Recently described by Norman Lebrecht as the 'doyen of the German conducting tradition', Kurt Masur took the podium at the Royal Albert Hall to conduct repertoire that undoubtedly earned him such a distinction, most notably Bruckner's imposing Symphony No. 7.
It is not a title acquired easily by the maestro, who, although conducting for almost sixty years, has had to contend with personal tragedies and political upheaval. Happily, however, his presence at the Proms is one of a series of concerts intended to mark Masur's eightieth birthday year, the exact date of which fell on this evening's concert. Consequently, this Proms audience was treated to a remarkable grouping of two orchestras on stage - the London Philharmonic, of whom Masur has been Principal Conductor since 2000, and the Orchestre National de France, where he has held the position of Music Director since 2002.
Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings thus gave an impressive start to an impressive evening. The huge body of strings instantly infused the hall with a rich warm sound that never faltered. It was a compelling performance, moving from velvety depths of tone to the most delicate of pianissimi with an ease that belied the work's underlying harmonic complexities.
Although at times densely motivic, the balance and proportion in the lyrical writing here was perfectly mirrored in orchestral balance, the players seeming to exult in the joys of one of Tchaikovsky's own favourite compositions. Indeed, a superbly intimate relationship between the players and conductor captivated the audience with a performance that was romantic without being overwrought, only interrupted by smatterings of appreciative applause between movements.
Bruckner's powerful Symphony No 7 in E major followed the interval - one of the composer's most popular symphonies, at least in terms of gaining success after its premiere in Leipzig in 1883. Nonetheless, a conductor of Masur's stature was in no way intimidated by its proportions, comfortably commanding at least 130 players on stage. The combined orchestras maintained the full-bodied string tone from the first half of the performance, enhanced by clear woodwind solos and a daunting brass section.
Often considered a Wagnerian Romantic composer, it is no secret that Bruckner held Wagner in great esteem, and the huge scale of orchestral forces in this symphony reflect such an opinion, even including so-called Wagner tubas. The Adagio second movement of this symphony, it is claimed, was written by Bruckner in the knowledge that his idol had little time left to live, and this performance was emotionally powerful yet immaculately controlled, forgoing the somewhat gaudy cymbal clash at the movement's climax. Indeed, Masur was a formidable presence throughout the performance, engaging the orchestra to such an extent that it seemed that all breathed as one, as string bows waved in sync with the broad sweeps of his arms.
The respect and admiration emanating from the players for their conductor also engaged the audience, who were reluctant to let Masur leave the podium. After numerous trips back to the stage, an encore of - what else? - Wagner's Overture to Die Meistersinger concluded the evening's performance.