Empire Theatre, Eden Court, Inverness, 12 March 2009

Cello Soloist Johannes Moser

THE SSO’s latest performance provided a stimulating and dynamic programme of much loved classical repertoire contrasted with the brassy energy and lyricism of Gershwin and Bernstein. Mikhail Glinka’s familiar operatic Overture – Ruslan and Ludmilla opened the evening with a celebratory flourish, followed by Dvorak’s Cello Concerto in B minor Op. 104.

Composed in America during 1894-1895 whilst the composer was head of the National Conservatory of Music, Dvorak’s Cello Concerto demonstrates beautifully the richness, eloquence and range of the instrument. In the hands of soloist Johannes Moser the performance struck a magnificent balance between technical prowess and innate feeling.

Influenced by Brahms, Dvorak’s melodic writing and orchestration remain rooted in Romanticism which is undoubtedly part of his lasting appeal. The New World Symphony and Cello Concerto remain among the most regularly performed works in the repertoire.

Johannes Moser clearly relished the expressive nature of the score, communicating this beautifully with the audience in performance. Warmly introduced to the opening theme by melodious woodwind and strings, the first entry of the cello is immediately arresting and buzzing with resonance. Associative melody and the emotive qualities of the cello continue to be explored throughout the composition, both in the solo passages and in dialogue with the orchestra.

The deep, sonorous repose of the cello during the ‘Adagio’ is complemented beautifully by woodwind and pizzicato double bass, conveying an attitude of intimacy and remembrance. Dvorak’s use of traditional song in this slow movement links the work to his native Bohemia and to the personal association of a love lost to him with the death of Josephina Kaunitzova in 1896. It is in her favourite melody and the orchestration that Dvorak colours this movement with depth of feeling.

Though not originally scheduled to perform with the SSO for this performance, the full capacity audience were truly blessed with conductor Juanjo Mena at the helm. His enthusiasm, particularly during the second half of the programme, was palpable and infectious.

Harnessing the full colour and power of the orchestra, Gershwin’s An American In Paris (1928) and Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story (arranged 1960) were performed with terrific energy and gusto. Gershwin’s sassy lyricism and animated syncopation are incredibly visual, and the SSO’s performance brought this richly to life.

For me the cinematic vision of both of these pieces is impossible to erase from the imagination, and whilst this certainly coloured the performance – particularly of An American In Paris, when I had Gene Kelly and Leslie Carron dancing in my head – the thematic strength of Bernstein’s West Side Story as an orchestral piece stands convincingly on its own.

What impresses most about Bernstein’s score is the architecture of tension and release and the way in which narrative is suggested thematically through music. The pulse of the composition is instantly felt with all its violence and vulnerability. The dance rhythms, melodic phrases pitted against each other and dynamic orchestration infuse the piece with an undeniable life of its own.

The pervasive atmosphere of expectation and menace is explosive, contrasting beautifully with the romantic elements in the work. The duet between viola and violin is intensely fragile, an ultimately descending melodic phrase that anchors the work in tragedy. Like the opening phrase in Wagner’s opera, Tristan and Isolde, use of the leitmotif is prophetic, the moment the sound hits your ear you feel it – knowing the particulars of the story aren’t necessary.

Although nothing quite tops Prokofiev’s Romeo & Juliet as a musical expression of universally doomed love, this performance came close! The collective energy and precision of the orchestra together with the great sensitivity of conductor Juanjo Mena made it something very special.

Fortunately the performance was recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio 3, which will allow wider access beyond the concert hall. It was also encouraging to see a school group in the audience, as this is often a rare sight at classical concerts. The inclusion of Gershwin and Bernstein may not be universally popular with the usual classical audience; however mixed programming of this kind does potentially open up the live experience for different audiences. As the SSO ably demonstrated this evening, there’s nothing like the energy of a live performance.

© Georgina Coburn, 2009

Links

• BBC SSO

• Eden Court Theatre