SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Beethoven: Hallé Orchestra, Christian Zacharias (conductor/piano), Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, 18.11.2010 (MC)

 
Beethoven - Overture: The Creatures of Prometheus (1801)
Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15 (1796/97)

Beethoven - Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 ‘Pastoral’ (1808)

One could have been excused for thinking this was a one man show with Christian Zacharias taking centre stage in all three Beethoven works. The German pianist/conductor is certainly a big personality but it would take a far bigger figure than Zacharias to upstage the music of Beethoven. For this Hallé concert Zacharias decided to conduct the concerto from the piano; he employed an authentic style orchestra layout and his strings used minimum vibrato. I’m not sure if Zacharias had decided on a period informed approach or was merely doing things his own way.

Initially a success for Beethoven at its Vienna premiere the ballet The Creatures of Prometheus is now only occasionally revived. The overture however has just about kept its place in the concert repertoire. In the ballet scenario the hero Prometheus brings two statues to life just as Zacharias brought this concert overture to life with a performance of buoyancy and vigour without totally letting rip.

I loved the performance of the Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major the earliest score of the evening to be composed. Conducting the Hallé whilst playing the lid-less piano Zacharias performed with exuberance and assured affection. On several occasions I feared that Zacharias might fall backwards off his stool such was his enthusiastic direction. Alert and confident in the high-spirited Allegro con brio the light and brisk passagework had the touch of real freshness. The introspection of the extended Largo was tenderly conveyed by Zacharias with time seeming to stand still in the appealing poetry of the writing. The movement also saw some splendidly warm contributions from the principal clarinet and horns. Uplifting and agitated the almost quirky Rondo: Finale saw Zacharias embark on a headlong dash to the finish line. I adored the delightful playing of the principal oboe and the horns were expertly tamed.

Beethoven’s love of nature and the countryside is reflected in his Symphony No.6 subtitled the ‘Pastoral’. Containing bucolic titles its five movements are principally sunlit in temperament. Zacharias’s generally enthusiastic and somewhat forced reading was punctuated by an abundance of fresh thoughts. I found the Scene by the Brook compelling and convincingly evocative with Zacharias prompting plenty of flowing motion. Depicting birds in the Coda the flute, oboe and clarinet are played with character and relish. With intensifying menace the Thunderstorm is a most spectacular portrayal. The concluding Shepherd’s Song an Allegretto is played with joyful engagement but disappointment struck in the extensive Coda as the flow felt stodgy and lacking in direction.

With Lyn Fletcher playing elsewhere the orchestra's Permanent Guest Leader Paul Barritt was leading the hard working and expressive Hallé. Projecting their sound superbly right to the corners of the hall, I was struck by the velvety smooth and resonant string section and the beautifully coloured woodwind playing was mouth watering. The audience gave generous appreciation to the multitasking Christian Zacharias for an exceptionally fine concert but it just missed out on being a glory day.

Michael Cookson