Final Barbican season opener from Pappano and the LSO goes off with a bang

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Szymanowski, Chopin, Mahler: Yuja Wang (piano), London Symphony Orchestra / Sir Antonio Pappano (conductor). Barbican Hall, London, 19.9.2024. (JR)

Pianist Yuja Wang performs with the LSO conducted by Sir Antonio Pappano © Mark Allan

Szymanowski – Concert Overture, Op.12
Chopin – Piano Concerto, No.2 Op.21
Mahler – Symphony No.1

For the last of the four opening concerts of the London Symphony Orchestra season, Sir Antonio Pappano, brought back Yuja Wang with a popular and tuneful concerto and a symphony to end in a blaze.

The name Karol Szymanowski neither drops easily off the British tongue nor is it easily to spell; but more pertinently, most music lovers are hard pressed to remember many of his works; particularly to recognise his style as he moved, with increasing age, from imitating Richard Strauss and Wagner through Debussy and Scriabin and finally infusing his works with Polish folklore. His Concert Overture could easily have been composed by a young Richard Strauss, save crucially that it lacks any memorable melody; a few bars bring Wagner to mind. Despite passionate conducting from Pappano, I was not convinced about the piece.

Yuja, as she likes to be known, seemed much more comfortable and relaxed on this evening than earlier in the week with Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto. The sunglasses were off, and she was on top form, surmounting the technical hurdles with consummate ease (especially just after the solo horn call in the final movement). In the orchestra I highlight Daniel Jamison for his honeyed bassoon solo. The concerto has melodies-a-plenty and Yuja spun them out with sensitivity, great lightness of touch and delicacy. After the playful Allegro vivace finale, we were rewarded with not one but three encores, Yuja impish as ever: a short burst of Boulez, Rachmaninoff’s G minor Prelude and a Philip Glass Etude. Her fan club in the Upper Balcony were delirious.

Sir Antonio Pappano conducts the London Symphony Orchestra © Mark Allan

Mahler’s First Symphony usually brings the house down and this performance did not disappoint. The orchestra’s woodwind impressed in their forest murmurs; Pappano ensured we were absorbed. The second movement Ländler was vigorous, then Rodrigo Moro Martin, Principal double bass, was spot-on with his intonation in the Frère Jacques solo. James Fountain, principal trumpet, was clarion clear; Chi-Yu Mo was excellent whenever contributing on his E-flat clarinet. Strings were impressive as usual; the horns did not have their best night (admittedly tricky when there are eight of them); bells were held aloft in the last movement and they stood at the close for full visual and sonic impact. The audience roared; we can only hope Pappano, who seems very well attuned to Mahler, turns to more of this composer in later seasons.

After a surfeit of Bruckner over the last weeks and months, wonderful as that composer is, it was good to hear a greater variety of sounds in Mahler’s more intricate sonic world.

John Rhodes

PS: The Barbican Centre has finally completed a fine renovation of their lower ground toilets which had been a disgrace for many years. Now all they need to do is ensure all the hand dryers actually work.

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