EIF: Czech Philharmonic II

Usher Hall - 21/08/22

Mahler’s 7th Symphony is like a bus, not one for years and then four turn up at once. In June, the Birmingham Philharmonic tackled it, while the Highland-based Mahler Players performed a chamber version, the Berlin Philharmonic will perform it at the Proms and tonight’s Czech Philharmonic performance in Edinburgh. 

The 7th is the last of Mahler’s major works to gain full acceptance into the mainstream repertoire and has never been favoured by critics. But as Jeff Bezos has remarked, “If you can’t tolerate critics, don’t do anything new or interesting.” And the 7th was upon its premiere both very new and extremely interesting. It was first performed in Prague in 1908 by this very orchestra, the Czech Philharmonic, conducted by Mahler himself. 

Mahler wasn’t totally enthusiastic about that first performance, but he was deliberately pushing the envelope of orchestration technique and players’ abilities. The performance tonight should have laid any remaining demons to rest. Mahler would have been very pleased. The playing was superlative from the entire orchestra. The confident and huge toned opening statement from the baryton horn (“Nature roaring” says Mahler) signalled the beginning of a special performance.  

The string section were overwhelmingly impressive. The uniform clean pizzicato, the instant mood changes, the stand-out solos from the leader and the principal viola, the beautifully solid low bass tones, even the mohawk of the first desk cellist; all parts of their performance were first class. 

The 18 winds played as one giant, multi-armed musician. Intonation, articulation, and dynamics were flawlessly executed, especially in the many unison semi-quaver passages. The tone colours were uniform across each section and blended seamlessly into the symphony’s sound palette. The excellent playing from the Piccolo, Cor Anglais, Bass Clarinet, and Contra Bassoon enhanced an already virtuosic group.   

The Brass section was a model of sensitivity (as brass sections go), especially in tone and dynamic. They were controlled, centred, and even when the volume was peaking never distorted or nasty. The three trumpets matched each other for sound and power throughout the performance. Trombones and tuba were rock solid, but the stand-out section were the horns. The principal was one of these rare horn players who you know will never split a note. Amongst all his beautiful, soaring and melodic solos of the second and fourth movements and the texture penetrating passages of the first and last movements not one note sounded out of place. 

The percussion section made the most of their sparse parts. Offstage cowbells were an interesting highlight. The Timpani, which has the lion’s share of the work, was played expertly, never overpowering and suitably soloistic and precise in the 5th movement.   

Bychkov conducted with an expressive simplicity, always in control, always clear. The chamber music-like passages of the second and fourth movements were handled most delicately whilst he never detracted from the more bombastic sections with overwrought or overdone gestures. His tempos all sat nicely, the slower ones never becoming too self-indulgent, and the faster ones never mistaking excess pace for excitement.  

The enthusiastic applause rang out as soon as the final note had started to decay. Bychkov took only one bow before singling out the various outstanding contributions by many in the orchestra. As the players left the stage it was pleasing to see them congratulating each other with handshakes and smiles of well-deserved pride in a truly outstanding performance.  

Semyon Bychkov takes a well-deserved bow at the end of Mahler 7. 

Cover photo: J Shurte