Bamberger Symphoniker: Brahms, Dvorak

Usher Hall 7/8/24

Bamberger Symphoniker, Jakub Hrůša conductor

Isabelle Faust violin, Sol Gabetta cello

Brahms Double Concerto, Dvořák Ninth Symphony

 The second concert of the Bamberger Symphoniker’s Residency was a more mainstream programme, and they were rewarded with a full house, with even the organ gallery packed. We were not disappointed, as this fine orchestra, with their charismatic chief conductor, Jakub Hrůša, played brilliantly.

The concert consisted of two pieces. In the first half, we heard Johannes Brahms’ late Double Concerto for violin and cello, followed after the interval by Dvořák’s much loved Ninth Symphony, ‘From the New World’.

Brahms wrote the Double Concerto in 1887 for the Gürzenich Orchestra in Cologne, the cellist, Robert Hausmann, and his old friend and collaborator, Joseph Joachim, the great violinist from whom he had become estranged after a messy divorce during which Brahms sided with the ex-wife! This concerto was seen as a clear sign of atonement on Brahms’ part, and was the composer’s last large scale orchestral work. After a strong introduction in the orchestra, the cello enters in a gruff recitative style, only to be joined in sweeter partnership by the violin. Brahms was referring back to the baroque concerto grosso form in this work, also with nods to Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante and Beethoven’s Triple Concerto. He clearly was more interested in the harmonious inter-relationship between the two instruments than any pursuit of virtuosic fireworks.

This may be the reason why this concerto is only rarely played, as it lacks much sense of drama and  excitement, and indeed, although well-played by the Bambergers and the two renowned soloists, Isabelle Faust and Sol Gabetta, I felt the performance seemed somewhat lacking. The two instrumentalists were clearly having fun playing together and their rapport with the conductor was evident, but there was little sparkle on stage, and for me, there was a balance problem, with the violin much softer than the cello.

Things perked up after the interval, as the orchestra demonstrated its attachment to its country of origin. The Symphoniker was created after WWII when the players of the German Philharmonic in Prague met up with other exiles in Bamberg in Bavaria. With the Czech, Jakub Hrůša, chief conductor since 2016, at the helm, the music of the quintessentially Bohemian composer, Antonin Dvořák, came alive in their hands. No matter how often one hears the New World Symphony, it never fails to deliver, and this was a very good performance indeed.

The question I always ask myself is how much the melodies are reflections on the wide open spaces of America, the indigenous tunes the composer was sent during his time there and his awareness of the legacy of African/American spirituals, or the folk tunes of his Bohemian homeland. I suppose the answer is a mixture of everything, and perhaps therein lies the extraordinary appeal of this wonderful symphony. There was great playing throughout the orchestra, with special praise for the horn and cor anglais in their big moments, and Mr Hrůša’s marvellously expressive conducting was truly inspiring. I know my friends among the singers at Covent Garden are excited at the prospect of this powerhouse conductor taking over as Musical Director there in September 2025.

I’m sorry to end with a moan, but once again the £10 Souvenir Programme failed to provide any information whatsoever about the Brahms concerto. What’s the point of an expensive programme which tells you nothing about half the concert?