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SEEN AND HEARD UK CONCERT REVIEW
Wagner: Siegfried Idyll (1870)
Richard Strauss: Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony), op.64 (1915)
Siegfried Idyll is the perfect apéritif for any of the big Richard
Strauss tone poems, and they don't come much bigger than the
Alpensinfonie. Mikk Murdvee is a 31 year old Estonian conductor whose
command of the music he was conducting was good with a
a clear, and easy to follow, beat, until he made the mistake of
making larger, and more flamboyant, gestures as the
Idyll's music became louder and more animated.
Then his grasp on the music faltered, and
the climax happened without sufficient, or satisfactory, build up
even though it was followed by a sublime,
and very distinguished, coda. Murdvee certainly has all the makings of a
fine conductor once he reigns in his excesses and calms down.
The main event, of course, was Strauss's Eine Alpensinfonie under
the direction of Sherpa Haitink. I know that there are no Sherpas in the
Alps but a work as complex as Eine Alpensinfonie needs a good
guide and Haitink is one of the few conductors working today who has a
strong grasp on the ebb and flow of Strauss's huge works. Starting with a
gorgeous sustained pianissimo Haitink built the first climax, depicting
sunrise, with a grand sweep which was carried into the ensuing allegro,
where our climb starts. Cellos and bases gave a firm grounding with the
full string body sounded resplendent. As we climbed we encountered the
hunting party - with seventeen off stage horns - and the stream, slightly
underplayed here and not perfectly characterized, amongst other things and
the climax on reaching the summit was as overwhelming as the vista
offered. The descent seemed to be done too quickly, but the storm offered
thrills a-plenty, with the whole orchestra employed in a manic, but, it
must be said, somewhat banal piece of painting. But Haitink held it all in
check so this section never weighed down the overall structure. At the end
all was peace and calm and we arrived home in very safe hands.
It was obvious from the performance that the young musicians loved working
with Haitink, and he delivered a well studied and characteristically full
blooded account of the music. This performance was a triumph for all
concerned.
Bob Briggs