Edward Gardner © Ibermúsica
London, Saturday, September 28, 2024.
Royal Festival Hall (RFH). Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto number 3 (soloist: Leif Ove Andsnes). The Bells, Choral Symphony (soloists: Kristina Mkhitaryan, Dmytro Popov, and Kostas Smoriginas). London Philharmonic Orchestra and London Philharmonic Choir under the direction of Edward Gardner
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Big night for Rachmaninoff thanks to the London Philharmonic and its principal conductor, Edward Gardner. In the first part, the audience appreciated the virtuoso performance of the pianist Leif Ove Andsnes in the Third Concerto opus 30. Virtuous for his technique, his sensitivity and rejection of the melodramatic mannerisms of some exhibitionists that seem to so impress many audiences today.
As Martha Argerich still does, Andsnes settled in front of the piano as if he were alone in a rehearsal room in front of the reason for his art. And his hands joined the first movement with a sober touch, magically relaxed and without tension. This is what Rachmaninov asks for with that “ma non Tanto” indication of this Allegro initial which according to him “was composed by itself” but which is recognized as one of the most difficult pieces of piano literature. In it Interludethe fusion between restraint and virtuosity was ensured by Gardner with a balanced wind commentary to the piano figurations and in general, an interpretation that avoided any post-romantic excess misunderstanding and then reserved a dazzling return to the initial theme before launching into the vigorous Final. In short. With confident but never overemphasized tempos, soloists and orchestra progressed, after the throbbing and almost spectral reminiscence of one of the first movement’s themes to a glorious final recapitulation. Here there was such a spontaneous passion that brought the audience to their feet that seemed catapulted by the final gesture of the baton.
In the second part, choir and orchestra exploded in the “silver bells” of the choral symphony The bells with formidable synchronization and control of dynamics in the very strong of orchestra and choirs, which followed a luminous introduction where all of them sounded as vital as they were clear and differentiated: piccolo, flute, harp, celesta, strings, etc., really like the sleigh bells that the composer wants to imagine for us. And tenor Dmytro Popov joined in with a clarion voice and almost soccer fan enthusiasm in an ecstatic finale.
The nuptial “golden bells” of the second movement were supported by some haunting and suggestive trying in contrast to the radiant and confident lyrical voice of Kristina Mkhitaryan, a new voice to add to the plethora of great young singers at the Moscow Conservatory.
In the “alarm bells” of the third movement, the chromatic darkening of the bells already anticipated at the end of the second movement was intensified by the formidable dramatic crescendo emphasized by the great philharmonic choir with a kind of Day of Wrath of panic and desperation. And in the final movement, the bells tolled in response to the mournful meditation of the bass-baritone (a throbbingly expressive Kostas Smoriginas), with a somber, relentless ringing, as the orchestra surrendered, calm and inexorable, to the stirring final melody. Decidedly, the London Philharmonic and Edward Gardner know how to fight against the defective acoustics of London’s Royal Festival Hall to achieve results capable of making us forget which room we were in.
