United Kingdom Berlioz, Rachmaninoff, Saint-Saëns: Yuja Wang (piano), Anna Lapwood (organ), London Symphony Orchestra / Sir Antonio Pappano (conductor). Barbican Hall, London 15.9.2024. (JR)
Berlioz – Roman Carnival – Overture
Rachmaninoff – Piano Concerto No.1, Op.1
Saint-Saëns – Symphony No.3, Op.78 Organ Symphony
For the third of the four opening concerts of the London Symphony Orchestra season, Sir Antonio Pappano, now officially their Chief Conductor, brought us a traditional programme of overture, concerto and symphony. Something for everyone; the soloist Yuja Wang probably accounted for a completely full house.
First, the Berlioz overture, with a nod to former Chief Conductor Sir Colin Davis. Berlioz actually composed this overture to precede the second act of his opera Benvenuto Cellini at the opera’s revival, but when the revival did not take place, the piece was re-named as the Roman Carnival. The piece sparkles from beginning to end and is ever popular: Pappano took a properly rumbustious view of the work, allowing the LSO’s silken strings to shine and the cor anglais (guest Maxwell Spiers) to beguile. I also highlight the trombone section and the tambourine player Neil Percy (longest serving member of the percussion section) who continually caught eye and ear.
Yuja Wang came on stage in a long white slit and backless gown, trademark high heels and designer sunglasses. The sunglasses remained a mystery; was she becoming sensitive to stage lights? Yuja hardly glanced at the conductor throughout the concerto, which she whizzed through with steely determination, showcasing her fiery temperament, and with her usual flamboyant abandon. She could not make the concerto sound like a mature work – Rachmaninoff composed the concerto at the age of 18 (Opus 1 says it all), though he revised it substantially 27 years later, after composing his popular Second Piano Concerto. The piece meanders too much and is oddly lacking in memorable melody. Pappano conducted with his usual vigour and gusto, and Wang made the most of the piece, choosing not to linger over any particular phrasing. Wang was most impressive with the cascades and trills. I felt, however, that she was oddly absent, as though she did not really want to be on the stage. Hopefully, just an off evening. She struggled to raise a smile to her joyous fans. (In New York last year Wang wearing a heart monitor managed to play a marathon of all four Rachmaninoff concertos and the Rhapsody on a theme by Paganini in one afternoon – and the queue for tickets stretched right round Carnegie Hall.)
Pappano clearly enjoys the music of Saint-Saëns, though the Organ Symphony would have benefitted from the majestic sound of a ‘proper’ built-in organ, such as at the Royals, Albert Hall or even Festival Hall, rather than having to bring in a temporary electronic organ. The back of the stage at the Barbican Hall cleverly makes you believe there are organ pipes lurking behind the wooden panels though this is merely a delusion. Incidentally, while I ponder alternative venues for this work, my neighbour at the concert mentioned she had heard a fine performance at St Paul’s – and I also read that the huge Willis organ at Ally Pally is on the way to being restored. But I digress.
The star of the symphony, nay the star of the whole concerto, was Anna Lapwood who is Director of Music at Pembroke College, amongst other posts. Her passion for the organ is matched by her worthy mission to support women in music. She was the first female in Magdalen College Oxford’s 560-year history to be awarded the Organ Scholarship. Lapwood’s delicate control of the pianissimos at the end of the first movement was captivating and had the audience breathless. When her big moment came towards the end of the final movement, she did not hold back and almost shook us out of our seats. Pappano made sure she was not drowned out, ensured the two pianists were clearly audible and brought the work to its joyful conclusion with energetic tempi.
The orchestra is clearly enjoying their relationship with Pappano, playing music they would never have played with many of their previous Chief Conductors. A great start to their season.
John Rhodes