BBCSSO: Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2
City Halls, Glasgow - 15/02/24
Ludovic Morlot, conductor | Boris Giltburg, piano
After a three-week gap, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra resumed the Thursday night concert series in Glasgow’s City Halls under the baton of French conductor Ludovic Morlot, Music Director of the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, on 15th February. The tagline on the programme, “Escape into Piano Heaven”, referred to the principal work after the interval, Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.2, with Boris Giltburg as soloist, though on the day after Valentine’s, more earthly passions predominated in the music. The Rachmaninov was preceded by the UK premiere of a BBC commission from Roxanna Panufnik, ‘Alma’s Songs Without Words’, a wordless reimagining of 3 lieder by Alma Mahler. Tchaikovsky’s symphonic poem after Dante, ‘Francesca da Rimini’, dominated the first half, preceded by Puccini’s ‘Preludio sinfonico’. The concert was introduced by Kate Molleson and broadcast live on Radio 3. Italian conductor and Music Director of the Richmond Symphony in Virginia, Valentina Peleggi, who was instrumental in the commissioning of the Panufnik, was to have conducted and her name appeared on the programme, so we were surprised to hear Kate introducing Ludovic with no mention, much less explanation, of the change. For the first time in quite a while, the auditorium was packed and tickets to the choir balcony had been sold, so the hall was alive with the legendary expectant ‘Glasgow buzz’. For a moment, I thought I saw Laura Samuel back in the Leader’s chair, but it was a new Guest Leader, Lucy Gould, violinist of the Gould Piano Trio and principal second violin of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe.
Puccini’s 1882 ‘Preludio sinfonico’ is a youthful work, from his early 20s when he was still studying at the Milan Conservatory. The influence of Wagner is evident, but so is an individual voice, with skill in writing for all sections of the orchestra, especially warm shimmering strings and powerful passionate brass, with an ever-present arresting theatricality. It was immediately evident that the BBCSSO were playing their hearts out for Ludovic, revealing a strong and committed rapport and boding well for the rest of the programme. Two powerful climaxes in the music showed the ensemble on top form, while the afterglow in the closing pages boded well for the chamber elements of the concerto. A very satisfying first hearing for me of a great concert-opener.
Nobody combines the portrayal of stormy passions, guilt-ridden anguish and the inexorability of fate quite as effectively as Tchaikovsky but, in his 1877 ‘Francesca da Rimini’, he excelled even himself. Tritones and diminished sevenths abound. Ludovic and the orchestra were ‘in the zone’ from the outset and delivered a blistering performance of the masterpiece. Yann Ghiro’s love-theme clarinet solo in the calmer central section was touchingly lovely and blossomed exquisitely into fabulous phrasing in the strings. Back out into the raging storm, the white heat of the brass’ chromatic coda was superb. The applause from the Glasgow audience was tumultuous. And we still had the Rachmaninov to come.
It was Valentina Peleggi who introduced Roxanna Panufnik to the Lieder of Alma Mahler and suggested arranging them for large orchestra. In each of the three songs that Roxanna selected, she has given the vocal line to one section of the orchestra and the accompaniment to the rest. After an ethereal introduction of violin harmonics, the cellos sing the melody of the first song, ‘Hymne’, while the harmonically rich accompaniment features captivating orchestral colour, such as trumpet solo, harp, celeste and tubular bells, sometimes like Gustav Mahler and sometimes more Elgarian. A central climax with a very full orchestral sound gives way to a calm conclusion with a plagal cadence as befits a hymn. The second song, ‘Ansturm’, is indeed stormy, bass drum rolls evoking distant thunder while swirling strings provide the howling of the wind. It is the oboes and cor anglais that provide the vocal line in this shorter song. After a transition, the final song, another hymn, ‘Hymne an die Nacht’, features the horns, muted at first, then unmuted and fervent. I’ve said it before but it bears repeating: I am in awe of the horns of the BBCSSO. A lovely violin solo from Lucy and the rest of the violins join in delicious harmony. The piece concludes with church bells emulated by harp, celeste and tubular bells. It is a super piece that makes me want to explore Alma’s music and especially her Lieder. It was well-received by the Glasgow audience and they cheered loudly when Roxanna came to the stage to acknowledge the applause.
In the 2022 East Neuk Festival, I had the pleasure and privilege of enjoying Boris Giltburg appearing with the Pavel Haas Quartet and members thereof to perform two of Dvořák’s piano trios, the 2nd of his piano quintets and the Brahms Piano Quintet. I was blown away by the quality of his chamber musicianship and the evident closeness of his artistic partnership with the string players. I have also commented more than once on the excellence of the wind players in our Scottish orchestras in exploiting the opportunities for musical dialogue with the soloist when playing concerti. So, I knew that the Rachmaninov would be good. Well, it wasn’t ‘good’; it was absolutely phenomenal. Even the opening solo chords were phrased to perfection, generating expectation of the impassioned noble string melody that follows. Rubato was delicious and served the expression without excessive theatricality. There was great playing from the horns, as ever, with a lovely solo from Lauren Reeve-Rawlings. Mutually responsive phrasing made the music narrate a love story. The climax of the first movement was thrilling, while the accelerando in the coda was finely judged. Yann’s second radiant clarinet solo of the evening introduced the main theme of the slow movement over Boris’ gently syncopated arpeggiated triplets, then they swapped roles, in a tender lovesong. The minor key episode was elegantly pointed. The faster section and the cadenza were thrillingly virtuosic, while the muted strings shimmered in the close of the movement. The finale’s glittering exhibitionism and the contrasting big romantic declaration of devotion were playful and passionate by turns, both equally thrilling. This was a top-drawer reading of the concerto and Glasgow awarded it the customary accolade. Boris responded with an encore of undiluted Gemütlichkeit, Rachmaninov’s solo piano transcription of Fritz Kreisler’s ‘Liebesleid’ – scrumptious.
A podcast of the concert will be available on BBC Sounds until mid-March. I heartily recommend pouring a glass of one’s favourite tipple and letting it and the music work their magic.