SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Debussy: Iberia (Images, No.2) (1905/1908)

Lalo: Symphonie espagnole (1874)

Strauss: Don Juan, op.20 (1888)

Ravel: Bolero (1928)

Eschenbach has proven himself in German music many times over in the past few years with the LPO, so it was rather a shock to see him tackling French repertoire in this concert. It was also a shock to discover that, despite first rate orchestral playing, the overall effect of the first half, was one of disappointment. Debussy's Spanish travelogue is full of the most sumptuous and colourful orchestration with wild flashes of vivid detail and a superb sense of atmosphere. Tonight we heard the notes but the interpretation was desperately in need of some punch and sparkle as it was far too leaden footed to give a real idea of just what a marvellous work this is. For the Lalo – a delightful, if slight, work – Tetzlaff chose to play the five movement version. Many fiddlers ignore the central intermezzo for it was written later and its style is out of character with the rest of the work, being far too portentous and lacking the sunny smile of the rest of the piece – but although he played well, I again felt that the interpretation was lacklustre and dull.

After the interval Eschenbach was in his element giving a performance of Don Juan which was second to none: here the LPO excelled itself, with playing of such rich bloom and character that one might have been listening to the great Vienna Philharmonic. The ensemble was stunning and each line really spoke, the balance was just about perfect, the love music sensual and the death of the hero, at the end, as poignant as could be hoped for. This brought the house down, so what could be expected to follow it? A performance of Bolero which was as simple and direct as could be, with excellent solo performances from every player, full of character and the most sinuous phrasing. Here was a warhorse delivered as a young colt. Eschenbach didn't conduct, he merely stood on the podium and nodded to a player when it was his turn to play, only raising his baton at the change to E major to bring about the final catastrophe. If the concert's first half never left the ground, the second was reaching for the stars.

Bob Briggs