SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

RSNO Naked Classics – Shostakovich’s Crowd Pleaser: Paul Rissmann (presenter), Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Stéphane Denève (conductor), Usher Hall, Edinburgh, 23.4.2010 (SRT)

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5

Naked Classics returns with a fascinating journey through Shostakovich’s most popular symphony. During the previous concert in this series I praised the presentational style of Paul Rissmann as colourful and effective. This concert reinforced that view triumphantly, but was also, if anything, even more intelligent and insightful, grown-up while remaining accessible. He gave us an easy to follow guide to the symphony’s turbulent background and the context of socialist realism, and he talked us through exactly why the ending is so controversial, as well as providing a guide to the main themes and structure that helped the whole thing to fit together superbly. I learnt a lot and never felt talked-down to.

As for the performance itself, Stéphane Denève managed to make it in after being stranded in Spain and led an exciting performance, relishing in the architecture of the piece – or am I only saying that because the first half had made the structure much more clear to me? The big moments of conflict, like the development of the first movement or the march of the finale, all burned with energy, and that ending blazed with empty triumph which I still found exhilarating nevertheless. The highlight, however, was the soulful Largo, full of yearning and promise that never finds fulfilment. During his presentation Rissmann had compared one of its themes to Orthodox chant, and the string section played with the intensity of a choir of monks. The spellbinding oboe theme felt like a light in a wasteland, and became all the more intense when played pianissimo by the harp and celesta at the end.

This was an evening of great music and fascinating insight, and I’m already looking forward to next year’s selection. For full details of the RSNO’s 2010-11 season go to http://www.rsno.org.uk

Simon Thompson