Prom 50 - Cummings and the AAM bring the house down with Samson at the Proms

Laurence Cummings conducts the Academy of Ancient Music
© BBC/Sisi Burn

Allan Clayton (Samson)

Jacquelyn Stucker (Dalila)

Joélle Harvey (Israelite Woman)

Jess Dandy (Micah)

Brindley Sherratt (Harapha)

Jonathan Lemalu (Manoa)

Will Pate (Messenger)

Philharmonia Chorus

Academy of Ancient Music

Laurence Cummings (harpsichord/director)

7pm, Wednesday 23 August, 2023

BBC Prom 50

Royal Albert Hall, London

★★★★

Allan Clayton & the Academy of Ancient Music
© BBC/Sisi Burn

Handel, George Frideric (1685-1759): Samson (1741-2, rev. 1743)

'The Philharmonia Chorus’ performance was totally convincing'. 

'Clayton’s Samson was unflinching in rejecting Dalila’s pleas, but showed vulnerability too, never afraid to sing incredibly quietly, lamenting the “Total eclipse” of his sight with heartbreaking pianissimo control on the words “no moon”'.

'Stucker’s Dalila was bright-toned and full of self-righteousness, her “plaintive notes” more wheedling than sensuous, but beautiful nevertheless'. 

Brindley Sherratt & the Academy of Ancient Music
© BBC/Sisi Burn

Dandy:

'When Cummings kept the players back, her rich tone was allowed to shine through, with particular expression of pain in her long-held “griefs” in “Return, oh God of hosts”'.

'Brindley Sherratt was in danger of stealing the show as Harapha, his arresting presence dominating the stage as he strode on, delivering his first recit from memory'.

Jacquelyn Stucker & Joélle Harvey
© BBC/Sisi Burn

Cummings & the AAM:

' consistently energetic presence, he commanded the combined forces with enthusiasm, making for a memorably magnificent performance'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Strong performances of Shostakovich Symphonies 12 & 15 from John Storgårds & the BBC Philharmonic

John Storgårds and the BBC Philharmonic return to their Shostakovich with a double - the 12th and 15th Symphonies. Although not dissimilar in length at around 40 and 45 minutes respectively, making this very generous for a single disc release, they couldn’t be more different in character. The Symphony No. 12, Op. 112, ‘The Year 1917’ is, it’s fair to say, one of Shostakovich’s least popular, for various reasons. It certainly suffered from being seen on paper as overtly and simplistically celebratory of the Soviet regime, with a programme for its four movements including Revolutionary Petrograd, Razliv (Lenin’s country retreat), Aurora (the battleship that launched the salvo attack on the Winter Palace), and ending with ‘The Dawn of Humanity’, a celebration of the new world that the Revolution supposedly brought in. But was it about towing the party line, as he and his work was going through some kind of rehabilitation by the Communist regime, and he also finally agreed to join the party? Or, as ever with Shostakovich, is there a more subversive reading, with its quote from nationalist Sibelius’ Lemminkäinen in Tuonela in the midst of Razliv (Razliv is in Finland), and its meandering questioning both in this movement, but also in the midst of the supposedly defiant final movement? Storgårds takes a relatively straightforward approach here, neither over-emphasising the bombastic, triumphant elements, nor digging too deeply into the darker moments. As a result, this is a performance that leaves us to decide on its merit. The BBC Philharmonic’s playing is tight and precise, with some particularly deft work from the woodwind in the opening movement, especially the bassoons. Rattling drums at the first movement’s climax, and gunfire percussion in the Scherzo add bite, and the brass statement in the finale avoids being overblown, yet has clear strength. A fine performance of a symphony that is ultimately harder to admire than others. Turning to Symphony No. 15, Op. 141, from around ten years later, and his final symphony, we are in such different territory. There is greater invention here, with use of twelve tone motifs as well as constant quotes and references, not least Wagner, Glinka, and even direct use of the them from Rossini’s William Tell Overture. Given the fact that Shostakovich’s health was pretty poor by this stage, having had one heart attack, and soon to suffer a second shortly after completing this work, it is surprisingly upbeat, particularly the ‘toyshop’ opening movement, with its playful William Tell quotes, extensive use of percussion and the high wire circus act solo violin part (played here with caustic precision by BBC Philharmonic leader, Yuri Torchinsky). Storgårds handles this with a deft touch, particularly the squabbling polymetric woodwind passages towards the end of the movement. In the slow movement however there is real agony, with the cello solo plaintive and fragmentary, and then the mournful trombone solo to follow (sadly both soloists uncredited here). But following the mocking scherzo, the finale, despite a mournful brass opening with ominous timpani, soon skips along gently, with those Wagner and Glinka allusions, before the Passacaglia bassline is introduced by the cellos and double basses. Around this the scrabbling intensifies, swirling up to a climax, from which Shostakovich then remarkably descends into a gentle dance and a quiet end from celesta and percussion. As in the 12th, Storgårds steers us through without ever over-stating detail, but here the performance comes alive through the sheer invention and contrast of material that Shostakovich has on offer. It is this clarity of rendition of these two symphonies side by side that highlight the complexity of deciphering the ‘true’ voice of the composer.

Shostakovich, D. Shostakovich - Symphony No. 12 ‘The Year 1917’ - Symphony No. 15. BBC Philharmonic, John Storgårds. Hybrid Super Audio Compact Disc. Chandos CHSA 5334.

Prom 33: Sumptuous song and assured Rachmaninov from Connolly, Storgårds and the BBC Philharmonic

Dame Sarah Connolly & the BBC Philharmonic
© BBC/Chris Christodoulou

Dame Sarah Connolly (mezzo-soprano)

BBC Philharmonic

John Storgårds (conductor)

7pm, Wednesday 9 August, 2023

BBC Prom 33

Royal Albert Hall, London

★★★★

Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826): Oberon, Overture

 

Dora Pejačević (1885-1923):   Zwei Schmetterlingslieder, Op. 52

                                                I. Gold’ne Sterne, blaue Glöckchen

                                                II. Schwebe, du Schmetterling

                                                Verwandlung, Op. 37b

                                                Liebeslied

 

Alma Mahler-Werfel (1879-1964), orch. Colin & David Matthews:

                                                Five Lieder No. 1, Die stille Stadt

                                                Four Lieder No. 1, Licht in der Nacht

                                                Five Lieder No. 4, Bei dir ist es traut

 

Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943): Symphony No. 1 in D minor

John Storgårds conducting the BBC Philharmonic
© BBC/Chris Christodoulou

Weber:

'Storgårds drove the gallop with great energy, with some particularly fleet-of-foot work from the violins'.

Pejačević:

'Connolly’s warm tone was matched well with an agile touch from the orchestra'.

Mahler-Werfel:

'In the mysterious Die stille Stadt, Connolly shaped the melodic line with strong dramatic interest, and delivered the strangely angular Licht in der Nacht with ominous darkness, exploiting her depth of range on the very low 'Nacht''.

Rachmaninov:

'Storgårds managed the first movement’s frequent tempo transitions coherently, with oceanic waves of string arpeggios and a deft accelerando to finish'. 

'Storgårds drove on with the offbeat rhythms, building to a blistering pace for the conclusion, with tam-tam and timpani adding the final element of drama'. 

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Prom 26: Lyrical virtuosity from Ehnes, with majestic Sibelius from Storgårds and the BBC Philharmonic

John Storgårds & the BBC Philharmonic
© BBC/Mark Allan

James Ehnes (violin)
BBC Philharmonic
John Storgårds (conductor)

7.30pm, Thursday 3 August 2023

BBC Prom 26

Royal Albert Hall, London

★★★★

Gerald Barry (b.1952): Kafka's Earplugs

William Walton (1902-1983): Violin Concerto

Encore:

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750): Sonata No. 3 for solo violin in C major, BWV1005, IV. Allegro assai

Jean Sibelius (1865-1957): Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Op. 39

James Ehnes & the BBC Philharmonic
© BBC/Mark Allan

Barry:

'Storgårds and the BBC Philharmonic managed to effectively keep a lid on things throughout, yet occasionally allowing tantalising glimpses to break through the texture'.

Walton:

'Ehnes was suitably wild in its virtuosic passages, but he also gave us delicate decorative adornments to the horn’s canzonetta theme'.

Bach: 

'Ehnes then treated us to a fleet-of-foot account of the finale to J.S. Bach’s Sonata no. 3 in C major, BWV 1005, with seamlessly smooth string crossing and sensitive use of echo effects'.

Sibelius:

'With a sense of urgency, Storgård steered the orchestra to a sunlit climax'.

'Storgårds’ drive and the tightness of the BBC Philharmonic’s ensemble, as well as strong solo work from many, made for a memorable performance here'. 

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.