SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Mozart: Overture: Der Schauspieldirektor, K486 (1786)

Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E flat major (1849/1856)

Rimsky–Korsakov: Shéhérazade, op.35 (1888)

James Dillon: La navette (2001) (UK première)

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 2 in C minor, Little Russian, op.17 (1872 rev 1880)

 

Composer Portrait - James Dillon in conversation with Andrew McGregor : Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall, Royal College of Music, London, 19.8.2010

 

Zone (...de azul) (1985)

Charm (2009)

Dragonfly (2009)

Once Upon a Time (1980)

 

Royal Scottish Academy MusicLab

 

The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra is 75 years old and to celebrate the anniversary this Prom was an almost exact recreation of their first, given on 20 August 1962, with the slight difference that the concert contained the première of Thea Musgrave’s Phoenix and the Turtle on the earlier occasion: since we will have the première of a newly commissioned choral work from her at the 5^th Proms Saturday Matinee, at the Cadogan Hall, on 4th September, her place was taken by a fairly recent piece by James Dillon, in order to keep the Scottish compositional connection.

 

This was a long concert. We’re not used to this kind of length these days - “but why not?” Roger Wright said to me before the show started – and that was the talking point amongst many members of the audience. Even Wright played on this, telling me with - “hope you’ve got some vitamins with you!” But if anyone had any worries about a concert of nearly three hours duration they need not have worried for this was simply the most enjoyable and easy to–listen–to concert I’ve heard in some time. Everything was just right; the programming, the playing, the real sense of delight on the part of the performers.

 

James Dillon is a fascinating composer. His music is not easy to listen to – it’s been said that he writes music of new complexity which is designed, if ever a phrase was coined to damn a work of music, to scare the horses. But no matter how complex his music, it’s always written so that every strand, every voice, every gesture, no matter how subtle, can be clearly heard. La navette is a big slow movement, forget the story behind the inspiration, just listen to the music, which is scored for a very large orchestra, with multi divisi strings, dense counterpoint, elusive lyricism, a sense of menace and the feeling of a cortège; it’s an impressive and very satisfying conception. There is nothing abrasive about this music, it seldom raises its voice, there’s no big climax and it speaks in hushed tones. It cannot be grasped in one hearing, but hopefully with the chance to hear it on the BBC iPlayer for seven days and the opportunity to record it and give it some time, it will reveal its secrets, and show its real beauty.

 

Before the Prom proper we had a short recital of four of Dillon’s smaller pieces, interspersed with conversation with the composer. The two ensemble pieces were expertly performed by Royal Scottish Academy MusicLab, aggressive and forthright, and we were treated to the calmer side of Dillon’s compositional character with two delightful solo piano works.

 

The Prom started with the delightful chatter of Mozart’s Der Schauspieldirektor Overture, no vibrato and a lovely light touch. Boris Giltburg took over the Liszt Concerto due to Boris Berezovsky’s indisposition and he played it with great virtuosity and style. Whenever I hear a piece by Liszt I am convinced that he is a better composer than I had previously thought and this performance went a long way to persuading me to listen to more of his work. As an encore Giltburg gave La leggierezza, the second of the Trois études de concert (1848).

 

With almost perfect tempi, and with Janice Graham a most alluring Shéhérazade, Brabbins and his players delivered a very exciting and passionate performance of Rimsky’s masterpiece. And with the same fine attention to detail, Tchaikovsky’s Little Russian Symphony brought a celebratory concert to a suitably rousing conclusion. Indeed, so enjoyable was the show that I would have been happy to hear more. Happy birthday, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, and, with many more to come, the state of music north of the border is in safe hands.

 

Bob Briggs

 

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