United Kingdom Beethoven, Saint-Saëns, Schubert: Pablo Ferrández (cello), Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra/ Carlo Tenan (conductor), Usher Hall, Edinburgh, 6.4.2025. (GT)
Schubert – Symphony No.8 in B minor, D.759 ‘Unfinished’
Saint-Saëns – Cello Concerto No.1 in A minor, Op.33
Beethoven – Symphony No.6 in F major, Op.68 ‘Pastoral’
On a beautiful sunny afternoon in Edinburgh, in the city’s popular ‘Sunday Classics International Orchestra Season’, the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra, in the second of five concerts in a debut UK tour, brought a challenging programme of Viennese symphonies mixed with a romantic concerto from France. The Turkish musicians are celebrating twenty-five years under the flag of their main sponsor – the Borusan company from the country’s second city on the Bosphorus. It was particularly welcome to note that the ensemble consists entirely of Turkish musicians, led by their Italian Music Director, Carlo Tenan. I had never heard an orchestra from Turkey, so this was a fresh musical experience – and thankfully proved a delightful afternoon.
Opening with Schubert’s ‘Unfinished’ Symphony seemed challenging- however, in the opening bars of the Allegro moderato, the six double basses, violas and cellos exhibited a vibrancy and richness matched by the superbly verdant violins with some beautiful eloquence led by the glamorous concertmaster Pelin Halkaci Akin. Of unique quality is the woodwind group most notably the oboe of Sezai Kocabiyik, and Ferhat Göksel on the clarinet. I was impressed by Carlo Tenan, unknown to me previously, the Italian maestro has a major operatic career in his homeland and is also a composer and oboist. His style is not overly passionate or exuberant; he concentrates on obtaining the maximum from his musicians, often hunched over the score and driving his musicians forcefully and with precision.
I thought that the performance dropped a little in the strings with a loss of intonation in the second movement (Andante con moto) yet the eloquence of the woodwind and the radiant brass, especially the horns led by Cem Akçora was outstanding. I was curious that the four timpani were on a platform just slightly raised and in front of the six double basses. Normally, in the Usher Hall, the timpani are above the orchestra – this was a strange decision – albeit dependent on their desired acoustic for this programme. The timpanist Torino Tudorache – with his frowns or smiles cast a curious figure – yet when asked to perform he was a formidable striking the instrument with great precision and effect.
The soloist in the Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto was another musician previously unknown to me, yet Pablo Ferrández made a very strong impression from the first bars. It is clear that he has a very distinct talent, and he seemed to me that he plays in the ‘Russian cello’ style of deeply expressive and passionate playing typical of Rostropovich. He was educated by one of Mstislav Rostropovich’s pupils Natalia Shakhovskaya and with his impeccable artistry and virtuosity the young Spaniard has a great career ahead of him. It is hardly surprising that he was a prize-winner at the Tchaikovsky Cello Competition and is signed up to Sony Classical and collaborated with Anne-Sophie Mutter and Lambert Orkis and with the world’s finest orchestras. The opening brilliance of the Allegro non troppo was exceptional and matched by beautiful glissandos. Ferrández was splendidly supported by the woodwind group especially the flute of Bülent Evcil and again the oboe of Kocabiyik.
The slow minuet (Un peu moins vite) was performed with great affection by the woodwind group and the cellist’s cadenzas were gorgeous in their darkly nuanced brilliance. The magnificent assets of Ferrández’s Stradivarius were exquisitely portrayed in the most lyrical passages. This was a glorious performance and puts all the others I have heard of this concerto in the shade for its splendour and clarity of lyricism.
The concerto would have been the high point of the concert, yet it was the Beethoven ‘Pastoral’ Symphony that made this event special. It was almost as if the musicians had held back their finest music-making for this symphony; the affinity with nature was palpable in the opening bars of the Allegro ma non troppo – as if the baton of the conductor was being used like a brush in painting tonal colours. The strings were gracefully elegant with a pleasing rustic character and accompanied by cheerful flutes and clarinets enhanced by beautiful-sounding horns. This led to the vividly represented second movement (Andante molto mosso) in which the joys of nature were invoked by the woodwind group, again, the flute of Evcil and the clarinet of Göksel were outstanding in their charmed eloquence.
In the third movement (Scherzo Allegro) Tenan masterfully summoned a village harvest celebration with the woodwind robustly burbling and the boldly brash trumpets invoking the dancing peasants. The level of the performance and freshness of the Turkish musicians was remarkable, and it almost seemed that the musicians were discovering this music for the first time. It was charming to see how much they enjoyed playing – on one occasion, the cello players were smiling in one of the most endearing passages. In the following Allegro, the storm was enormously exciting and realistic, and just briefly, the piccolo of Zeynep Keleşoğlu had her sole contribution in the intensifying climax of the storm, as did briefly, the timpani with the strikes invoking thunder and lightning. In the finale (Allegretto), the mood of salvation and of a heartening return to peace brought this remarkable concert to a close, echoing the yet to be written – Missa Solemnis ‘from the heart, may it go to the heart’.
This performance of works from the Viennese school had no hint of period performance and it was a refreshing experience to hear such a top class orchestra alive in the music they were performing. This splendid ensemble from Turkey should be guests at a future Edinburgh International Festival; if anyone from the organisation were present, they should book them for the 2026 event without delay.
Gregor Tassie