Photo, Chris Christodoulou
Wednesday, August 9, 2023
Royal Albert Hall, London
John Storgårds is currently doing well with First Symphonies; last week it was Sibelius’s, https://www.colinscolumn.com/bbc-proms-2023-prom-26-bbc-philharmonic-john-storgards-conducts-gerald-barrys-kafkas-earplugs-sibeliuss-first-symphony-with-james-ehnes-playing-waltons-violin-concerto-live-on-bbc-radi/, and, now, Rachmaninov’s (1897/1945), its history regarding a poor premiere – conductor Glazunov drunk or not – a critical mauling, and a despondent composer seems more about A telling B, B telling C, and so on, with myths created and passed on. ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._1_(Rachmaninoff).
Storgårds believes in the piece, the BBC Philharmonic in top form, to reveal the Symphony’s power, passion, sepulchral romance, wistful half-lights and festive fire – it might end loudly but is not triumphant, more about descending to an inhospitable place, from where no escape, and he was especially successful in bringing out the music’s volatility, and throughout without the touchings-up as favoured by, say, Rozhdestvensky or Jurowski, every bit as compelling during ‘Rachmaninov 150’ as David Robertson conducting the Symphony in Helsinki, as below, and Leonard Slatkin’s permanence in Detroit, https://www.colinscolumn.com/leonard-slatkin-and-the-detroit-symphony-orchestra-record-rachmaninovs-three-symphonies-plus-for-naxos/.
The concert opened with the Overture to Oberon, written for London by Weber and which proved to be his final manuscript, the already ill composer finally losing out to the labour of composing it and then conducting performances of the opera. Storgårds led a lived-in, exhilarating and flexible account of magical music that is always engaging and timeless.
Then Sarah Connolly brought her bespoke artistry to settings by Alma Mahler (née Schindler, who followed marriage to Mahler with nuptials to Walter Gropius then Franz Werfel) and Dora Pejačević, the latter a Countess among composers. Dora was on first, four short songs, rather lovely, picturesque and expressive, whether flittering butterflies, something darker, or about love, each attractively and revealingly scored by her. The three settings by Alma (with piano) were orchestrated by Colin & David Matthews with much skill and sympathy, the music perhaps less penetrable if rewarding, maybe suggestive of Richard Strauss in stage-work mode. All seven numbers were persuasively performed, words and music as-one, pictures painted, characters created.
There was no interval, the Rachmaninov followed…
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001p7z4
Pejačević: Zwei Schmetterlingslieder Op.52, Verwandlung Op.37, Liebeslied Op.39
Alma Mahler-Werfel (orch C and D Matthews) Die stille Stadt, Licht in der Nacht, Bei dir ist es traut
It is easy to give audiences a hard time when they cough, splutter and clap at very opportunity but can we give last night’s audience for Storgards and the BBCPO wonderful concert (I was there and do agree, Colin with every word of your review) every possible credit for indulging in none of these objectionable practices. Wonderful.
I have it on good authority the Mahler song orchestrations were all by David. Just in case anyone wondered!
And very good they were especially the gong closing Licht in der Nacht.
Just for additional help Sibelius also set Die stille Stadt in his German cycle Op 50 (1906).
Another triumph for Storgards in Rach 1, a terrifying piece deserving our respect.
Not a full house but a well behaved one.
I travelled up to London from Bath for this concert.
What a privilege to hear these rare songs sung so effortlessly evocatively by one of the worlds great mezzos.
Having not heard the Rachmaninov 1st symphony since 1986 with Atherton, I was more than hungry to hear again and wasn’t disappointed!
The BBC Philharmonic were absolutely stupendous in the deft hands of Sorgards, weaving the narrative of the musical characters in every minutae from the opening drama to it’s inevitable, hair raising and inevitable conclusion.
After this great performance, I’m inclined to believe the D minor Symphony is Rachmaninov’s Magnum Opus and
I thank God I was there.