SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

SEEN AND HEARD CONCERT REVIEW
 

Prom 46: Mosolov, Arvo Pärt, Ravel and Scriabin: Jean–Efflam Bavouzet (piano), Philharmonia Orchestra, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Royal Albert Hall, London, 20.8.2010 (BBr)

 

Alexander Mosolov: Zavod (Iron Foundry), op.19 (1927)

Arvo Pärt: Symphony No. 4, Los Angeles (2008) (UK première)

Ravel: Piano Concerto in D, for the Left Hand (1929/1930)

Scriabin: Le Poème de l'extase, op.54 (1905/1908)

 

I am sure that for many tonight’s première of Arvo Pärt’s 4th Symphony was the most important première of the three we’ve had this week – Huw Watkins’s Violin Concerto received its world première in Prom 42 on Tuesday, and James Dillon’s La navette its UK première in Prom 45 on Thursday – and the faithful turned out to hear it, but they couldn’t match the full houses accorded the other two works mentioned here.

Arvo Pärt is big business these days, and much has been made of this première, not least that it’s his first Symphony in 37 years, and now he’s reached this late point in his life – he’s 75 this year – there must be a real prestige in securing a commission, or just a local première, of a work of his. The big question is, is his music really worth all the commotion? This new work, playing for forty minutes in three movements, is fairly typical Pärt. The tempo is consistently slow, sometimes it’s quiet, SOMETIMES IT’S LOUD, and there is minimal variation of material and little, or no, development. There is no progression through the music and, unlike Morton Feldman’s Rothko Chapel which takes you on a long and deeply meditative journey, Pärt’s music never leaves its starting point. Unlike both his contemporaries, Górecki and John Tavener, his music seems never to have grown. I so wanted to like, and enjoy, this work; after all, a Symphony is a major achievement for any composer, but there’s nothing in this work which is appealing or of sufficient interest to make me want to hear it again. I am sure that many will disagree with me but no claims of mystic minimalism or holy minimalism can hide the fact that there’s nothing going on here, for nearly 40 minutes! A major work? I can’t see it myself.

In a mere 4 minutes Alexander Mosolov delighted and infuriated us with his wonderful piece of Soviet Realism, Zavod (Iron Foundry). This does exactly what the title tells us, it’s a vivid portrait of a noisy factory at full production. Ravel’s Left Hand Piano Concerto is a dark work, malevolent and frightening, filled with jazz and the blues, but not the kind of music you’d want to either dance to or wail with. This is a vision of hell and Bavouzet took us to the very brink and, only at the last minute, brought us back. His was a stunning account of the solo part – I wondered if, as he was only using one hand, he only received half the fee – and using the subtlest of rubato and the occasional luftpause he created a giant edifice, which was totally involving and very disturbing. Salonen and the orchestra were with him every minute on this roller–coster ride. Both Mosolov and Ravel achieved in a very short time everything that Pärt missed in his overblown time span.

To end we had an orgy of sound – Scriabin’s Le Poème de l'extase. Salonen pulled out all the stops and gave a glittering, and multi–coloured, account of this fascinating work. Of course it’s over–the–top music, in Scriabin’s best Messianic state of mind. The Phliharmina obviously enjoyed being allowed to let go and fill the Albert Hall with the most sumptuous sounds, the end, complete with the addition of the hall’s organ, really did seem to rasie the roof as Salonen demanded more and more volume. A fabulous end to a concert which was a bit of a curate’s egg.

Bob Briggs

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