CityLife

BBC Philharmonic: Elgar, Mendelssohn, Moeran

By Robert Beale

BBC Philharmonic
Bridgewater Hall
February 6, 2010

IT was the escapers from the impregnable walls of Mahler castle who made it to the Bridgewater Hall on Friday – a small but fearless group who would try anything as an alternative to Austrian confinement.

And what did the escape committee come up with – the latest wheeze to aid their bid for freedom? A cunning combination of the known and unknown.

Vassily Sinaisky was officer commanding, and Elgar’s In The South his chosen route. He’s an insightful Elgar conductor, but on this occasion the opening paragraphs of what is a near-Straussian tone poem sounded almost too clean and neat, and a little close to Pomp And Circumstance mode to be completely evocative of freedom beyond the Alps.

The episodes were picturesque, however, and the ending both brilliant and weighty.

Sleek and polished

The Mendelssohn violin concerto in E minor was played by the young Chinese soloist, Tianwa Yang, making her UK concerto debut. She’s a player of great resource, sleek and polished, with a lovely cantabile in the slow movement, but saving something extra for the concerto’s ending. And, along with impeccable articulation, there were a few telling touches of phrasing where others simply dash.

The meat of the evening was a rarely heard English symphony: Moeran’s in G minor. Even Vassily Sinaisky’s advocacy could not convince me that it’s a great work throughout, but his ability to transform mood and colour in a moment and build powerful climaxes were very much to its advantage.

And Moeran’s invention was clearly not unaware of the directions lighter music was taking in his lifetime, which gives his music a ‘period’ appeal.

With Yuri Torchinsky leading and the orchestra playing with subtlety and skill, the scherzo third movement was the highlight for me, played as it was with lightness of touch and enviable precision.

Reviewed: Mon, 08 February, 2010

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