Petrenko at the RFH 21/02/2014

[Nachtigall]

Any doubts about Petrenko's way with Elgar were quickly dispelled last night for me. As usual he gave his all and emphasised the sheer blazing energy of the Second Symphony, not, however, at the expense of the more reflective and poignant moments, those dying falls which are oh so Elgarian. On the basis of this performance I'd certainly confer honorary membership of the Elgar Society on him!

I'd not encountered Kirill Gerstein before. Apparently he has gained a reputation for his jazz pianism as well as classical performances and this came out in perhaps the most glitteringly virtuosic account of Rachmaninov's Paganini Rhapsody I've ever heard live, bringing out the jazzy syncopations of Rachmaninov's score to brilliant effect. The Russian ladies sitting next to me were in ecstasies.

The energy and commitment that characterised the whole concert were present from the start in Petrenko's conducting of Berlioz's Le Corsaire overture.

Any other members present?

[amateur51]

Any doubts about Petrenko's way with Elgar were quickly dispelled last night for me. As usual he gave his all and emphasised the sheer blazing energy of the Second Symphony, not, however, at the expense of the more reflective and poignant moments, those dying falls which are oh so Elgarian. On the basis of this performance I'd certainly confer honorary membership of the Elgar Society on him!

I'd not encountered Kirill Gerstein before. Apparently he has gained a reputation for his jazz pianism as well as classical performances and this came out in perhaps the most glitteringly virtuosic account of Rachmaninov's Paganini Rhapsody I've ever heard live, bringing out the jazzy syncopations of Rachmaninov's score to brilliant effect. The Russian ladies sitting next to me were in ecstasies.

The energy and commitment that characterised the whole concert were present from the start in Petrenko's conducting of Berlioz's Le Corsaire overture.

Any other members present?

Sadly not me, but many thanks for your very positive review.

[Tevot]

Sounds like a wonderful concert. Did Radio 3 record it for future broadcast?

[Simon B]

Sounds like a wonderful concert. Did Radio 3 record it for future broadcast?

No, no mics present unfortunately.

Rach Pag is lost to me forever due to extreme overexposure, but on the Elgar I largely agree with Nachtigall.

I think Petrenko still hasn't quite "got" the first movement - the "night garden" episode (or whatever shorthand you want to use for it) lacking the ideal rarefied mystery and evocation, a bit too foursquare. In part as there's wasn't enough drive elsewhere to intensify the contrast. Still, he got closer than in two previous sets of Liverpool performances, and is about to do another pair with the RLPO. He clearly believes in the piece...

The other movements were excellent. Finally a live performance among many I've been to where that famous episode in the 3rd movement is, briefly, crushing the metaphorical forehead, brass and percussion at absolute maximum.

The finale almost always comes as a slight disappointment to me after what has gone before, but if anything it was the most affecting part this time. Too often it's played smoothed-over, slightly bland. It's perhaps too obvious, an easy cliche, to say that there were distinct hints of Tchaikovsky in the way the LPO played it for Petrenko, particularly from the on-form heavy brass, but why not? This is dramatic, sweeping music not souped up Brahms. I've never heard the very end done with such pathos and refulgence - Wagner was out Wagnered.

[Nachtigall]

Very sorry that the Rachmaninov is lost to you "forever", Simon. I was sitting behind the orchestra in the choir so had a very good view of the pianist's hands, thus making the impact of Gerstein's pianism all the more vivid. Seated there also made the violence of that "crushing" moment in the 3rd movement of the Elgar you mention practically deafening.

As for "drive", I thought there was plenty of that. I was going to listen to Solti's recording of the piece for comparison. I agree completely, however, with your comments on Petrenko's account of the last movement. "Pathos" and "refulgence" seem to me exactly the right words for the peroration.

[Simon B]

I used to love Rach Pag, I wore my cassette (which dates it) of Martino Tirimo's recording until the tape snapped... But I've just heard it so many times live, not intentionally, it just doesn't connect any more sadly.

Re: "drive" - I definitely only meant in the first movement. It was probably my pompous way of saying I like it faster! Solti is an interesting parallel - I can imagine Petrenko maybe being a bit hard-driven generally for some (not me) but as you say, not at the expense of the more reflective parts.

In case it was drowned in the torrent of verbiage - overall I thought it was an excellent Elgar 2!

[Barbirollians]

I used to love Rach Pag, I wore my cassette (which dates it) of Martino Tirimo's recording until the tape snapped... But I've just heard it so many times live, not intentionally, it just doesn't connect any more sadly.

Re: "drive" - I definitely only meant in the first movement. It was probably my pompous way of saying I like it faster! Solti is an interesting parallel - I can imagine Petrenko maybe being a bit hard-driven generally for some (not me) but as you say, not at the expense of the more reflective parts.

In case it was drowned in the torrent of verbiage - overall I thought it was an excellent Elgar 2!

Sometimes one just has to reconnect with a first love to recover a love for a piece . The Tirimo on CfP must surely still be about .

I remember reaching the same feeling about the Brahms 1 after attending a very dreary Prom in the late 1980s- thankfully Gilels and Jochum soon put me right .

[Simon B]

Possibly interestingly - or not, this concert provided a rare instance of me agreeing almost entirely with a professional reviewer. Edward Seckerson seems to be saying (albeit more eloquently) almost exactly what I was trying to about every aspect of the Elgar.

http://www.edwardseckerson.biz/reviews/london-philharmonic-petrenko-royal-festival-hall-review/

Actually, it's almost embarrassingly similar - if I did read the notes I didn't see him taking anyway and then nick the basic ideas to parrot here I must have done it subconsciously!

Possibly also interestingly - or not, his comments about the Rachmaninov reflect my reaction, which I simply attributed to having lost interest in the piece. He was sat a few seats away from me in a part of the stalls I normally avoid, but have previously experienced as not good with soloists. Presumably an experienced critic who goes to such a huge number of events would correct for this, but it's just possible the still-strange RFH acoustics didn't help...

[Nachtigall]

Possibly interestingly - or not, this concert provided a rare instance of me agreeing almost entirely with a professional reviewer. Edward Seckerson seems to be saying (albeit more eloquently) almost exactly what I was trying to about every aspect of the Elgar.

http://www.edwardseckerson.biz/reviews/london-philharmonic-petrenko-royal-festival-hall-review/

Actually, it's almost embarrassingly similar - if I did read the notes I didn't see him taking anyway and then nick the basic ideas to parrot here I must have done it subconsciously!

Possibly also interestingly - or not, his comments about the Rachmaninov reflect my reaction, which I simply attributed to having lost interest in the piece. He was sat a few seats away from me in a part of the stalls I normally avoid, but have previously experienced as not good with soloists. Presumably an experienced critic who goes to such a huge number of events would correct for this, but it's just possible the still-strange RFH acoustics didn't help...

Uncanny indeed. Many thanks for the link. I can't agree with everything Seckerson says about the Rachmaninov, but this may well have something to do with our relative positions in the hall, as you suggest.

[Petrushka]

Seated there also made the violence of that "crushing" moment in the 3rd movement of the Elgar you mention practically deafening.

This passage is most often overwhelming in the concert hall in a way it very rarely is on disc, if ever. For some reason, the engineers/conductor dilute the thundering percussion into a very tame affair thus spoiling the frightening effect Elgar desired.