Prom 34: atmospheric Thorvaldsdottir and intimate Elgar from BBC Philharmonic

Eva Ollikainen
© Chris Christodoulou

Kian Soltani (cello)

BBC Philharmonic

Eva Ollikainen (conductor)

7.30pm, Thursday 11 August 2022

BBC Prom 34

Royal Albert Hall, London

★★★★

Anna Thorvaldsdottir (b.1977): ARCHORA

 

Edward Elgar (1857-1934): Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85

 

Encore: 

Trad., arr. Kian Soltani (b.1992): ‘Lovely Minka, I must away’

 

Jean Sibelius (1865-1957): Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 43

Anna Thorvaldsdottir & Eva Ollikainen
© Chris Christodoulou

Thorvaldsdottir:
'Ollikainen steered the BBC Philharmonic players through this dark landscape with a clear and expansive beat. Thorvaldsdottir uses the orchestra to create remarkably haunting atmospheres and textures'.

Elgar:

'Soltani's Elgar was strong, with command of the virtuosic demands a given and expressively singing tone in the slower moments'.

'Ollikainen succeeded in bringing each (tutti) back to allow for Soltani’s attention to detail to shine through'.

Kian Soltani
© Chris Christodoulou

Sibelius:
'Nothing was overplayed or forced, and there was thoughtful attention to detail throughout'.

'There were moments where Ollikainen drove proceedings with greater energy, such as the immediate pulsing energy of the opening, and encouraging intensity of response from the violins in the build to the big tune'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.