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Nordic Noir
Aug. 22nd, 2018 08:00 pmProm 52 was difficult to call; a popular conductor and a visiting orchestra, but also a world premiere by an unknown composer. As it was, I had a spot on the rail, perhaps a little further off-centre than I'd usually pick, but with the hint of a cold I decided I would like the support if I could get it.
The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Edward Gardner began dramatically with the overture to Wagner's The Flying Dutchman. Fortunately they were using antiphonal seating, so I was in front of the second violins rather than the cellos, which can sometimes overpower the rest of the orchestra when you're that close. After a short pause, they were joined by violinist Alina Ibragimova for the premiere of what had initially been billed as Rolf Wallin's Violin Concerto, but now had the added title Whirld, presumably punning in multiple ways. It was an energetic piece that seemed to divide the audience; certainly both soloist and orchestra put the required technical effort into it, but although it wasn't the worst piece of music I have ever heard, I shan't be rushing to listen again, either.
In the second half, there was a return to more familiar ground, and this was ultimately the reason I'd picked this concert: Sibelius's Symphony No. 2. I've heard this a few times at the Proms, but with the seventh earlier in the season and the fifth last week, I decided I would take this one as well. Despite one or two noises off, it was an enjoyable performance, full of passion and with some quirky playing from the basses at the start of the slow movement. I pondered whether the third movement had a trio that led into the fourth, or whether it was the introduction to the fourth itself; for me, it doesn't matter, the clever thing is that I find Sibelius serves both ideas with a single piece of music.
At the front row, you can sometimes see there is extra music on the stands, and it was perhaps inevitable that this Norwegian orchestra would provide some Grieg as an encore. In fact, we had two: first, perhaps a strange choice for an encore, The Death of Åse from Peer Gynt; and finally, the demonic Dance of the Trolls from an orchestration of one of his sets of Lyric Pieces.
The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Edward Gardner began dramatically with the overture to Wagner's The Flying Dutchman. Fortunately they were using antiphonal seating, so I was in front of the second violins rather than the cellos, which can sometimes overpower the rest of the orchestra when you're that close. After a short pause, they were joined by violinist Alina Ibragimova for the premiere of what had initially been billed as Rolf Wallin's Violin Concerto, but now had the added title Whirld, presumably punning in multiple ways. It was an energetic piece that seemed to divide the audience; certainly both soloist and orchestra put the required technical effort into it, but although it wasn't the worst piece of music I have ever heard, I shan't be rushing to listen again, either.
In the second half, there was a return to more familiar ground, and this was ultimately the reason I'd picked this concert: Sibelius's Symphony No. 2. I've heard this a few times at the Proms, but with the seventh earlier in the season and the fifth last week, I decided I would take this one as well. Despite one or two noises off, it was an enjoyable performance, full of passion and with some quirky playing from the basses at the start of the slow movement. I pondered whether the third movement had a trio that led into the fourth, or whether it was the introduction to the fourth itself; for me, it doesn't matter, the clever thing is that I find Sibelius serves both ideas with a single piece of music.
At the front row, you can sometimes see there is extra music on the stands, and it was perhaps inevitable that this Norwegian orchestra would provide some Grieg as an encore. In fact, we had two: first, perhaps a strange choice for an encore, The Death of Åse from Peer Gynt; and finally, the demonic Dance of the Trolls from an orchestration of one of his sets of Lyric Pieces.