SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Rossini, Respighi, Haydn, Beethoven: Mario Brunello (cello), Royal Scottish National Orchestra / Roberto Abbado (conductor) Edinburgh Festival Theatre, 21.01.2009 (SRT)

Rossini: William Tell Overture

Respighi: Adagio and Variations

Haydn: Cello Concerto No. 1

Beethoven: Symphony No. 5

The RSNO continued its tradition of bringing great guest conductors to Scotland in this concert.  Roberto Abbado is best known for his work in Bel Canto opera, and his stage experience showed in the Rossini overture that opened this concert.  He has an impeccable sense of pacing: this reading clearly led up to the exhilarating entry of the trumpet at the start of the gallop, but he allowed each section to breathe independently.  No part of this remarkable tone poem was made to feel like a mere curtain-raiser for the gallop.  The cellos produced a gorgeously mellow tone for the opening section, while the cor anglais soloist showed her virtuosity without trying to grab the limelight.  Most interesting, though, was the way Abbado drew all sort of exciting inflections from the strings during the gallop; small matters like the placing of an accent made a huge difference in adding colour.  Special mention to the RSNO trombones who added the chaotic power to the storm.

Mario Brunello joined for both the Respighi and Haydn.  It is very good to hear this exciting musician in Scotland and the Respighi Variations allowed his playing to unfurl magically.  The theme, expansive and melancholy, led to a series of ever more elaborate variations.  The impressionism of the central sections makes you think of Respighi’s French contemporaries, and the ending, while peaceful, gave the soloist plenty of opportunities to show off his dazzling technique.  This was even better in the Haydn, which was played in an unashamedly Romantic vein, with lots of vibrato (and all the better for it).  Again, Abbado’s pacing was perfectly judged for the outer movements in particular, though perhaps the slow movement could have had a little more space to breathe.  The pared down orchestra shone when he lit the touch paper under the perpetuum mobile finale, and Brunello’s bow danced magically over his strings.  He also brought some good touches of humour to his cadenzas with some arresting double-stopping, massive leaps and impossible runs. 

It was again the pacing, however, which was most striking about the Beethoven.  Abbado brought a good sense of attack to the opening, and the orchestral sound certainly captured the sense of struggle.  The tempo was surprisingly stately, however, sapping some of the drama.  The big climaxes of the second movement had undeniable power, but there were some ragged entries from the winds, and the pace became rather too “flexible”.  Perhaps this was part of a wider plan, though, because after the well judged transition from the scherzo, the opening of the finale achieved its power not only through the blaze of the added brass, but through a noticeable pick-up in the pace.  This only increased the sense of drive in this remarkable hymn of triumph without ever losing the underlying thrust that powers this movement.  The orchestra rose to the added challenge, and here the wind section did a fantastic job of drawing out the colourful details in the score.  So the sense of travelling from darkness into light was even more powerful, and surely no-one could complain as they went home with that sound ringing in their ears.

Simon Thompson