Turina : Danzas Fantásticas
Bernstein : Symphonic Dances from West Side Story
Ravel : Piano Concerto in G major (Ingrid Fliter)
Tchaikovsky : Capriccio Italien
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Miguel Harth-Bedoya
Here was a real dip into Mediterranean warmth for the normally bleak month of February. A Peruvian conductor and an Argentinian pianist, with dances from Spain, Italy and Latin-inspired America, and Ravel's bracing G major piano concerto as a cool counterweight. This is Miguel Harth-Bedoya's first appearance with the BBCSSO. On the strength of tonight's concert, he's welcome back any time, particularly if he continues to bring such colourful programmes.
The Turina made an excellent start to the evening, the rhythms sprightly and seductive, his rich orchestration brought glowingly to life. The Bernstein was a little more mixed. Curiously enough, it's the first time I've heard the Symphonic Dances live. I know it well enough from radio and recordings, and I've seen the whole show a couple of times, but a Broadway (or West End) pit band is not at all the same thing as a 60+ strong symphonic orchestra, and there were a few problems in handling this mostly fast-paced and highly detailed music. There was a lack of pinpoint precision, especially in the percussion, that you want, for example in the Mambo, the trumpets didn't have that bold and brassy blare to lift them above the texture, notably at the climax of the "Cool" fugue, and the piano seemed unduly loud at the start. On the other hand, the Cha-Cha of the first meeting was delicate and sweetly tentative, the launch into the Rumble from the end of "Cool" carried real excitement, and there was plenty of feeling in the closing bars.
Ingrid Fliter was a BBC New Generation artist, that's how I first became aware of her, so I was looking forward to hear her live for the first time. Again, though, I had a somewhat mixed impression. The outer movements of the Ravel were quick, crisp and competent, but seemed somewhat perfunctory. The slow movement, however, was lovely, languid, gracious, gently nostalgic but not weighted down with unnecessary sentiment. Fliter's tone sang here, a long, fluid line of melody full of twilit beauty.
The trumpets made up for their lack of sass in the Bernstein with some confident, sunny playing in the Tchaikovsky. Having been watching a fair bit of ballet lately, I did keep wanting them to go into the Neapolitan Dance from Swan Lake - bits of the Capriccio Italien do sound very similar - but that reflex past, this was a well-paced, exuberant performance that brought the evening to a bright and bubbly conclusion.
[Next : 20th February]
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