Certainly
no ‘easy listening’ here. If you thought you
knew Petrushka, Knussen was on hand
to grab you by the throat (decibels galore)
and demand you listen afresh. Inspiring the
BBC Symphony Orchestra to heights they should
surely climb more regularly (the security
of the high ‘cellos near the beginning was
quite remarkable), it was not only the composer’s
ear for detail that Knussen brought to this
Stravinsky. The canvas of Petrushka
was painted in bright, garish colours, while
gestures were positively graphic. Energy and
volume were at a premium and nothing was given
in half-measures (including the double-bassoon
‘farts’). Rhythms were spot-on (the famous
‘Russian Dance’ leapt off the page), textures
buzzed with energy (the opening of the fourth
Tableau, ‘The Shrovetide Fair, Evening’, was
a living cloud of sound). Individual soloists
and sections excelled themselves – special
mention should perhaps go to the slithery
bitonal clarinets of ‘In Petrushka’s Cell’.
The
1947 version of the score, which was on display
here, is often described as ‘leaner’ or ‘more
slimmed-down’ than the original, perhaps implying
an element of watering-down, yet Knussen had
the BBCSO play it for all it is worth. A wonderfully
entertaining and consistently illuminating
performance, but admittedly one that did not
erase memories of Temirkanov
and the LSO
in this hall in September last year – but
give me Turnage and Varèse as evening
partners over the Nutcracker any day!
There
seems to be no stopping Mark-Anthony Turnage
(and long may he continue). His viola concerto,
On Opened Ground gained its inspirational
spark from Seamus Heaney (Opened Ground
is the title of Heaney’s Selected Poems, 1966-96)
and is a clear example of Turnage’s lyric
impulse. Premièred in Cleveland in
2002 (with Yuri Bashmet as soloist), this
was its first UK performance. Having Lawrence
Power as soloist enabled the work to be heard
in the best possible light. Power lives up
to his surname (sharing with Bashmet the ability
to project huge character through an instrument
often thought of as somewhat reticent). Not
only that, he is remarkably musical, consistently
freeing and illuminating Turnage’s lines.
Physically, on stage he is very mobile (perhaps
distractingly so).
On
Opened Ground is in two movements, each
subdivided – Cadenza and Scherzino; Interrupted
Song and Chaconne. Accents on brass were incisively
delivered after an explosive initial cadenza.
The high, sweet lines of the Interrupted Song
were presented in a lyric arch (definite Britten
influence in this section), punctuated by
an orchestral ‘cry’. Compositionally, the
concluding Passacaglia is the score’s highest
achievement. The (ascending) Passacaglia theme
creeps in on subterranean double basses and
builds to a highly rhythmic climax. The colouring
of this entire section is dark and ultimately
disturbing. Turnage, once more, does not fail
to deliver.
Finally,
a rare performance of Varèse’s Arcana
(1925-7, rev. 1960). This work is scored for
huge orchestra (a veritable football
eleven makes up the percussion section) and
is utterly uncompromising in its delivery
of viscerally felt, dense blocks of sound
and nightmarish shrieks. There is a Stravinskian
elementalism to the orchestral colour. Massive
pitch aggregates and glittering, seething
energy made for an exhilarating quarter of
an hour that closed an exciting and stimulating
concert. Knussen’s qualities as conductor
just seem to multiply, while his programming
is always illuminating, shining like a good
deed in a predominantly dull world.
Colin
Clarke
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