SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Arnold: Peterloo Overture, op.97 (1968)

Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No.1 in A minor, op.77 (1947/1948)

Walton: Symphony No.1 in B♭ minor (1932/1935)

 

Malcolm Arnold does himself, and his work, no favours by calling Peterloo an Overture, when it is, quite obviously, a major tone poem. Commissioned by the TUC to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of its first meeting, Arnold took his inspiration from a meeting in St Peter's Field Manchester, where a peaceful demonstration of Cotton Mill workers was broken up by the Manchester Yeomanry and resulted in many injuries and deaths. In three sections, the work starts with a rich, but simple, tune which is quickly interrupted by three side drums and then mayhem ensues. The piece ends with a repeat of the opening theme, now a lament, but filled with hope and expectation of better things. Peterloo has been neglected for too long and it is to the Salomon Orchestra's credit that it not only programmed the work, but gave it a performance of great power which showed the real stature of the music. The programme note made the valid point that Arnold was "…an unpredictable and misunderstood talent" and this is true, but if we were to be allowed to hear works of this calibre, played at this standard, more people would discover what those of us in attendance last night already know – Malcolm Arnold is a major composer who has something to say. I can say nothing more than thank you for this performance: it was a privilege to hear it.

 

Shostakovich's 1^st Violin Concerto is a big work in four movements, written for David Oistrakh, and is full of this composer's usual searching slow sections and rampant fast ones. Jaroslaw Nadrycki is a 25 years old Polish born andLondon based violinist who has an impressive track record of performances and competition successes. His performance tonight was perfect on all levels. The long, first movement, Nocturne, was full of half lights, things half remembered, and the forward tread of inevitability. Nadrycki put his imprimatur on the performance from the outset, and gently and thoughtfully wove his way through the musical argument. The scherzo was quirky and quicksilver, typical Shostakovich woodwinds flew round the music with the soloist punctuating the progress with breathless intensity. The passacaglia, the third movement, returns to the world of the opening and here was the most sustained and heartbreaking playing which continued into the cadenza. Here the music gains pace and transforms into the circus rondo (it is interesting that Benjamin Britten, Shostakovich's friend, used the same device in his Cello Symphony some 15 years later) which brings the work to a fun packed conclusion. With impressive support from Ferris and his orchestra this was a performance of great standing which brought the work to life in all its manifestations. Nadrycki didn't need to offer an encore for we were sated with what we had heard.

 

Women. Yes, women. The fairer sex has been responsible for the creation of many a work of art, and add to this Walton's love for them and his general lustiness – in his younger years – and you get a Symphony as romantically passionate and angry as anything he ever wrote. Indeed, it was because of a woman that he had such problems with finishing this work. Walton had little trouble in writing the first three movements, but then he split with his "girlfriend" and it wasn't until a new "girlfriend" came into his life that he managed to complete the work, and there is a definite change in mood and outlook to the finale. It is interesting that although another woman aided the completion of the work, Walton dedicated it to the Baroness Imma von Doernberg, the previous partner. Obviously nothing is fair in music and sex. Walton's 1^st Symphony is an outstanding achievement in English music and one almost without peer. Ferris brought out all the emotional turmoil of the first movement, allowing for huge brass climaxes and big string tunes. If the scherzo, which is marked Presto con malizia (with malice), wasn't as malicious as it could have been, it was still a nasty shock and a relentless forward race. Ferris made the slow movement the real heart of the work, showing the warm, almost loving, side of the music and the climax was warm and very satisfying. Perhaps the finale isn't quite up to the standard of the rest of the work but here Ferris played it for all it was worth and showed the playful side of Walton's character. The coda, where Walton adds cymbals, gong, side drum and a second set of timpani, was glorious in its exultation.

 

Another fine show from this enterprising and exciting orchestra.

 

Bob Briggs