Saariaho, Britten, Holst: Steven Osborne(piano), BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra / Ilan Volkov (conductor), City Halls, Glasgow 20.9.2007 (MMc)

 Saariaho: Asteroid 4179 Toutatis

Britten: Piano Concerto

Holst: The Planets

The programme selected by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra for the opening concert in their 2007/08 Glasgow Season was intriguing and challenging for both audience and performers alike.

The daunting prospect of listening to a short work by a living Finnish composer coupled with an infrequently performed piano concerto from one of the twentieth century’s musical giants and rounded off by one of the most loved orchestral warhorses might have led some in the audience to the view that the spirit of Lord Reith had indeed returned.

With such programming the orchestra is faced with providing consistency of quality to the unknown (Saariaho), the unfamiliar (Britten) and a work firmly etched in the memory of players and audience alike (Holst).  Let me say at the outset that the orchestra acquitted itself with aplomb and provided playing of an exceedingly high standard throughout the entire evening.

We could have been forgiven for assuming that the players had given many performances of Kaija Saariaho’s Asteroid 4179 Toutatis such was the assurance and polish of their playing in this short wistful piece which lasted less than 5 minutes.  Communicating something that is meaningful in a short period of time is no mean feat and many in the audience will be hoping that something more substantial by this composer will feature in future programmes.

Despite the fact that Britten’s operas have been performed in opera houses throughout the world, his Piano Concerto has never managed to become a regular item on concert programmes either  in the UK or overseas.  This lack of popularity is further evidenced by the lack of recordings.  Despite being championed by Sviatoslav Richter who enjoyed a long and fruitful collaboration with the composer and performed the concerto often - including his peerless recording - it has failed to find favour with audiences and planners of orchestral programmes.

Scotland’s own Steven Osborne and Maestro Volkov seemed determined to change that with their passionate advocacy of the work. Our soloist launched into the first movement with an astonishing display of pianistic virtuosity which was matched by the pinpoint accuracy of the orchestra.  The sheer effervescence of the playing made the sort of impact which the composer must have anticipated when he wrote this work and there were times when Prokofiev sprang to mind in Britten’s writing.

The sheer bravura required for the first movement gave way to playing of refined radiance thereby providing moments of the beauty which listeners might more readily associate with this composer. This more reflective feeling continued with the ensuing impromptu where pianist and conductor were at one in the passacaglia which later provided Walton with the theme for a set of variations.

The final movement saw pianist and conductor returning to breakneck speeds, deft articulation and sharp rhythms which provided the audience with an exciting culmination to what ultimately I fear was an outstanding performance of a less than great work. For most listeners I suspect, this concerto  is uneven in its quality and inspiration.  Allied to that is the fact that a great deal of the time the soloist has difficulty in being heard under the dense orchestral texture. Even so, Steven Osborne's performance made a strong case for more frequent performances.

The Planets Suite must rank along with Elgar’s Enigma Variations as the most performed and best loved orchestral piece by a British composer.  More than any other work it has attracted a vast array of conductors including Karajan, Bernstein, Ormandy as well of course the late Sir Adrian Boult.  It is easy to see why it is so beloved of conductors and orchestral players:  it requires a huge orchestra and there are endless opportunities for individual players to shine.

The tempo with which Maestro Volkov opened Mars seemed well judged and allowed the sense of menace and tension to build inexorably.  However, it has to be said that the Glasgow Concert Hall might have coped  better with the  loudest passages which perhaps stretched the City Hall beyond its acoustic capacity particularly as the movement reached its conclusion with those thunderous chords.

The horn playing which opened the more peaceful Venus was exquisite and it was matched in sheer beauty by the answering flutes.    While individual members of the orchestra continued to shine, particularly the oboe and cello, there was a sense of unease which could be detected.  The string and wind playing in Mercury was clearly articulated and fleet of foot, qualities that are essential in this movement.

This BBC SSO has always been blessed with brass players whose personalities have matched and enhanced their performances and this could been seen in the opening of Jupiter where the horns played with panache and precision.  The famous 'I vow to thee, my country'  melody was played without a trace of sentimentality but with a mixture of simplicity and nobility.

The weariness and inexorable march of old age were well conveyed in Saturn with the concluding hushed passages well judged and forming a sharp contrast with the grinding, pounding tread in the earlier part of the movement.

Individual players of the orchestra appeared to have a veritable field day with the boisterous musical antics in Uranus with the brass section taking the opportunity to demonstrate its undoubted quality.

The fairy like qualities and sense of mystery were well captured and sustained throughout the entire length of Neptune where the orchestra was joined by the ladies of the RSNO Chorus in the wordless hymn which closes the work.  This choral passage poses problems of intonation which were compounded in this instance by the distance between orchestra and conductor.  Happily on this occasion there was no need to fear, as the ladies sang with great distinction even if at times one might have longed for a few more voices.

Overall, this concert must have left considerable impact on its audience though probably more for the compelling, committed and searing playing of the lesser known Britten piece than for the performance of Holst’s orchestral suite. Good as that was,   one suspects that conductor and orchestra have a greater performance to give us at some future date.

 

Marion McNeill

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