Sunday Classics Belgian National Orchestra Saint Saens Usher Hall Edinburgh 6th November 2022 Review
Sunday Classics 2022-2023 Belgian National Orchestra at The Usher Hall Edinburgh was a fine addition to this year’s programme schedule for many reasons but, for me, most importantly it featured the work of one of my favourite composers, Camille Saint-Saëns and his Symphony No 3 (Organ Symphony) in the second half of this concert.
For some unknown to me reason, the works of Saint-Saëns seem to be performed far less than other major composers and that is always a loss to us all. This work which saw its premiere in London on 19th May 1886 is considered by many people to be the composer at the peak of his creativity.
Although Saint-Saëns follows in some cases often used “story telling” methods in his composition here such as the theme of moving from Darkness into Light, his choice to utilise an at the time “modern” arrangement of an orchestra produces a work that is distinctively different from so much of the period and (to me at least) shows that he was one of the important musical bridges between “what was” and “what was yet to come” of his generation.
It is not often that the wonderful organ at the Usher Hall gets the chance to be played at a “Sunday Classics” but when, as today, it does, its sheer power is something special to experience and coupled with the Belgian National Orchestra’s performance today, Saint-Saëns Symphony No 3 was, judging from their comments upon leaving, a special event for more than a few people in the audience.
Even if you think that you do not listen to classical music, the chances are that you will have heard over the years someone singing the 1977 pop chart hit “If I Had Words” which is pretty much straight lyrics added to the maestoso section of this symphony.
Opening this concert was a work that was new to me Respighi “Preludio corale e fuga”. Although this music is composed in three parts, it is played as a continuous single movement which over the seventeen minutes of this work somehow gives the illusion that you are listening to a far longer piece of music. Part of this illusion is the sheer range of musical themes, colours and emotions that Respighi works with here.
Another highlight of this programme was Mozart Piano Concerto No. 25 with Soloist Paul Lewis (Piano), and Mozart was obviously having as much fun creating this wonderful piece of music as everyone on stage was having performing it today. Watching Paul Lewis bring to life Mozart’s music and the sheer ingenuity and playfulness of it all was a pleasure.
Conducting all three works in this afternoon’s programme of music and bringing all this diverse music to life in his skillful direction of the orchestra was conductor Roberto González-Monjas.
Review by Tom King © 2022
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
For some unknown to me reason, the works of Saint-Saëns seem to be performed far less than other major composers and that is always a loss to us all. This work which saw its premiere in London on 19th May 1886 is considered by many people to be the composer at the peak of his creativity.
Although Saint-Saëns follows in some cases often used “story telling” methods in his composition here such as the theme of moving from Darkness into Light, his choice to utilise an at the time “modern” arrangement of an orchestra produces a work that is distinctively different from so much of the period and (to me at least) shows that he was one of the important musical bridges between “what was” and “what was yet to come” of his generation.
It is not often that the wonderful organ at the Usher Hall gets the chance to be played at a “Sunday Classics” but when, as today, it does, its sheer power is something special to experience and coupled with the Belgian National Orchestra’s performance today, Saint-Saëns Symphony No 3 was, judging from their comments upon leaving, a special event for more than a few people in the audience.
Even if you think that you do not listen to classical music, the chances are that you will have heard over the years someone singing the 1977 pop chart hit “If I Had Words” which is pretty much straight lyrics added to the maestoso section of this symphony.
Opening this concert was a work that was new to me Respighi “Preludio corale e fuga”. Although this music is composed in three parts, it is played as a continuous single movement which over the seventeen minutes of this work somehow gives the illusion that you are listening to a far longer piece of music. Part of this illusion is the sheer range of musical themes, colours and emotions that Respighi works with here.
Another highlight of this programme was Mozart Piano Concerto No. 25 with Soloist Paul Lewis (Piano), and Mozart was obviously having as much fun creating this wonderful piece of music as everyone on stage was having performing it today. Watching Paul Lewis bring to life Mozart’s music and the sheer ingenuity and playfulness of it all was a pleasure.
Conducting all three works in this afternoon’s programme of music and bringing all this diverse music to life in his skillful direction of the orchestra was conductor Roberto González-Monjas.
Review by Tom King © 2022
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
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