Noseda and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra opened with a
light and airy Overture from Borodin’s Prince Igor that perhaps lacked that last degree of Russian
flavour, something that couldn’t be said of their performance of Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances which were
full of Russianness with Noseda and the BBC PO providing some beautifully
idiomatic playing. The orchestra were on top form in the boisterous sections
with some terrific playing from the BBC PO woodwinds section.
Whilst not as popular as his third piano concerto, Prokoviev’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor
Op.16 is in many ways equally fine. Perhaps it is the sheer technical
difficulties that mitigate against it. French pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet www.bavouzet.com was certainly up for the challenge with some
lovely playing in the deceptively broad and simple opening to the Andantino. When the Allegretto arrived, Bavouzet showed lovely phrasing, with playing
that was well-paced and intensely virtuosic in this fiendishly difficult
movement. Just occasionally, Bavouzet sounded a little exposed in some of the
huge chords but in the short second movement Scherzo: Vivace he showed sparkling pin point accuracy. The Intermezzo: Allegro Moderato received a
fiery performance with Bavouzet fully in command of Prokoviev’s metronomic rhythms
and Noseda and the BBC PO giving some terrific support. The Finale: Allegro tempestuoso with its almost
manic opening had one on the edge of one’s seat. Bavouzet’s beautiful playing
of the quieter moments was lovely and the way that pianist and orchestra built
the music up slowly was brilliantly done. The cadenza was magically conceived,
building as it did from poetic to virtuoso before rushing manically to the
formidable coda with Bavouzet on terrific form.
Bavouzet really brought out the poetry in Prokoviev’s
concerto, showing himself to be a poet as well as a virtuoso pianist.
The second half of tonight’s Prom featured the World
Premiere of British composer, Edward Cowie’s www.edward-cowie.com Earth Music 1: The Great Barrier Reef, a
BBC Commission. Crashing orchestral sounds with percussion opened the work,
conjuring up a massive seascape. There were many lovely individual instrumental
sounds as the music calmed and quietened with Cowie magically evoking the ocean
depths by use of repeated descending phrases and delicate orchestral sounds. There
was always the feeling of activity within the quieter moments with the music
rising and falling before quiet muted brass led to a magical coda with hushed orchestra
and woodwind flourishes.
The evening ended with a terrific performance of Tchaikovsky’s
Symphony No. 2 in C Minor Op. 17 ‘Little
Russian’. Noseda gave us a lovely broad Andante
Sostenuto with a very Slavic flavour. As the movement developed with the Allegro Vivo, Noseda and the BBC PO
proved to be a formidable combination with gutsy playing, taut and dynamic.
There was a beautifully taut second movement with its well-known march theme
and a beautifully developed string theme where Noseda and the orchestra brought
out so much of Tchaikovsky’s wonderful orchestration. A vibrantly rhythmic Allegro Molto Vivace followed, full of
life with a playful trio section. There was a fabulous finale with the BBC PO
blazing out in the opening before the lovely jaunty little melody that
contrasts. Noseda and the BBC PO were a delight as Tchaikovsky’s orchestral
variations worked to combine the two themes before the tam tam heralded a tremendous
coda.
This was another fine concert in what is turning out to be a
memorable season.
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