The Hallé orchestra's programme consisting of Britten's Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge, Op. 10, Strauss' Horn Concerto No. 2 and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5 is enterprising even if for no other reason that, until now, Hallé supremo Sir Mark Elder has never conducted these Britten and Shostakovich works (and encountered the Strauss, only once, a long time ago).
Elder's command of the Hallé orchestra (and of everything else to do with the Hallé) is remarkable. There is no doubt who the boss is as Elder has clearly stamped his mark on all aspects of Hallé's work including audience building, educational outreach and other non-musical but essential ingredients. Verbal communication and persuasion form an important and successful part of the evidently tireless Sir Mark's all-round work. Sadly, I missed his pre-concert talk which was in the form of a celebration interview (with Hallé Chief Executive John Summers) to mark Elder's ten years with the Hallé. However, during the concert I heard his seemingly unscripted but informative and structured introduction to the Shostakovich symphony (which apparently contains thirty hidden quotes from Bizet's Carmen) and I witnessed his skilful – and definitely unscripted! - address to a group of university students whom I brought along to him after the concert.
The Britten work, composed for a string orchestra in 1937 and dedicated to Britten's teacher Frank Bridge, showed the sumptuous but focused sound which Hallé's string section is capable of. Some of the extensive (and difficult) solo violin passages seemed (to my ears) slightly nervous but presumably by subsequent performances (such as one in Lincoln on 25th September) nerves would have settled.
Richard Watkins performed Strauss' horn concerto from memory. This is no mean feat, especially as – according to my score - he played all notes (whether in the countless virtuoso passages or in the more melodic lines) accurately and without a single note cracked. Yet cracking notes on the horn is notoriously difficult to avoid! Apart from his technical mastery, Watkins delivered an enjoyable, musical rendering of the concerto.
I admit that I did not spot the thirty hidden quotes from Bizet's Carmen in the Shostakovich symphony. But I noticed some wonderful flute, oboe and timpani playing and Elder’s passionate delivery of the Largo that is the 3rd movement. This was the symphony which, after the ill fated reception of his Lady Macbeth of Mtsenks District, rehabilitated the composer to the Soviet authorities in 1937. And Elder's disciplined, controlled but rousing performance with his Hallé orchestra showed that the Soviet audience at the 1937 premiere was right to proudly celebrate, as they did, Shostakovich's fifth symphony.
By Agnes Kory
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