United Kingdom Mozart, Brahms: Dame Imogen Cooper (piano), Gerald Finley (bass-baritone), Chen Reiss (soprano), London Symphony Chorus and Orchestra / Manfred Honeck (conductor). Barbican Hall, London, 25.1.2026. (AV-E)
Mozart – Piano Concert No.27 in B-flat major, K595
Brahms – A German Requiem, Op.45
When I saw the London Symphony Chorus assembling for the first half, which consisted of Mozart 27th Piano Concerto, I pondered if a new version had been discovered for an added chorus; or maybe, Brahms’s Schicksalsied had been added as a starter. Neither were true. I speculated that the chorus were there to absorb the spirit of the Mozart which would then shine through the spirit of the Brahms; as both works are far closer ‘in spirit’ than at first one might imagine: for here we had perfect programming juxtaposing two overtly ‘romantic’ works.
Dame Imogen Cooper gave us a spick-and-span come cut-and-paste performance of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.27, depressingly devoid of poetry, poignancy and personality: she clearly knew the ‘work by heart’, but her heart was not in it, playing without wearing her heart on her sleeve. For sure: her playing was polished, pristine, perfect; that is, immaculate: but it was not an ‘immaculate conception’ and that was the ‘flaw’. This could have been played by an A.I. However, Honeck offered sprightly support with the London Symphony Orchestra playing with stylish aplomb to save the day.
Honeck bravely gave us an unashamedly ‘old fashioned’ rendition of the Brahms German Requiem having the depth, breadth, weight and gravitas of Otto Klemperer, rather than the now fashionable swift, effete, and light-textured ‘historically informed performances’ of the German Requiem conducted by John Eliot Gardiner and Roger Norrington. Honeck elicited ecstatic emotions and sublime sensation that these sanitised and clinical ‘HIP’ performances tend to lack, or even avoid, such is their nun-like quest for a virgin purity of sound.
Throughout, Honeck maintained a taut, steady, rhythmically adroit, life-affirming pulse integrating all movements into one organic whole; this was greatly anchored and enhanced by the eight double basses who deserve extra praise: this was a full-bodied, full-blooded Requiem!
Above all, it was the incisive timpanist, Patrick King, who was, for me, the star of the evening: for the timpani are prominent throughout serving as the foundation (‘backbone’) structure of the score enhancing rhythmic drive and dramatic weight throughout. Along with Honeck’s assured conducting, King, single-handedly held this rather wayward work together. Yet, sadly, some other conductors do not understand the importance of the timpani in this work: the timpani being the living-pulse of it.
The one criticism I have is that in ‘Denn alles Fleisch, es ist wie Gras’, the horns were far too trimerous and reserved when they should be blazing out here; only Klemperer seems to have understood this, whose 1961 Philharmonia Orchestra account still remains the benchmark recording and still has not been surpassed all those donkey’s years ago.
The soloists Gerald Finley and Chen Reiss were emotionally expressive without sticking out as being theatrically operatic, as can often be the case. Finley sung ‘Denn alles Fleisch, es ist wie Gras’ with a rapturous radiance which was so suited to the Honeck’s vitalising and invigorating interpretation of this score.
Reiss sung ‘Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit’ with such sweet-scented sentimentality that it bought a tear to the eye; her gleaming glowing sounds sensitively supported by chorus and orchestra.
Indeed: the London Symphony Chorus and Orchestra were in exemplary form and should be very proud of themselves. Likewise, chorus director Simon Halsey deserves very high praise as well.
Honeck’s was a highly original and unusually revelatory reading of the German Requiem in that it transcended itself in the sense of sounding far more life-affirming and uplifting than usual, and stimulating rather than boring, as it can very often sound. Honeck demonstrated that this is not the case at all: it is not a boring work even if there are boring performances of it.
After the closing of ‘Selig sind die Toten’, Honeck held his arm up high for twenty-seven seconds as a gesture for a mark of silence before the ecstatic applause was unleashed.
Alexander Verney-Elliott
Featured Image: Manfred Honeck conducts the London Symphony Orchestra © Mark Allan/LSO
Agree with every word! I was there – the Brahms was indeed magnificent.