Colin Davis |
With the continuation of both Colin Davis’ Nielsen Symphony Cycle and his and Mitsuko Uchida’s Beethoven Piano Concerto series, concertgoers might feasibly have forgotten about the Haydn symphony that was scheduled to commence Sunday night’s programme at the Barbican. So too, it seemed, did Davis and the LSO. It certainly wasn’t the most auspicious of starts to a concert that was eventually redeemed by Uchida’s captivating playing and Nielsen’s infectious and characterful Second Symphony.The playing in Haydn’s Symphony No. 98, one of the composer’s twelve ‘London’ symphonies, wasn’t always strictly together in the first two movements, nor was it especially inspiring. Davis gave a somewhat listless impression, although he was more forthright in his direction in the third movement’s boisterous Minuet. Haydn’s typical playfulness was perhaps most effectively exploited in the Finale, although the accompanying backdrop to the solo violin’s charming interjections might have been a bit more incisive.A more arresting level of music making was reached only once Uchida had sat down at the piano for her performance of Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto. Even in the seconds before she began to play, Uchida was seemingly able to capture the attention of the entire hall – orchestra included. She did full justice, in other words, to Beethoven’s unconventional yet masterful choice of starting the whole piece with a poignant and simple chordal theme in the piano. Part of Uchida’s skill lies in her ability to give such a high degree of expression to the gestural breadth that’s found in Beethoven’s music that it effectively turns into a piece of drama. Nowhere else might this be so starkly apparent as in the concerto’s second movement, with its exquisitely formed musical argument between soloist and orchestra. While the orchestral contributions were at times slightly too sober for my liking, Uchida’s playing was soothing, persuasive and highly sensitive. It was the final movement, however, which boasted the best all round playing, with the orchestra and Davis (who timed the transition into the Rondo to perfection) engaging with Uchida on the terms she had plainly set out in the previous two movements. On to Nielsen and his ‘character’ symphony, which engages with the Ancient Greek notion that human emotional traits can be classified into four ‘temperaments’, or types: ‘Choleric’, ‘Phlegmatic’, ‘Melancholic’ and ‘Sanguine’. Davis seemed to perk up a bit and this performance was simply splendid, particularly in the outer, more dynamic movements. The blissfully languorous, ‘Phlegmatic’ second movement could have allowed for a bit more space and a greater feeling of relaxation following the impetuous and furiously energetic opening movement. It felt, at times, as if this movement couldn’t quite rid itself of or forget about the symphony’s ‘Choleric’ opening. Not so in the third, however, in which the orchestra luxuriated in melancholia and tragedy, before giving way to the remarkably ebullient finale. A stirring performance on the whole, which makes the prospect of Davis’ and Uchida’s forthcoming performances of Nielsen’s Third and Beethoven’s ‘Emperor’ Concerto all the more exciting. Further details of Barbican concerts can be found at barbican.org.uk
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