Leonard Slatkin's short ocasional piece Housewarming formed
a very pleasant introduction to the evening. Using the space of the
Royal Albert Hall to wonderful effect, with musicians located in all
parts of the auditorium, the music enveloped the audience in a warm,
relaxing, welcoming atmosphere. The piece operates through shifting
instrumental textures rather than melodic or harmonic development and
works very effectively. The procession of children through the
audience, singing and playing hand chimes, could have seemed a mawkish
gimmick but wasn't overdone and so remained on the right side of
tasteful.
Joseph Schwanter's Percussion Concerto was an astonishing aural and
visual spectacle. Evelyn Glennie was in her element running back and
forth between two groups of percussion instruments at the front and
rear of the stage. In spite of the athletic demands placed on her,
Evelyn's playing was always precise and alternately as delicate and
powerful as the piece required. Orchestrally, the work is a riot of
colourful effects providing a musical roller coaster on top of which
the lively and varied percussion part rides with considerable elan.
The Philharmonia Orchestra showed themselves well equal to the task of
producing the necessary array of colours and kept the music moving
forwards with an excited urgency. But this was, above all, the
soloist's showcase and Evelyn Glennie excelled throughout with her
breathtaking virtuosity and unfailing musicality (even if her
improvised extended drum-kit solo was much less varied than many rock
drummers could have managed). Wonderful, exhilarating fun!
After the interval, Leonard Slatkin and the Philharmonia got down to
the most serious musical business of the evening, Elgar's Second
Symphony. In complete contrast with Tadaaki Otaka's (no less
successful) highly emotional take on the First in
Prom 23,
Slatkin presented Elgar's msaterful and complex score cooly and with
utmost clarity, allowing the music to speak for itself. Wonderfully
controlled and precise playing from the Philharmonia reinforced the
calm, unhysterical approach but with no lack of warmth. Tempos and
phrasing were perfectly judged in a near faultless performance that
filled the Royal Albert Hall with glorious sound. Clearly this was
music that both orchestra and conductor cared greatly about. If Elgar
were in need of advocacy, this would be ideal argument on his side.
Immeasurably satisfying, in the way that only truly profound
performances can be.
Prom 32
(1998)
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7.30pm
- Tuesday, 11th August,
1998
- Royal Albert Hall