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Haydn and Bruckner: Truls Mørk (cello), London Philharmonic Orchestra, Yannick Nezet–Seguin, Royal Festival Hall, London, 11.2. 2009 (BBr)

Haydn: Cello Concerto in C (c1765)
Bruckner: Symphony No.7 in E (1881/1883)


Nézet-Séguin  has been receiving plaudits from everybody who experiences one of his concerts. I’ve heard some live concerts conducted by him on CBC, Canadian Radio, in the days when live concerts were regularly broadcast by them, and I was impressed with what I heard. It was obvious that a major talent was at work, one who could get the very best from his orchestra and deliver performances of great power, energy and insight. Tonight was my first experience of him live and he exceeded all expectations.

It’s unusual for someone as young as Nézet-Séguin  to have the full measure of the later Symphonies of Anton Bruckner and to be able to understand, and bring together, the many and various strands which go to make up one of these towering edifices. What was most impressive about this performance of Bruckner’s 7^th Symphony was Nézet-Séguin’s superb understanding of the architecture of the piece. From the opening minutes, with the long, soaring, cello theme, it was obvious that our conductor had his sights firmly set on the closing pages of the work where this theme returns triumphant on full orchestra. What happened in the sixty minutes between these two events were full of high drama, malevolence and searing passion.

The slow movement, with its four Wagner tubas, is an elegy on the death of Wagner and here Nézet-Séguin  encouraged the long lines to breathe, building the climaxes with care and allowing them to grow naturally from the ever changing musical landscape which surrounds them. The coda was sombre and tragic, indeed, it was heart–breaking, as befits an in memoriam for a great artist. The scherzo is another of Bruckner’s malevolent allegros. Nézet-Séguin  kept his feet firmly on the ground and this music stamped its way, so it seemed to me, to a very disturbing end. The finale is a difficult movement to bring off successfully, not least because, with all the huge, insistent, downward movement of the musical ideas it is easy to loose the beat and let it run away with itself, as it did when Giulini conducted it at the Proms about 20 years ago, and then the whole structure is put in jeopardy. Nothing like that happened tonight for Nézet-Séguin  kept a very firm hand on the proceedings and, by slightly holding back the forward momentum, and gradually building a large structure, the final statement of the opening theme felt like a satisfactory homecoming, rather than just a loud peroration.

One more point. Bruckner’s music is full of silences, some Cathedral–like in their size, and these are important for the audience, letting it take in what has just happened and preparing it for what is about to happen. Tonight Nézet-Séguin  filled those silences with the most intense meaning, making them speak volumes as part of the whole and understanding them as part of the composition, not just gaps between bars. This was most exciting for I have never fully appreciated the silences quite as much before.  This interpretation was a magnificent achievement and the London Philharmonic, which was on top form, can be proud of their commitment to the music, and what they gave to their audience.

Before the interval, Truls Mørk was a fine advocate for Haydn’s early Concerto. He was undemonstrative, as befits the work, and was fully in touch with the music. It was no fault of his that his performance was completely overwhelmed by what followed.

Bob Briggs


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