BBCSSO: Rachmaninov Symphony No.2

City Halls, Glasgow - 03/11/22 

Billed as ‘Heartfelt Dynamic Sumptuous Rachmaninov’, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Finnish guest conductor Hannu Lintu and welcoming his compatriot, violinist Elina Välhälä in her Scottish début, returned to Glasgow’s City Halls on the evening of 3rd November, with a programme of just two works, the lesser known Second of Shostakovich’s two Violin Concerti and Rachmaninov’s Symphony No.2, easily the most celebrated of the three (that bear the name ‘symphony’ – the Symphonic Dances are his Fourth Symphony in all but name).  The venue was thronged, its foyer resembling a railway station more than a concert hall, as I queued to pick up my ticket.  Enquiring from a helpful usher, I learned that the venue now offers discounted student tickets and the word had got around.  Programming audience-pleasing works, imaginative descriptive publicity, and now, actively attracting younger audiences – I heartily applaud the BBC in their mission to re-grow the concert-going public post-pandemic.  The auditorium was not full, but it was undoubtedly fuller than in recent weeks, and the buzz was palpable, while the start of the performance was delayed by about ten minutes to process the queues in the foyer. 

Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No.2 is mature Shostakovich at its very best, with copious self-quotation, notably from the 12th and 13th Symphonies and the 11th String Quartet.  The opening Moderato begins austerely on the lower strings, desultorily strolling through a desolate landscape.  The solo violin enters, strolling empathetically alongside at first, then offering its own narrative, occasionally baleful but also with moments of great tenderness, interspersed with animated dialogue with solo wind instruments and climactic passages of great emotional intensity.  From the start, it was clear that Elina Välhälä adores this work and she brought to it a deep commitment and understanding and the wealth of tone and technique to give it the fullest and most persuasive advocacy.  Her playing was not only characterful but also, aided by the perfect dynamic balance achieved by Shostakovich’s skilful scoring, Hannu Lintu’s direction and the excellent acoustic of the City Halls, limpidly clear.  The contrapuntal cadenza (yet again Shostakovich nodding to the Bach he revered and had studied in depth) was delicious, as were the dialogue with solo horn near the end of the movement and the interplay with tom-tom drum in the coda.  The Adagio was no less spellbinding, with some lovely dialogue between the solo violin and flute, timpani and horn again.  Shostakovich’s lifetime fascination, if not obsession, with the quaver + two semiquaver rhythm of the cavalry charge in Rossini’s ‘William Tell’ overture, resurfaces reversed in the three-note motif that launches and permeates the raucous romp that is the Allegro finale, tossed backwards and forwards between the soloist and various instruments of the orchestra, and after a reel-like episode, eventually nailed to the floor by the timpani as if to say “that’s enough of that”.  I expect this spirited reading of the concerto was a first hearing for many in the audience and it is hard to think of a more persuasive introduction to this neglected masterwork.  Superb. 

It is the also the BBC that I have to thank for my first encounter with Rachmaninov’s glorious Second Symphony, specifically in a series on BBC2 in the 1970s when André Previn with the LSO talked about great orchestral works, illustrating his talk from the podium, before delivering a performance.  It blew me away then in my teens and has remained a firm favourite ever since, its modern popularity probably stemming from Previn’s ardent advocacy then and his resolute refusal to perform it with the cuts introduced by other (I would say lesser) conductors. 

The E-minor Largo introduction seems at first to echo the archetypal Russian world-weariness of ‘Eugene Onegin’ and, despite a climax which subsides, this mood seems to carry into the first theme of the Allegro Moderato.  The second theme is sunnier in the major and the movement explores passions dark and light.  We were guided through this emotional roller coaster by Hannu Lintu’s flawless vision of structure, pace and expressive possibilities, and the musicians of the BBCSSO played their hearts out for him.  I am delighted as ever to note that the exposition repeat was honoured.  The Allegro molto scherzo, with its tinkling glockenspiel comments and fugato central section, was as dramatic and driven as I have heard.  But it was the slow movement, with its exquisite haunting long-line melodies with delayed cadences (foreshadowing – and I apologise for any unintended planting of earworms – “Falling in Love Again” and “My Way”) that the performance became truly transcendental.  The joyous Allegro vivace finale, with its carnival atmosphere but not without a passionate quintessentially Russian “grand tune”, and one of the best codas in all symphonic music, was delivered with life-affirming energy.  The applause was thunderous and sustained and, worthy of note, the musicians of the orchestra joined in with much foot-stamping in appreciation of a conductor who has clearly won their esteem and affection. 

Rachmaninov’s Second is by any reckoning a long work, taking typically just over an hour to perform.  It did not seem long.  It felt just right.  This was a very fine evening of the highest quality of collaborative music making and a joy for audience and performers alike and I very much look forward to the next opportunity to catch Hannu Lintu conducting.