United Kingdom Beethoven, Bruckner: Leif One Andsnes (piano), Philharmonia Orchestra / Esa-Pekka Salonen (conductor). Royal Festival Hall, London, 4.10.2026. (JR)
Beethoven – Piano Concerto No.3, Op. 37
Bruckner – Symphony No. 4
This concert should have been conducted by the veteran and venerated Swedish conductor Herbert Blomstedt, who is now in his 100th year. In May this year, whilst conducting the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Mahler’s Ninth Symphony, no less, he had a health issue, the result of an ear infection, and his doctors prescribed a period of rest. Assuming his health allows him to return to the podium, his upcoming itinerary includes performances with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in December, the Orchestre de Paris in January and the Staatskapelle Dresden in February. Then in July a major series of 100th birthday tribute concerts. Whilst we all wish the Swedish maestro well, we are not holding our breath.
Orchestras which have scheduled him to conduct will, no doubt, all have the sense to have replacements-in-waiting; and it so it was that the Philharmonia called on a former Chief Conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen to step in for this afternoon concert. Oddly, he chose to replace the originally scheduled Bruckner Symphony No.5 with No.4, presumably a work with which he is more familiar. I was surprised that the programme made no mention whatsoever of Herbert Blomstedt.
The first half of the concert proceeded as had been planned, Leif One Andsnes performing Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto. As expected, the performance was flawless, Andsnes completely without flamboyance or any excess muscularity, and in full command of the work. He played with refinement and elegance, his first movement cadenza had the audience enthralled. The timpani had been moved near to the front of the stage and the two trumpeters played on natural instruments. The slow movement lingered a bit too long for my liking, but it was a beautiful rendition. Familiarity can breed contempt with works such as this but our attention never strayed, such was the quality of playing. The tempestuous finale ended with a veritable flourish and we were rewarded with a wonderfully mesmeric encore, Sibelius’s Fifth Impromptu in B minor, scintillating cascades up and down the keyboard. Just a pity we could also hear the thump thump from below the auditorium.
Salonen had the measure of Bruckner’s Fourth Symphony, both in terms of tempi, flow and structure. The orchestra played like a dream for him and he was visibly pleased with the performance. After the hush of the strings, in came the Principal Horn – crystal clear and crisp. If I am not mistaken, this was Eleanor Blakeney, who if my research is correct has just joined the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (do correct me please, someone, if I am wrong). Salonen, at the end of the work, rushed up to her to deservedly give her a big hug. There were other notable guest appearances on the stage: the leader was Andrew Haveron, a British violinist now resident in Australia, co-concertmaster since 2013 of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and first violinist of the Brodsky Quartet; and Gustav Melander, a very fine Swedish trumpet player, who was probably the most disappointed person in the hall not to be playing for Blomstedt. Melander is principal trumpet with the Bergen Philharmonic.
The faultless brass section thrilled us in every movement. The muted violas, led by the indefatigable Scott Dickinson, mightily impressed in their exposed section of the slow movement, when all the other strings play pizzicato. At the curtain call, Salonen rightly got them to rise right after the principal horn.
The hunting Scherzo was as bracing as it should be, and Salonen filled the final movement with immense grandeur. I heard Blomstedt in Bruckner at the Tonhalle in Zurich in 2022 (review here) with the Fifth Symphony and that wonderful performance will now live long in my memory, as I fear we may not now have the fortune to see and hear Blomstedt in London again. Salonen and the Fourth, however, made for a very fine substitute.
John Rhodes