desolation and the sorrow captured perfectly, but then the key changes from minor to major, and one wonders in this more upbeat and jollier finale whether or not this is redemption. This was for me, the highlight of the evening, and I don't think I have heard the RNCM Symphony Orchestra in better form than they were for Shostakovich. A hard listen, but worth every note from every instrument! Bravo!
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 1.7.22
on - 1.7.22
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