[10/03] Glasgow, United Kingdom - Lead by guest conductor from USA, Andrew Litton, this performance is destined to be one of the highlights of the season. As the audience start filling the City Hall, the usher and few of the orchestra members is set for a pre-concert talk show about Elgar’s Cello Concerto score. A small insight and a glimpse preview from the scores’ seem to be an effective way to increase the audience anxiety.
Starting with Wagner’s Prelude to ‘Parsifal’ as the opening, Litton’s emotional-but-calm way of conducting hypnotizes the audience as the long-breathed unison strings and wind section starts to play. And just with in a blink, the middle age audiences who shook their head under the hypnotizing sweet serenity tunes gain their consciousness by the melodic harmony that differs from the previous section. Without seeing the musical play, one can tell that these parts speak a painful and sorrow feeling to its listeners. As the clouds of sadness temporarily part, the prelude comes to a tranquil close and the ovations from the audience last for about five minutes.
Continuing the mourning theme, Elgar’s Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in E Minor is set to give the City Hall another depressed atmosphere. Featuring German-Canadian cellist, Johannes Moser, Litton’s successfully captained a very well balanced, perhaps with a more technical rather than soulful performance, and managed to propagate the message behind this musical score to his audiences. Moser’s play is unquestionable, its funny how there were parts as if his bow movements’ is similar to a kid scratching an off-key violin snares, but somehow the sound suits the background tunes perfectly. Completing Moser outstanding performances is the presence of the guest orchestra leader, Laura Samuel. She managed to lead the first violins section to another emotional level during the show.
Moving on to the last part of the concert, Sibelius’ Symphony No.1 become the perfect score to close the night and the theme series finale. For me it is always a treat to listen a classical score from a Russian composer. The iconic majestic melodies and the sophisticated beat can be found in almost every Russian composers work, such as Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich as well as Sibelius’. Though Sibelius is living in Vienna when he composed the scores, he always admires Tchaikovsky’s work, and that explain the first part of the score, which comes with a solid Russian influence. In the end, as Litton’s hand finished its movements, the satisfied crowd starts the ovations as a compliment to the conductor and the BBC SSO for the tremendous performance.
It has been a remarkable performance by the BBC SSO, and Litton has added another kudos performance to his collaboration history with the orchestra. As the post-concert coda, a solo cello performance by Moser performing a selection of short works from Bach, Britten and Lutoslawski become a perfect cheery-on-the-top closing act.
http://www.andrewlitton.com
http://www.johannes-moser.com
http://www.bbc.co.uk/orchestras/bbcsso
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