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Debussy, Stravinsky and Rachmaninov: Kolya Blacher (violin), London Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Jurowski, Royal Festival Hall, London, 12.11.2008 (BBr)

Claude Debussy: Jeux (1912)
Igor Stravinsky: Violin Concerto in D (1931)

Scherzo fantastique, op.3 (1907/1908)
Sergei Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances, op.45 (1940)


Debussy’s Jeux poses many problems for its performers, not least the fact that being so diffuse in its construction it takes a steady, and understanding, hand to hold its shakey structure together. Perhaps even more importantly, it most certainly is not a piece with which to start a programme.

After a long, drawn–out, and, for me at least, totally unnecessary spoken introduction from Jurowski, he launched into Jeux. This is the kind of early 20^th century music in which Boulez excels, for he seems able to get straight to the heart of the matter and show us the hidden delights within the score. Unfortunately, Jurowski seemed unable to do that and, although there were occasional moments of brilliance, he seemed unable to mold the various sections (some only a few bars long) together into a cohesive whole. As a consequence the piece was too loose in vision and there was no high point for Jurowski and his players to aim for. Without strong direction the mere 16 minutes seemed like an eternity. Worst of all, the orchestra appeared bored with the whole thing, although the playing was solid.

Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto is one of those neo–classical pieces which can sometimes give the impression that the composer is simply going through the motions of composition. But this is actually a very tightly knit work and quite a jolly piece to boot. Blacher was a fine soloist, when you could hear him. Even though the wind section isn’t too big, although it’s big enough, Jurowski employed far too many strings and the orchestral sound, in the first two movements, often engulfed the poor soloist. He fared better in the third and fourth movements. The performance was nice and deadpan, the jokes coming through easily, the spikey orchestration well realised and Jurowski’s direction had purpose. The same cannot be said for the Scherzo fantastique which seemed to be undiluted gobbets of Saint–Saëns (Le Rouet d'Omphale), Dukas (The Sorceror’s Apprentice) and lots of Rimsky. There’s little of real substance in this music and, again, the orchestra seemed bored with it. Here, Jurowski’s direction was lack–lustre to say the least.

To end, Rachmaninov’s true 4^th Symphony – the Symphonic Dances. This is a towering masterpiece, a farewell to life in one way, but also a rail against God for the fragility, and shortness, of life itself. Jurowski was much more at home with this music than elsewhere tonight and he encouraged exciting playing from the band, but it didn’t grip as it should for, although his view of the architecture was sound, he seemed unable to really get to grips with the main points. The tempo for the first movement was well judged – Non allegro, not fast, instructs Rachmaninov – and there were some fine moments, not least the heart–breaking reprise of the main theme from the, supposed lost, 1^st Symphony which I have always thought to be the composer looking back and lamenting his vanished, first, masterpiece, little knowing that a set of parts for the work would soon be discovered and we would be able to hear it with fresh ears. The waltz was dark and worrying – this, surely, is a danse macabre, so tense and dramatic is the music – and there was a real feeling of doom and gloom. The finale offers no respite being another danse macabre but this time with a real death wish. Here Jurowski failed to create the necessary tension and excitement and he entirely missed the final catharsis, which should be emotionally overwhelming, in favour of a much less intense reading of the notes. The final tam–tam crash should surely be left suspended in the air ringing for all eternity, but here was cruelly, and quickly, damped, robbing the end of its ultimate power and tragedy.

In sum, the whole performance failed to catch fire, which is most unlike the other performances of Jurowski’s I have heard this year, and I must put the blame for this firmly at his feet. The LPO played well, despite some poor chording, where the entries were ragged, and some suspect intonation, but for this colourful and vital music well simply isn’t enough.

Bob Briggs  


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