United Kingdom Beethoven, Elgar, Rossini: Bruno Delepelaire (cello), Royal Scottish National Orchestra / Han-Na Chang (conductor). Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 10.12.2022. (GT)
Rossini – Overture to William Tell
Elgar – Cello Concerto in E minor, Op.85
Beethoven – Symphony No.3 in E flat major, Op.55
On a freezing evening in Glasgow, this concert programme was eminently suitable in ‘warming’ up the audience with the brilliantly exciting drama of Rossini’s colourful overture to his rarely performed opera, William Tell. Making her debut here in Scotland, the South Korean Han-Na Chang was an internationally renowned cellist before she took up the baton. Significantly, she studied philosophy at Harvard in addition to her studies at the Juilliard School.
The opening of Rossini’s overture was eloquently introduced by guest principal Benjamin Hughes’s solo cello before the idea was picked up by the others, as well as the double basses. Menacing strokes on the timpani interjected and heralded the thundery musical pages of ‘Storm’, these were joined by the strings and woodwind and the dynamic passage on the brass prior to the calming solo flute of Kathryn Bryan. The Ranz des vaches sequence allowed a peaceful interlude finely played on the cor anglais and a pleasing duet between the flute and the triangle. In the ‘March of the Swiss Soldiers’, the Korean conductor was more energetic as we heard the vividly bright trumpets in the wildly dynamic galop, as the whole orchestra brought this colourful piece to a brilliantly effervescent climax.
The Berlin Philharmonic principal cellist Bruno Delepelaire joined the orchestra in the Elgar Cello Concerto, a piece which always stirs especially poignant emotions. Just last week, the French-born cellist played Édouard Lalo’s Cello Concerto with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, and this was his second appearance after his debut with the orchestra last season.
Following the brightly coloured effervescence of the Rossini overture, the opening of the Elgar concerto seemed rather low-spirited with the recitative on the cello in the Adagio. The mood when the woodwind entered continued to be restrained, yet there was some marvellous virtuosity by the soloist, ably supported by his conductor. The Lento was beautifully performed with a sequence of pizzicato from Delepelaire and delightful backing from the orchestra. The Adagio was beautifully played – notably the succinct, yet soulful theme – before the Finale: Allegro moderato, which was distinguished by a notable cadenza from Delepelaire bringing this popular concerto to a satisfying climax.
Child prodigy cellist Han-Na Chang decided to take up the baton at 24, and has developed a busy career and is currently chief conductor of the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra in Norway, and from the start of this season, she has been the principal guest conductor of the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra. A former student at the Juilliard School and a student of Mischa Maisky, she says that among her inspirations are Rostropovich and Giuseppe Sinopoli.
In her performance of Beethoven’s ‘Eroica’ Symphony, Chang used a restricted strings group, and made some concessions to period performance with smaller timpani. In the opening Allegro con brio, the cellos were splendid in proclaiming the main theme, heralding the glorious entry on the horns before the whole orchestra picked it up. Chang was terrific in bringing out the heroic splendour by constantly driving the musicians through both her body and gyrating arms: she reminds me of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra’s principal guest conductor Elim Chan with her forceful personality at the rostrum. Her handling of the great opening movement was dynamic and momentous by evincing the highest level of performance from the musicians. Chang’s interpretation made this an intensely driven and vitally energetic performance. That she senses the ‘big picture’ of Beethoven’s symphonic structure was evident by her interpretation of the Marcia funebre: Adagio assai, and the funeral march – rather than a mournful threnody – had a majestic grandeur not always evident. The violins led by Maya Iwabuchi were magnificent in their opulently dynamic playing.
The Scherzo: Allegro vivace was terrific with all its mystery and brilliant colours demonstrated manifestly through Chang’s direction. The Trio was especially well executed by the three golden-hued horns, before the culmination of the transformation from pianissimo to fortissimo in an excitingly driven passage. Chang brought out all the bravura and passion in the Finale: Allegro moderato, tearing through the set of variations in a passage of exquisite string playing supported by great brass and woodwind virtuosity and evincing all the sheer joie de vivre of Beethoven’s masterpiece. It was a terrific debut by this very talented conductor, and one hopes she will be back soon – Han-Na Chang is a major talent in the conducting world.
Gregor Tassie