Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
Usher Hall 6/3/25
Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Mark Wigglesworth conductor, Alena Baeva violin
Kindly supported by the Honorary Consulate of Finland, Edinburgh and Glasgow
A few weeks before his annual three-concert residency, Pekka Kuusisto had to withdraw from the first two for personal reasons. Impressively the Scottish Chamber Orchestra have found two internationally acclaimed replacements at short notice for tonight’s concert, the conductor Mark Wigglesworth and the violinist Alena Baeva. (Because Pekka Kuusisto intended to direct the orchestra as well as play, two replacements were required) The original schedule of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, Freya Waley-Cohen’s ‘Pocket Cosmos’ and Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony has been retained, and the printed and online programmes amended.
Attendance is excellent and there’s a large orchestra on stage including two modern trumpets, four modern horns and two trombones for the Tchaikovsky, awaiting Mark Wigglesworth and Alena Baeva. The violinist, who was born in Kyrgyztan, of Slavic and Tatar heritage, has lived in Luxembourg since 2010,9and is now a naturalised citizen) and has gathered rave reviews on her appearances world-wide. In a striking deep pink dress (its fuller-than-full length expertly negotiated in higher-than-high heels!) she begins a brilliant and nuanced account of the concerto. Last week SCO Chorus Director Gregory Batsleer spoke of getting into ‘all the corners” of the Fauré Requiem in rehearsals. You feel that Alena Baeva has benefited from a similar exploration, for example, the delicacy of her solo rallentandos in the first movement before orchestra re-entries. A breath-taking cadenza exploring the highest and lowest notes on the instrument comes just over half way through the first movement, before a lovely passage with flutes begins a generally slower exploration of the themes, before the increased tempos lead to the movement’s swift conclusion.
Affectionate detail is the keynote of the short second movement, marked cansonetta: andante. The soloist spins her gentle melody – a “very Russian song” David Kettle says in his programme notes – while underneath the strings and higher winds play softly until rising scales and a gradual accelerando lead without a break into the finale: allegro vivacissimo. The conductor sets a pace which engages orchestra and soloist in a mischievous chase, part of which requires the quickest pizzicato I’ve ever seen in the accompanying violins, Eventually she slows for the heavy chords at the start of a czardas (or similar dance). Principal viola Max Mandel smiles his enjoyment of this deft detail. The concerto was probably inspired by Tchaikovsky’s love for a young protégé, and Alena Malaeva pays attention to the poignancy in the score, until the rapid chase and the heavy-footed dance join to swirl her to the end. The cheers start immediately and go until Alena Malaeva plays a simple folk tune as an encore.
After the interval Louise Lewis Goodwin moves from her timpani at the side of the stage to join fellow percussionist Kate Openshaw on a pair of marimbas (I’d guess) at the back of the orchestra. The evocative sounds of the percussion has a key role in British composer Freya Waley-Cohen’s 2022 ‘Pocket Cosmos’. In her notes to the work, she says that poet and science-fiction writer Ursula K Le Guin’s comment, “I guess I’m trying to subjectify the universe, because look where objectifying it has gotten us”, was in her mind as she composed. “’Pocket Cosmos’ starts off in objectivity and hurtles towards the subjective.” There’s plenty of busy-ness for the large orchestra in the first half of the work, disjointed phrases lying over the chatter of the marimbas. This restless feeling is overtaken by some challenging brass threats later, though the work ends melodically with bird song in the woodwind and rain drops in the percussion, in the end a reassuring subjective description of the cosmos! The composer acknowledges the applause from her seat in the Circle.
Not only has the SCO found a star replacement conductor but they’ve chosen one who knows Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony by heart, and Mark Wigglesworth conducts the work without a score. Trombones leave the stage while the horn-players and trumpeters exchange their silver instruments for period ones: the symphony was probably written in 1806 for Count von Opersdorff’s private orchestra which was too small for the symphony Beethoven had already begun (which became his Fifth). The more compact orchestra gives a light feel to the orchestration and Mark Wigglesworth’s knowledge of the piece inspires a sense of spontaneity in the players. There’s certainly a willingness (and of course the technical ability) to take risks with speeds. The second movement adagio has a long slow melody in the higher strings and woodwinds in the Mozartian tradition, but this is often accompanied, by a dotted rhythm on brass and timpani. Out of this a melody on flute breaks free and woodwind take over until the loud, very brief conclusion to the movement. Both the allegro vivace third movement and the allegro ma non troppo finale have heartily rhythmic main themes alternating with syncopated sections. The ma non troppo (not too much) in the indications for the last movement is disregarded by Mark Wigglesworth, who takes the orchestra on a dizzying race. The woodwind have a few perky interventions but otherwise it’s a hold-your-hats relentless pursuit to the end. An exhilarating performance which is very much appreciated by the audience.
Photo credit George Etheredge
