United Kingdom Brahms, Beethoven, Haydn: Yeol Eum Son (piano), Anna Dennis (soprano), Katie Bray (mezzo-soprano), Anthony Gregory (tenor), Neal Davies (bass), Scottish Chamber Refrain and Orchestra / Maxim Emelyanychev (conductor), Usher Corridor, Edinburgh, 8.5.2025. (SRT)
Brahms – Variations on a Theme by Haydn
Beethoven – Piano Concerto No.3
Haydn – Nelson Mass
Orchestral seasons are drawing to an finish, and groups are aligning to conclude the 12 months on a excessive. The truth is, this live performance noticed the entire Scottish Chamber Orchestra household within the Usher Corridor for Haydn’s Nelson Mass: the refrain was within the choir stalls, the orchestra on the stage and Principal Conductor Maxim Emelyanychev was on the rostrum, guaranteeing a efficiency of drama and pleasure.
Within the Haydn, as certainly all through the night, the drama emanated firstly from the orchestra. The opening Kyrie thrust ahead with urgency and chunk, helped by interval timps and brass, particularly these staccato trumpets whose threatening fanfares had been by no means far-off. Emelyanychev drove issues ahead with objective and focus, regardless of some oddly elongated pauses between the actions, and the dramatic climax was a faster-than-expected Benedictus, topped by the hair-raising blare of these trumpets at full throttle.
Subsequent to them the refrain sounded somewhat soft-focused, with edges blurred and the general bloom extra distinguished. This was a optimistic asset within the attractive Et incarnatus est motion, even when among the massive moments elsewhere within the Gloria lacked chunk. No complaints in regards to the marvellous quartet of soloists, although, topped by the magnificent soprano of Anna Dennis, an excellent voice that manages the seemingly not possible feat of sounding each silvery and luxuriously syrupy on the similar time.
The orchestra drove the drama in Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.3, too, the opening tutti lithe and thrilling, like an animal able to pounce, poised strings balanced by lyrical winds and majestic brass. Soloist Yeol Eum Son approached the piano line like a poet somewhat than a gladiator, bringing lyrical smoothness to the half in a means that smoothed over among the edges somewhat than leaving them uncooked. That was true even in her cadenza, which had a welcome lack of ego, and taking such a mellifluous strategy to the concerto is a superbly legitimate means of doing it, even when it does dial down the drama. The impact within the central Largo was blissful, nevertheless, and the ultimate Rondo was admirably properly balanced, mischievous somewhat than explosive.
Mellifluousness and drama appeared to go hand-in-hand within the opening efficiency of Brahms’s Haydn Variations, which moved ahead with gently persuasive purposefulness. There was a beautiful sweep to the violins, taking part in with solely minimal vibrato, and pure horns added a properly salty tang to the sound. Every variation had its personal distinctive character, and the ultimate Passacaglia had terrific swell, marking a satisfying fruits.
The Glasgow efficiency on ninth Could will likely be recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on 2nd June.
Simon Thompson
Featured Picture: Soprano Anna Dennis
