OneTouch Theatre, Eden Court, Inverness, 17 February 2012

THIS latest artistic collaboration between the Scottish Ensemble, contemporary British composer Luke Bedford and soloist Lawrence Power presented one of their strongest programmes yet.

In terms of content and performance it was an inspiring and transformative event that revealed previously unheard works, mastery of composition both historical and contemporary, and the viola as an instrument of pure, sublime expression.

Viola soloist Lawrence Power (picture from Verbier Festival)

The dynamism and contrast of works by Haydn, Alwyn, Mozart and the world premiere of Bedford’s Wonderful Two Headed Nightingale provided an opportunity to showcase the communicative range of the instrument. In the hands of Lawrence Power the expressive qualities and tonal range of the viola were a revelation.

Haydn’s Symphony No44 in E Minor, ‘Trauer’, opened the programme beautifully with the entire ensemble articulating the subtle nuances, mellow sonorous depth and expansive energy of the work, particularly in the third and fourth movements. The psychologically interior third section Adagio with its movement between intimate, reflective melody and multi-layered expansion of strings and horns was magnificently realised, followed by an equally potent performance of the energetic final movement Presto. The pace, excitement and rhythmic drive of the finale was clearly enjoyed by the musicians on stage and the audience in equal measure.

Commissioned as a companion piece to Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante in E flat K364 (1779-1780), the scoring of Luke Bedford’s new work for solo viola and violin, string orchestra, horns and oboes provided a compelling link between the two pieces, with mesmerising duets between soloists Jonathan Morton (violin) and Lawrence Power (viola) a leading element in both works.

Beginning strikingly in conjoined unison, Wonderful Two Headed Nightingale evolved in fifths and quarter tones, expanding in variable rhythmic patterns in one continuous arc. The composer succeeded in creating a uniquely textured, multi-layered work full of interpretative possibilities. Bare arresting down strokes of two bows (or voices) are the Alpha and Omega of the piece, the silence between allowing the reverberation of sound to be felt and contemplated.

This human mark has an immediate and unexpected physicality. In human terms the bond is felt throughout the work as it develops and deepens in complexity; there are times when it is hard to separate one individual from another, the two soloists are so absolute in their unison, while at other times they strain away from each other with incredible poignancy. The ebb and flow of this dynamic creates an extraordinary range of sound which expands and retracts, all the while peeling back layers of itself.

The expressive capabilities within the composition and scoring of this piece are impressive and it would be wonderful to be able to witness its evolution in performance as part of the current national tour. There are sections of this work where the emotional gravitas of an entire orchestra is present, the composition becoming greater and more expansive than itself in the mind of the listener.

Broadcast on BBC radio in 1941 “as part of its classical concerts designed to raise the morale of British listeners”, William Alwyn’s Pastoral Fantasia (1939) is a nostalgic and lyrical work which feels very much of its time. Powerfully associative and strongly reminiscent of Vaughan Williams, Alwyn evokes the idyllic British countryside in his use of stepped rhythms of English folksong and layered counterpoint. There is an interesting range of development in the composition between solo voice and ensemble which prevents it from becoming an exercise in emotional manipulation, although there are sections where it is steeped in rhapsodic romance on a cinematic scale!

What ultimately elevates Alwyn’s Fantasia is his insightful writing for viola, which allows the exquisite tone of the instrument a solo voice, coupled with the brilliance and sensitivity of Lawrence Power’s solo performance. As a composer who created scores for Ministry of Information documentaries during the war and collaborated with Director Carol Reed in the years that followed, Alwyn is a fascinating figure and his inclusion in the programme certainly prompts curiosity and further exploration of his work.

As the closing work of the programme, Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante in E flat K364 had the entire audience transfixed. The elegance, eloquence and divine unity of the whole ensemble, together with exceptional performances by Jonathan Morton and Lawrence Power as soloists brought the evening to a satisfying and uplifting conclusion.

Such performances and programming actively redefine and amplify established repertoire, especially in contrast with contemporary works, heightening audience appreciation of both and expanding our perception of what Classical music and live experience in a concert hall can be. What makes Scottish Ensemble performances so exciting and their tours so anticipated is the element of discovery; through artistic collaboration with the world’s finest soloists, the commissioning of new works and consistently ingenious programming.

While larger orchestral season programming routinely presents aural wallpaper of deadening familiarity, the Scottish Ensemble are a beacon of illumination. Where else would you hear a newly commissioned work by a contemporary composer, the work of a neglected British composer and works by Haydn and Mozart as equal partners in a performance? Given the rapturous applause it would appear that there is a growing appetite for innovation and engagement with new and established repertoire, when given the opportunity to hear it so magnificently entwined.

© Georgina Coburn, 2012

Links

• Scottish Ensemble
• Lawrence Power
• Luke Bedford at Universal Edition