SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Beethoven, Turnage and Elgar:  Michael Collins (clarinet), London Philharmonic Orchestra. Marin Alsop, Royal Festival Hall, London 13.2.2008 (BB)

Beethoven: Symphony No.1 in C, op.21 (1800)
Mark-Anthony Turnage: Riffs and Refrains (2005) (London première)
Elgar: Symphony No.1 in Ab (1948)


On the strength of what I have just been privileged to hear, I have no hesitation in writing that Marin Alsop is a consummate Elgarian. Her reading of his 1^st Symphony this evening was bright and fresh, different from the tradition we are used to, the banner held by Barbirolli, Boult and Handley, but continuing the tradition into a new century, and a new generation of listeners and performers alike.

Elgar’s symphonic argument was always diffuse and it takes a sensitive, and intelligent, conductor to make sense of the structure and hold the music together coherently. Alsop was in total control from the opening bars, making the emotional roller-coaster mood swings and the mercurial tempo changes (often at a moment’s notice) sound logical and expected, yet holding in check the emotionalism of the glorious slow movement.

From the first statement of the motto theme, slightly underplayed and withdrawn, Alsop had her mind fixed firmly on her goal – the triumphant restatement of the motto 55 minutes later. She built the two major climaxes of the first movement with ease, the orchestra throwing itself at the music and loving it, bringing a new feeling to the massiveness of the construction. Then the coda, with distant statements of the motto from the back desks of the violins. Magical. The scherzo was a touch on the fast side, making the trio (“like something you hear down by the river”) rather breathless – and it sounded it – but it made sense in Alsop’s overall interpretation. Hopefully, though, Alsop will slightly re-think her ideas here. The great slow movement breathed release and calm – the muted trombones at the close were spectacular in their simplicity. The slow introduction to the finale (which, in a marvelously ludicrous statement in the programme book, “gestates pregnantly”!) gave way to a fiery allegro which grew in tension and excitement until the final appearance of the motto on the full orchestra, bold and grand. The audience went wild and so it should have. The LPO was on the very top of its current excellent form, the wind cool and pliant, the brass energetic, the strings soaring. Fantastic.

The first half started with Beethoven’s 1^st Symphony, Tovey’s description of it as a comedy of manners being well realized, in a performance of classical elegance (with all the repeats) which, despite employing a very large orchestra including eight cellos and six basses, sounded clear and precise and was never heavy. The wind band was superb.

The centrepiece was a newish Clarinet Concerto – Riffs and Refrains – by Composer in Residence Mark-Anthony Turnage written three years ago and here receiving its London première. A mercurial piece in two movements, fast and slow, Turnage exploited all the possibilities of the solo instrument in quick, rushing passagework, in the first movement, and long cantilena in the second. This is the best of Turnage and, for me, the most satisfying piece to come from him since Your Rockaby. A real winner.

Apart from a slight lack of high frequencies the sound was very good. A couple of times the full orchestra overpowered the soloist and, occasionally, in the Elgar the tutti sounded muddy, but the problems I experienced on my last visit to the hall were not as obvious this time. Of course, Alsop has conducted here before and has possibly had time to work out a way to make the acoustic work for her.

Alsop is an inspirational conductor, by which I mean that I have sometimes heard her work in the flesh and it has been overwhelming but on later hearing a recording of the performance it has been obvious that hers was an interpretation for the live moment – absolutely nothing wrong with that for that is the very stuff of live music making. This concert was recorded, by the LPO I believe, and it will be interesting to hear how the music making sounds on repeated hearings. I have the highest of hopes that we will have a new Elgar 1 to join Barbirolli, Boult and Handley in our affections, and on the CD shelf. Bravo!

Bob Briggs

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