SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

 

The chemistry between Jurowski and the LPO is palpable and was evident right from the off in an über-gestural account of Mussorgsky’s Night on a Bare Mountain. Resplendent brass, raw and Russian-sounding woodwind gave a real edge to the more explosive passages, while the more interior sections had a splendid veiled quality. If only we had heard the Mussorgsky original, for it sounded like this was a rougher version of that which Jurowski was actually trying to recreate via Rimsky’s sanitised rescore. Contrasts were massively underlined (too much so, some might argue) and the LPO strings showed exactly how fine they are in managing Jurowski’s frighteningly fast tempo for the opening.

 

The Shostakovich First Violin Concerto is a massive challenge for the soloist, but one that Julia Fischer seemed to relish. The opening Nocturne found her using a deep, throaty sound and her eloquence in the long lines as astounding, as was her pure high register. Fischer’s bow control was exemplary – there was no trace of shake anywhere – and in response, Jurowski moulded the orchestral contribution beautifully, just as he held things together expertly in the Scherzo. Both soloist and accompanists evinced great energy here. The great Passacaglia stood in stark contrast, with Jurowski allowing the movement to unfold naturally towards the spell-binding cadenza. Fischer unleashed is well worth catching: a pity then that Jurowski’s opening to the finale lacked a certain amount of punch, since Fischer seemed to be just warming up. She provided an encore, too – the first movement of Ysaye’s Second Solo Violin Sonata, beautifully rendered.

 

Scriabin’s four-minute Rêverie from 1898 was a beautiful, tender entr’acte that ushered in Prokofiev’s Third Symphony (1928, based on themes from the opera The Fiery Angel). Jurowski seemed to hone in on the lyrical elements in Prokofiev’s score (which were superbly realised) without leaving himself open to criticism of underplaying the more cacophanous passages. It was the Andante that held the most special moments of the performance (gossamer string textures), closely followed by the carefully sculpted Trio of the ensuing movement. How wonderful, too, were the effects of the finale. Superb.

 

Colin Clarke

 

 

 

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