BBCSSO: Sibelius Symphony No. 2
City Halls, Glasgow - 23/03/23
Taavi Oramo, conductor | Abel Selaocoe, cello | Bernhard Schimpelsberger, percussionist
“Stirring, Inspiring, Monumental Sibelius”, the latest tagline in the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra’s 2022-23 season of attractive programming, drew a large keen Glasgow audience in anticipation, not only of a performance of the Finnish master’s life-affirming Second Symphony, but also of the return to the City Halls on Thursday 23rd of charismatic, exuberant South African cellist and composer Abel Selaocoe to premiere his cello concerto ‘Four Spirits’. The concert opened with the spellbinding incantatory ‘Fratres’ (1977) by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt. In changes to the advertised programme, Tormis’ Overture No. 2 had been dropped and the Estonian conductor Anu Tali was replaced by the Finnish Taavi Oramo, son of the illustrious Sakari Oramo.
Scored, in the 1983 version, for string orchestra and percussion (claves and bass drum), ‘Fratres’ opens with some taps on the percussion instruments, a figure which returns to punctuate a set of homophonic variations of a simple, static string melody. The overall effect is of a solemn meditation which induces a state of stoic acceptance of the reality of being. Since first hearing it in the 1980s, it has always worked its magic on me. A perfect palate-cleanser before the more emotionally charged main works.
Selaocoe’s arrival on the stage elicited a warm Glasgow welcome and he engagingly introduced the work, identifying the four ‘spirits’, aspects of connection with spirituality, as traditional healing, children as uncomplicated truth-tellers, ‘prayer’ in the sense of connection with the cosmos and finally ‘Simunye’ (We Are One), connection with community. To evoke and invoke these spirits, the cello/vocal composer/soloist was aided by a chamber orchestra of 6 of each violin line, 4 violas, 3 cellos, 2 double-basses, 2 each of flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, horns, trumpets and trombones, plus a tuba, augmented by two percussionists with drumkits further augmented with some traditional African drums and howling tubes. The lead percussion line was performed by Bernhard Schimpelsberger. The music defies description in traditional terminology, but Abel’s astonishing vocal range from deep bass resonances to stratospheric head voice was astounding, matched by his flawless envelope-expanding cello technique, all with some never-before-heard special sonic effects. Orchestra and audience alike were called upon to join in community vocally. The visual spectacle of Taavi swaying to the African rhythms was a joy to behold. This was mind-blowing, spirit-shocking and life-affirming music and the City Halls erupted into a cheering standing ovation at the end. This was a truly unforgettable musical experience and, dare I say as a non-believer, a spiritual one. As an encore, Abel and Bernhard delivered a magical miniature in the composer’s same inimitable style, ‘Fuoglia’ (‘Wake Up’).
The second outing in under a week for the Sibelius masterpiece, following the performance by the Swedish Philharmonia in the Usher Hall on Sunday afternoon, invites a comparison, though in truth it cannot be a fair one. The BBCSSO were playing to not just a home crowd, but a Glasgow home crowd, have been at the top of their game all season, and had just delivered the performance of a lifetime of the Selaocoe premiere. Seven desks of first, and six of second violins, with the rest of the strings in proportion, gave full rein to the richest and, when called for, most impassioned string sound, unattainable with the Swedes’ four. The brass were snappy and demonstrative, yet always responsive to maestro Oramo’s control of dynamic balance. The winds were equally bright and expressive and gave of their best. And the horns, oh, the horns of the BBCSSO: glorious as ever. This music is a journey, through not just an imagined physical landscape, but a vividly experienced internal landscape of the psyche. Troubles and anxieties are faced and overcome; the final triumph over all adversity is absolute. While vestiges of Late Romanticism remain in the form and scoring, Sibelius emerges in this symphony as a ‘modern’ composer. Taavi Oramo and the BBCSSO gave every nuance of this work the fullest expressive advocacy and delivered a superb performance. Tempi, rubato and general pauses were perfectly judged, especially in the slow movement, where the trumpet solo, in dialogue with solo flute about three-quarters way through the movement, was the finest I have heard (including live and recorded performance), played by Mark O’ Keeffe and Brontë Hudnott respectively.
This was a concert which I expect all present will remember for the rest of their days. I know I will.