United Kingdom Tchaikovsky, Sibelius: Alexandre Kantorow (piano), London Philharmonic Orchestra / Paavo Järvi (conductor), Royal Festival Hall, London 4.3.2026. (JR)
Tchaikovsky – Piano Concerto No.2, Op.44
Sibelius – Symphony No.2, Op.43
First, the ‘Big News’ (to quote the LPO): The orchestra have announced, and I for one was not at all surprised to read, that Paavo Järvi has been appointed Chief Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra from the 2028/2029 season, succeeding Edward Gardner at the end of his tenure. Järvi will continue at the helm of the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich until the end of that same season. A coup for the LPO – and for Järvi too. After many very successful seasons in Zurich, greatly enhancing the quality and reach of the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, he has probably long had his sights on a major London orchestra.
Now to the concert, which was as much an occasion as a concert. Young French pianist Alexandre Kantorow has quickly gone from ‘rising star’ to a soloist in great demand around the world’s finest concert platforms – this was his debut with the LPO. In 2019 he won the Gold Medal and Grand Prix at the 16th International Tchaikovsky Competition, playing the concerto he performed at this concert, Tchaikovsky’s Second Piano Concerto (in the competition he also played the Second Brahms concerto).
Tchaikovsky’s Second Piano Concerto has long lain in the shadows of his popular First. Many will not recognise the work’s first movement, its melodic line quite subtle. The limelight is on the soloist and his pyrotechnics on the keyboard. Järvi opened the work in blistering fashion, and Kantorow thrilled right from the outset, his physical force and technical control utterly outstanding. Much use of the right pedal, and huge volume. He brought out the movement’s dramatic and brilliant moments, and the sell-out audience seemed to stop breathing to revel in his imposing solo. Solo violin (Pieter Schoeman) and solo cello (Kristina Blaumane) took over the limelight in the slow movement; the piano seems to take a subsidiary role. Kantorow’s tenderness in this movement was captivating. The finale was a gift for Kantorow: dashing, scintillating and the final cascading arpeggios brought the house down. Järvi and Kantorow made the case that this ‘poor cousin’ of the First Concerto is, also, a masterpiece. Kantorow rewarded the ecstatic applause with an enchanting piano arrangement (perhaps by Mikhail Pletnev?) of the Pas de Deux from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker.
Sibelius in the hands of a Finnish conductor cannot, usually, go wrong and it is only a hop, skip and a short ferry ride from Helsinki to Tallinn and then a short drive down to the Järvi family home in Pärnu. I expected a vehement performance from Järvi and was in no way disappointed. Although Sibelius started composing this symphony in sunny Rapallo and Florence, in 1901, the symphony is connected by many as a struggle for Finland’s independence, written at a time of Russian domination and sanctions against the Finnish language and their culture. As Estonia looks nervously across to Putin’s Russia, this was an opportune moment to perform this symphony.
Järvi opened the first movement gradually and organically. As the excitement mounted, so did Järvi’s feverish energy. The string section were particularly impressive, right to the very back desks. Järvi beamed throughout, chuffed at the quality of the orchestra he is to take over.
The slow movement was, perhaps, the most impressive of all, depicting (perhaps) the death of Christ, and the death of Finland. Long pauses brought Bruckner to mind (another of Järvi’s favourite composers). The brass towered, the string pizzicato sections were spot on.
Järvi took the restless, frenetic, exhilarating scherzo (Vivacissimo) as fast as he possibly could and the orchestra responded with machine-gun figures in the strings. We were led straight into the Finale which built gloriously and optimistically to its triumphant conclusion. The orchestra has never sounded finer and this concert augurs very well for a new ‘golden age’ under this celebrated conductor, leading up to, in 2032, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the orchestra. We can expect a diet of his favourite composers, more Tchaikovsky, Bruckner as well as his compatriots Arvo Pärt (90 this year) and his friend Erkki-Sven Tüür.
The orchestra, conductor and soloist now take this same programme to Budapest and Athens. They will go down a storm.
John Rhodes
Featured Image: Pianist Alexandre Kantorow, conductor Paavo Järvi and the LPO © Marc Gascoigne