Exciting Stravinsky and powerful Tchaikovsky to kick off Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra's 100th season

Aidan Mikdad, Joanna MacGregor
& the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra
© Fernando Manoso-Borgas

Aidan Mikdad (piano)

Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra

Joanna MacGregor (conductor)

2.45pm, Sunday 22 September 2024

Dome Concert Hall, Brighton

★★★

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893): Piano Concerto Nol 1 in B flat major, Op. 23

Encore:

Franz Liszt (1811-1886): Liebestraüme, S451, No. 3 in A flat major

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971): Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring)

Conductor Joanna MacGregor and Brighton Philharmonia Orchestra kicked off their 100^th season with an afternoon of barnstorming greats of the repertoire. They opened with Tchaikovsky’s ever-popular Piano Concerto No. 1, with Dutch pianist (and former pupil of MacGregor’s at the RAM), Aidan Mikdad at the keyboard. But when their ambitious 100^th season programme was first published, the big question was, could they pull off Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, notoriously challenging, and requiring greater forces than are usually assembled by the BPO on the Brighton Dome stage. And it's not just size – The Rite of Spring calls for instrumentation at the far ends of most of the woodwind and brass sections – Wagner tubas, bass clarinets, alto flute, bass trumpet and trombone at the low end, and high E-flat and D clarinets at the top. The virtuosity required of the players is significant, with solos shared around most of the orchestra at one point or another. Were they up to the challenge?

 

Joanna MacGregor conducting the
Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra
© Fernando Manoso-Borgas

But first the Tchaikovsky. After a slightly nervy horn opening, a rich string sound soon took over, and Mikdad immediately responded with weighty, full chords. Things took off at a lilting pace, then Mikdad injected greater pace and energy with the folk melody that follows. The strings sounded particularly warm, not always matched in tone by the drier woodwind sound, however. Mikdad’s cadenza cross rhythms and subsequent trills against the returning tune were commandingly secure and confident. Although the following orchestral pickup was not totally secure, MacGregor and Mikdad nonetheless built to an impressively strong finish. The pianissimo pizzicato strings at the opening of the second movement slowly quietened the enthusiastic audience, and retiring Principal Flute, Christine Messiter delivered the melody with tender lightness. MacGregor did well to keep the strings at bay when the piano entered proceedings, although later, the orchestra and offbeat piano got momentarily out of kilter with each other. The Finale had great energy and enthusiasm, with some thundering octave runs from Mikdad. The orchestral surges could have taken more contrast, and once again here, timing was once or twice a slight issue, but Mikdad’s show of excellence was impressive, and the conclusion was suitably exciting. He then treated the eager audience to a technically assured rendition of Liszt’s Liebestraum No. 3 to conclude his contribution to the afternoon’s programme, although it was pleasing to note that he joined the audience for the second half.

 

Joanna MacGregor
& the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra
© Fernando Manoso-Borgas

And then to the Stravinsky. Principal Bassoon Jonathan Price led things off with a fine delivery of the twisted, high introduction, leading into birdcalls from each woodwind instrument in turn. This signalled what was to be a secure performance from all, and MacGregor and the players certainly rose to the challenges set by Stravinsky. MacGregor’s guidance through the complex rhythms was clear, and only very occasionally did the orchestral rhythms not gel perfectly. They produced a suitably huge sound when required at the various ritual sections, and the final Sacrifical Dance had stabbing, scary energy. The thrashing string chords in The Augurs of Spring needed greater violence and malevolence, and there could have been a greater sense of the edge of chaos and riot, and there was occasionally a sense that they needed to keep everything under control. However, MacGregor and the BPO did pull it off with an exciting performance, once again demonstrating their continued growth and development as they push the boundaries of their expected repertoire. If this was ambitious for the BPO, wait for later in the season, and in particular, their Centenary Gala on 13 April 2025 – Messaien’s mighty Turangalîla Symphony. On today’s evidence, this will certainly be something to watch out for.