Saturday, August 3, 2024
Royal Albert Hall, London
It’s worth exploring beyond The Planets and not just in ‘Holst 150’ year (the composer born on September 21, 1874). Inspired by a Sanskrit poem, translated by Holst, The Cloud Messenger (1913) anticipates patterns and colorations that would come to the fore in the planetary movements, also exotically, and if there is some inconsistency during the setting, there is much to relish, especially in such a fine performance as this, with Jess Dandy proving that contraltos still exist and the BBC Symphony Chorus impressively in-flight narratively.
The concert opened with music by Jonathan Harvey (1939-2012) – I once sat next to him at an informal gathering, a very interesting and equally nice man – his Buddhism-related Tranquil Abiding, atmospheric and expressive, with a distinctive sound-world (including tuned gongs) if not always as meditative as the title might suggest, albeit conjuring a very specific place, possibly at the edge of the World, where loneliness and icy mists bring their own solace. (If unfamiliar, do try Harvey’s compelling Madonna of Winter and Spring; see below.)
I make no effort these days to seek out Elgar’s mega-ubiquitous Cello Concerto, but if it comes my way… I’m very glad this one did, a noble, eloquent account from Senja Rummukainen, with attractive, nicely varied, grainy tone and consistently musical phrasing drawing the listener in, grateful for the lack of exaggeration and histrionics, with a real sense of the composer’s personal regret apparent in the final few minutes, aided by a tailor-made accompaniment throughout from Sakari Oramo and the BBCSO, which only added to the allure. Rummukainen’s fluttering encore was by Kaija Saariaho, butterfly-related.
Apart from Holst, anniversary composers this year include Bruckner and Schoenberg, catered for somewhat at the Proms, but nothing for Luigi Nono (centenary); never mind No, No, Nanette, it’s more no, no, Nono.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0021jp4