PROM 23, Monday 05 August
Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances (op. 45)
Busoni: Piano Concerto
London Philharmonic Orchestra
London Philharmonic Choir, Rudolfus Choir
Benjamin Grosvenor (Piano)
Edward Gardner (Conductor)
A pleasingly full Royal Albert Hall, for a Monday relatively close to the start of the season, greeted the London Philharmonic and its conductor Edward Gardner for tonight’s Prom.
First up was Rachmaninov’s last work, the Symphonic Dances: effectively a symphony in three movements. Opening with some wonderfully precise string work, particularly in the repeated down
bows, the movement then gives way to a lyrical wind section accompanying an unusual saxophone solo – a Russian theme played on an American instrument with great pathos by Martin Robertson.
The second movement, a waltz in G minor opens with, and is interspersed throughout by, cheeky brass fanfares, here given the proper fortepiano crescendo treatment by Edward Gardner and his players.
Gardner, quite rightly, never allows Rachmaninov’s waltz to get too comfortable – tempo changes and dynamic markings are particularly well observed.
The third movement, incorporating themes from the composer’s own All Night Vigil in juxtaposition with his much-favoured Dies Irae theme, in Gardner’s hands rattles along with continually forward-moving
tempi without ever falling into the trap of running away with itself – in all, a thoroughly enjoyable performance.
If the Symphonic Dances is a symphony lacking a movement, Ferruccio Busoni’s Piano Concerto, op. 39 is arguably a concerto with a couple of movements too many. An immense piece, running over and hour
and ten minutes, I would suggest Busoni would have benefited from the guidance of a firm editor: the piece never quite seems to make up its mind what it is.
For example, during the stately introduction (eclipsing in length many a concert overture) I forgot the piece was actually a concerto. However, Benjamin Grosvenor as soloist was first class: the technically
very difficult arpeggiated sections in the first movement danced, alternating the emphatic and playful passages beautifully. Later I particularly enjoyed the contrast he found in the third movement in a series of cadenzas in between passages of sombre lower strings.
Oh, and in the last movement, apropos of nothing, there’s a male-voice choir…. and a Rossini-esque gallop: both sung and played beautifully, but glaringly incongruous.
In this battle between soloist, orchestra, conductor and assembled forces versus the composer, in this evening’s contest, I think the musicians had it. But it’s not one I’d rush to again.
