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Prom 75, Wagner, Penderecki and Beethoven: Emma Bell (soprano), Jane Irwin (mezzo), Timothy Robinson (tenor), Iain Paterson (bass-baritone). BBC Philharmonic; City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus, Gianandrea Noseda (conductor) Royal Albert Hall London 12.9.2008 (MMB)

Wagner – Parsifal: Prelude to Act I
Penderecki – Threnody ‘For the Victims of Hiroshima’
Beethoven – Elegischer Gesang, Op. 118; Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 ‘Choral’


Prom 75, the penultimate of 2008, saw the traditional yearly performance of Beethoven’s mighty Symphony No. 9, with its strong humanistic message and its indomitable quest for joy. As ever, the “Choral” never fails to fill the Royal Albert Hall, which was absolutely packed even in the arena where it was difficult for people to breathe let alone move!

The first part of the concert was a relatively brief affair, with three short pieces being performed, lasting 28 minutes in total.  Wagner’s Prelude to Act I of Parsifal  set the humanistic theme of the Prom, introducing the compassionate spiritual journey of the young Parsifal whose virtue eventually becomes the salvation of the Knights of the Holy Grail. The BBC Philharmonic under Noseda’s leadership delivered a suitably ethereal, almost ghostly, performance although Noseda did not appear totally at ease with the piece. This was followed by Penderecki’s Threnody, which is a tribute to the victims of Hiroshima. I am familiar with some of Penderecki’s compositions but this was not one of them and while curious, I was unsure of what to expect and I listened to it with mixed feelings. Some of its sounds are extreme but also very effective, as for example the moment where the cellos distinctly recall the threatening sound of bombers approaching and then fading into the distance. On the other hand, I could not help but agree with what Frank Howes, a journalist from The Times, wrote around 1960 about this piece (quoted in the programme notes) saying that “the Threnody called on the string players to do everything with their instruments short of actually playing them!" For this is the way in which the piece comes across: one hears and watches as the musicians hit, slap and scratch their instruments instead of playing them in a more conventional manner. The piece does carry strong emotional significance but this is only apparent when you associate it with Hiroshima and what happened there; a fact that becomes even stranger when you remember that Penderecki (according to his own words) originally created and named the work in a very abstract manner, simply 8’ 37”. It was only after he had listened to it being performed, that the composer grasped the emotional charge of his music and eventually dedicated it to the victims of the Hiroshima bomb. Cleverly, Noseda decided to have this work followed, without a break, by Beethoven’s Elegischer Gesang, another memorial piece, composed in memory of Baron von Pasqualati’s wife, Eleonore, who died at the age of twenty-four. Beethoven’s music is poignantly sad and moving. He originally conceived it for solo voices and a string quartet but during this concert it was performed by  string orchestra and chorus, reinforcing its touching message. Penderecki’s modern threnody and Beethoven’s classical one went together beautifully and the pairing was very powerful, turning the couped works  into a memorable tribute to the memory of all innocent victims of atrocities around the world. The BBC Philharmonic’s rendition was faultless here as was Noseda’s direction. He chose to conduct without a baton during the first part of the concert, making him all the more fascinating to watch. His gestures, like much of the music, were tender, his fingers moving with such grace and  elegant expressiveness that I was continuously reminded of ballet, a dimension of experience which effectively added to the sensitivity of the three pieces in the concert's first half.

After the interval, it was time for the always welcome Beethoven Symphony No. 9, a work  as striking today as it was when first written. Significantly, Gianandrea Noseda returned with a baton, possibly to mark the difference between the nearly ephemeral compositions of the first half and the  power of the ‘Choral’ symphony.  However often I hear this work, I am still inclined to think of it as one of the greatest (if not the greatest) symphonies ever written. Its strengths lie not only in the innovative choral setting (for its time)  of the fourth movement but also in its positive, uplifting call for human unity and the joy it can bring. This is in part due to Schiller’s poem which in itself is extremely musical, with its four line stanzas and alternating perfect metrics;  the first and third verses always have nine syllables while the second and fourth contain eight. It seems to me that the poem's strict rhythms actually enhance the beauty of the language, reinforcing the message and making the text perfect to be set to music. Beethoven's use of it is not only a glorious, resounding tribute to the positive qualities of mankind but  is made the more powerful by the contrast with the dark beginnings of the first movement and the lyrical melodies of the third.

Gianandrea Noseda is one of the most energetic and exuberant conductors I have ever seen. His enthusiasm for Beethoven’s music is very obvious and also contagious. He jumps and dances, bends his knees, moves his arms in grand dramatic gestures and literally lives the music as if he was a physical part of the score. The orchestra, the soloists and, most of all, the chorus were in perfect tune with his direction and delivered a splendid, and at times fresh, performance of this most celebrated of symphonies. The first movement was dark and majestic, the second vibrant. Noseda’s third movement was in a slightly slower tempo than some other interpretations but this fact made it subtler, enhancing its lyrical qualities. For the fourth and final movement however, he  unleashed the power of the orchestra and the chorus completely. The BBC Philharmonic and Noseda were brilliant throughout, delivering the mighty score in a sophisticated manner. The four soloists were also accomplished, in particular soprano Emma Bell and bass-baritone Iain Paterson. Mezzo Jane Irwin sang strongly and tenor Timothy Robinson delivered his part with grace and clarity though his voice is light and faded a little on a couple of occasions. The most impressive and magnificent performance however, truly belonged to the wonderful City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus who sang the entire fourth movement from memory, delivering the text with incredible power and crystal clear pronunciation that would make even a native German speaker envious.

On the whole, Prom 75 was a very enjoyable event leading perfectly to the traditional romp of the last night.

Margarida Mota-Bull


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