SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Tüür, Adès, Saariaho and Sibelius: Thomas Gould (violin), London Contemporary Orchestra, Hugh Brunt (conductor) LSO St Lukes London 15.6.2008 (CR)


The London Contemporary Orchestra is a young ensemble, both in terms of its players (who are mostly recent graduates and current students) and its formation (this is the ensemble’s debut season).  In the current climate, it is impressive that an orchestra of this kind can be formed, and the orchestra’s Artistic Directors, violist Robert Ames and conductor Hugh Brunt are to be congratulated for their endeavours. It is exciting to find that such enthusiasm for contemporary repertoire exists and that there are people willing to invest the necessary determination and hard work to make concerts such as these happen. Contrary also to reports that the British concert-going generation is a dying breed, I spotted many under 35s in the healthy sized audience. I have a good feeling about the state of contemporary music in this country, despite the lack of funding. With enough determination and the contemporary music community pulling together to help each other, the future is bright.

The concert was well programmed, and performed with assured technical control. Under Brunt’s baton, Tüür’s Searching for Roots (Homage to Sibelius) was given a convincing London premiere. This was a well-conceived work which begins with high pitched clusters on flutes and glockenspiels and undergoes a gradual transition through the orchestra’s pitch range until the atmospheric end, heard in a blend of cellos and low percussion. The playing was precise and well rehearsed, showing an understanding of the repertoire which bubbled with youthful enthusiasm.

I was slightly less convinced by Saariaho’s Nymphea Reflection. This is a wonderful work, initially approached as a reworking of her string quartet, Nymphea, but eventually becoming a new work in its own right, using Nymphea as its starting point. Saariaho uses contemporary string techniques combined with creative orchestration to recreate the sound of live electronics, despite the absence of any actual processing. The work is in six parts, each capturing a different mood, as described in the movement’s title. The playing was, once again, assured and precise, with some excellent accented passages breaking through the texture and some carefully performed solos from the section leaders. Mention should also be made of the double bass section, who excelled throughout. The performance as a whole, though, lacked the poetic emotion that one associates with Saariaho; it was not until the magical opening of the sixth movement with its cello trills and whispered texts that the music came to life.

Adès’s Violin Concerto is a tantalizing piece, full of character and charm. The baroque-influenced opening movement was thoroughly enjoyable, with Gould’s dazzling solo violin surrounded by a warm orchestral sound. The second movement forms the centrepiece of this triptych, and is altogether heavier, both musically and emotionally.  The opening punctuated chords were played with precise ensemble and a well blended sound, combined with perfect intonation. The solo lines were expressively played and had the sense of being a single voice among the crowd, with the orchestral material supporting effectively.  There were some beautifully performed solos from the flute section, and some impressive playing from the horn section. The musical direction was maintained well, except for a few central moments when the full orchestral sound overpowered the soloist. There were some breathtaking and powerful moments, taking in a whole range of emotions, leading to the end with its wonderfully hypnotic and transfixing repetitions of pitch sets. The final movement is much lighter, with changing time signatures and ritualistic drumming. The solo part was well controlled, with its long lines giving a melancholy contemplation to the proceedings. This was an excellent performance, with a soloist who commands attention and performs with style.

The final work in the programme was Sibelius’s Tapiola. Contemporary in its outlook, it is a musically challenging piece which is as far-reaching as it is beautiful. The orchestra’s approach here was as one would expect for a Sibelius Tone Poem – richly sonorous, full of expression and hinting at romantic (I would be very interested to hear them play the Saariaho with the same approach). This was an all-consuming performance, with clear phrasing and well placed accents. There was some excellent playing from all sections of the orchestra and the piece provided a finale to the concert of which these players deserved to be proud.

This was the second of London Contemporary Orchestra’s concerts this season; their next performance contains music by Holt, Cole and Alexander on 6^th September. See www.lcorchestra.co.uk

Carla Rees


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