RSNO goes Transatlantic

[Hornspieler]

I really enjoyed last night's concert and was most impressed by the quality of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

It would be unfair to compare this orchestra with the BBC Scottish on this hearing, because the acoustics of the Usher Hall are some of the best in Britain (speaking as a player) but my overall impression was that we do not hear enough of this "provincial" orchestra which, to my mind, bears more than favourable comparison with those of Liverpool and Birmingham. This was a very challenging programme and the orchestra and their young soloist gave an impressive display.

If you were unable to listen last night, give it a try on iPlayer.

My five star mark goes to the Samuel Barber Piano Concerto.

HS

[salymap]

Ienjoyed Copland- Appalachian Spring, will listen to the remainder later on iPlayer.

[BBMmk2]

I heard the Barber PC. Yes! Five stars HS!!

[Curalach]

I'm going to the Glasgow performance this evening and am looking forward to it.
On the evidence to date, the orchestra plays superbly well for Peter Oundjian. There have also been a number of significant personnel changes in the last few years. The joint leadership of Jim Clark and Maya Iwabuchi has had a very positive effect on the string sound.

[jayne lee wilson]

Yes, a fine concert, very well relayed - spacious, precise imagery and with a wide dynamic range.

I felt that it would have been better turned around though, as Part One contained the better music and better performances. Appalachian Spring was lovingly phrased and its colours glowed like a sunset over the hills; Xiayin Wang was brilliant in the Barber Piano Concerto - one of his strongest pieces; less convincing, lacking verve & swing, in the Copland - which is one of that composer's weakest. Go figure...
In both concertos, Oundjian and the orchestra could have given us a little more punch and pizzazz. They were a little too well-behaved, or maybe lacked confidence in this repertoire.

As for Adams' Dr.Atomic Symphony - I suppose it gets the music into the concert hall but, aria-substitute-trumpet-solo aside, it's overcompressed and unmemorable. A big noise to end with, better as an extended overture, best of all left in the theatre with the drama and the voices.

VG for engineering though (R3HDs-Hi).