RSNO Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony Usher Hall Edinburgh 20th March 2026 Review
RSNO Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony at the Usher Hall Edinburgh tonight was the headline concert of three works that each tell a very different story, and along the way highlighting just how versatile composers can be in expressing their thoughts, passions and fears. The full programme consisted of
ARVO PÄRT Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten [6’]
ELENA LANGER The Lives of Birds [21’] WORLD PREMIERE Commissioned by the RSNO.
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No4 in F Minor Op36 [43’]
Opening tonight’s music, ARVO PÄRT Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten, a short six minute work from 1977 (first performance) was the Estonian composer’s response to hearing about the death of Benjamin Britten in 1976.
The term "cantus" in music refers to a melody or song, particularly in the context of medieval and Renaissance music (thank you, Wikipedia), and most appropriate given Britten's love of traditional and early music. At this time, ARVO PÄRT was also looking for basic purity in his writing and was drawn to medieval and Renaissance church music, being along the way drawn to Gregorian plainchant/song. That return to the earlier structures of music is a large part of this work.
This work opens with the distinctive sound of three bell sounds being heard, one after the other. The sound of bells continues throughout, the symbolic tolling calling for the dead, and in particular Benjamin Britten. These bells could also be taken as the calling in an early church for prayer and plainchant.
Following on from this work was the World Premiere of "The Lives of Birds" by composer ELENA LANGER who is one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary music across many genres, including, amongst others, contemporary, classical, orchestral and operatic works.
This work sees Elena Langer collaborating with poet Glyn Maxwell (they have worked together for over 20 years on projects). Here eight poems are set to music and the title, "The Lives of Birds" is self-explanatory. This work takes us into the private lives of birds, with which their relationships, actions, and emotions often seem to be very familiar to humans.
Do similar actions and recognisable displays by birds however give a true insight into their thoughts? Whether or not they do, this is an interesting work with the music of Elena Langer capturing the words of Glyn Maxwell. Giving voice to the poetry was Soprano Anna Dennis who, in a finely honed performance, made the birds of these poems distinct individuals. Like the tolling bells of the first work, death is a constant companion here, this time it can be "by rat and cat and fox and car".
Taking up the second half of this evening with a performance time of some 43 minutes was TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No 4 in F Minor. This work was first performed in 1878 and unusually for Tchaikovsky we have his own overview to this symphony in a letter to the woman that it was written for, his at the time financial supporter, the wealthy widow Nadezhda von Meck. At her strict request, the two never met in person, but over 1,100 letters did pass between them over the years, some of an intimate nature.
We know from Tchaikovsky himself that the overall theme of this work is fate, with specific movements emoting sadness and melancholy, but amidst the darker emotions there is also a celebration of the sheer joy of being alive. Over the four movements of this work Tchaikovsky seems to be free of the self-doubt he so often had of his own musical abilities. Perhaps the difference was that, this time, this work was created for someone who obviously believed in his abilities and his music.
The range of human emotions here and how Tchaikovsky uses them to create shades and colours is remarkable, as is his imaginative use of plucking instead of bowing on the stringed instruments. At times this technique gives, with the benefit of hindsight, the double bass a very jazz music feel to it, long before anyone had even heard such a thing.
Conducting this evening's music was conductor Kristiina Poska, with a performance that brought out the subtle details in all of the music.
Review by Tom King (c) 2026
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
ARVO PÄRT Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten [6’]
ELENA LANGER The Lives of Birds [21’] WORLD PREMIERE Commissioned by the RSNO.
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No4 in F Minor Op36 [43’]
Opening tonight’s music, ARVO PÄRT Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten, a short six minute work from 1977 (first performance) was the Estonian composer’s response to hearing about the death of Benjamin Britten in 1976.
The term "cantus" in music refers to a melody or song, particularly in the context of medieval and Renaissance music (thank you, Wikipedia), and most appropriate given Britten's love of traditional and early music. At this time, ARVO PÄRT was also looking for basic purity in his writing and was drawn to medieval and Renaissance church music, being along the way drawn to Gregorian plainchant/song. That return to the earlier structures of music is a large part of this work.
This work opens with the distinctive sound of three bell sounds being heard, one after the other. The sound of bells continues throughout, the symbolic tolling calling for the dead, and in particular Benjamin Britten. These bells could also be taken as the calling in an early church for prayer and plainchant.
Following on from this work was the World Premiere of "The Lives of Birds" by composer ELENA LANGER who is one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary music across many genres, including, amongst others, contemporary, classical, orchestral and operatic works.
This work sees Elena Langer collaborating with poet Glyn Maxwell (they have worked together for over 20 years on projects). Here eight poems are set to music and the title, "The Lives of Birds" is self-explanatory. This work takes us into the private lives of birds, with which their relationships, actions, and emotions often seem to be very familiar to humans.
Do similar actions and recognisable displays by birds however give a true insight into their thoughts? Whether or not they do, this is an interesting work with the music of Elena Langer capturing the words of Glyn Maxwell. Giving voice to the poetry was Soprano Anna Dennis who, in a finely honed performance, made the birds of these poems distinct individuals. Like the tolling bells of the first work, death is a constant companion here, this time it can be "by rat and cat and fox and car".
Taking up the second half of this evening with a performance time of some 43 minutes was TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No 4 in F Minor. This work was first performed in 1878 and unusually for Tchaikovsky we have his own overview to this symphony in a letter to the woman that it was written for, his at the time financial supporter, the wealthy widow Nadezhda von Meck. At her strict request, the two never met in person, but over 1,100 letters did pass between them over the years, some of an intimate nature.
We know from Tchaikovsky himself that the overall theme of this work is fate, with specific movements emoting sadness and melancholy, but amidst the darker emotions there is also a celebration of the sheer joy of being alive. Over the four movements of this work Tchaikovsky seems to be free of the self-doubt he so often had of his own musical abilities. Perhaps the difference was that, this time, this work was created for someone who obviously believed in his abilities and his music.
The range of human emotions here and how Tchaikovsky uses them to create shades and colours is remarkable, as is his imaginative use of plucking instead of bowing on the stringed instruments. At times this technique gives, with the benefit of hindsight, the double bass a very jazz music feel to it, long before anyone had even heard such a thing.
Conducting this evening's music was conductor Kristiina Poska, with a performance that brought out the subtle details in all of the music.
Review by Tom King (c) 2026
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
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