The last of this season's double visits to the Proms by a big touring orchestra featured the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Principal Conductor, Bernard Haitink.
The bulk of the programmes was made up of whopping symphonies by Mahler and Shostakovich, coupled respectively with the European premiere of a work by Mark-Anthony Turnage and Murray Perahia in Mozart's C minor Piano Concerto, K491.
The quality of the Chicago orchestra, an ensemble extremely well represented in the catalogue (not least in live recordings on their own label of the exact two symphonies featured here), is beyond doubt, and they were immensely impressive in their double appearance a year ago under Riccardo Muti at the Royal Festival Hall. However, although they easily negotiated the skilfully drawn cityscapes of Turnage's Chicago remains – a work which despite its many clever effects came across as rather anonymous – their performance of Mahler's Sixth Symphony, which followed, was marred by some wholly uncharacteristic fluffs.
Stephen Johnson's programme note presented two views of this symphony, contrasting the all-embracing tragedy Bruno Walter saw in it – a view, reinforced no doubt by all the murky superstition stirred up by Alma regarding its creation – and Michael Kennedy's assessment of it as 'classical in conception and execution'. Haitink, keeping a strong grip on the work's structure and pushing on where others might be tempted to wallow, had most definitely positioned himself in the Kennedy camp. The opening march was powerful but slightly reined in, the famous 'Alma' theme of the second subject was affectionately phrased – the first and second violins placed together to the conductor's left producing a powerful, warm sound – but was not the outpouring of passionate consolation it can be. As the movement continued, though, untidiness started creeping in. Principal horn, Dale Clevenger, is one of the best in the business, but fluffed his long duet with the Robert Chen’s violin, and seemed out of sorts for most of the work; there was also untidiness from the rest of the brass and a touch of reticence from the woodwind.
The middle movements, Haitink placing the Scherzo before the Andante, were highly efficient but although the pacing kept us in mind of an overarching structure, this led to a feeling of several details not really being given their due. The Andante was rather restrained and even at its big climax, Haitink seemed to be holding something back. In the massive Finale we seemed to lose more on the smaller scale as Haitink concentrated on tracing the line of the movement's grand, overarching structure. At stages the intensity was allowed to drop and the famous hammer blows seemed necessary to galvanise orchestra and conductor into their most powerful and concentrated playing, which, when it came, was extremely impressive. This classical, formal approach, however, helped give the final, apocalyptic minutes a rare cumulative power.
The second concert witnessed the return of Murray Perahia to the Proms after an absence of over two decades and he didn't need long to show the Albert Hall audience what it's been missing. In Mozart's dark C minor Piano Concerto, K.491, his strong playing captured the work's drama and Sturm und Drang but it was the melting lyricism and urbane charm elsewhere that was, if anything, more rewarding. He provided his own cadenzas, that for the first movement looking forward, it seemed, beyond Beethoven to Schumann, and added his own ornamentation, liberally varying the beautifully spun line of the second movement's theme. His improvisatory way was carried through into Mozart's own variations in the Finale capping an exemplary performance by the pianist.
There was some evidence of a lack of preparation in the concerto's accompaniment with looseness of ensemble and some suspect intonation from the wind but Shostakovich's massive Fourth Symphony suffered no such problems. The uncharacteristic fluffs and uncertainties that had peppered the Mahler had also largely disappeared in a performance stamped with Haitink's characteristic hallmarks of integrity, seriousness of purpose, and formal mastery. There can be few more trusty guides on the Fourth Symphony's journey into the abyss and Haitink's reading surpassed that of his Mahler in its emotional engagement. As we reached the final desperation of the work's last minutes, his power over the packed Albert Hall audience was palpable and they reacted with rapt concentration: this was one of those moments of mass musical hypnosis which seem unique to the Proms.
With the orchestra on more characteristic form, this was a performance where Haitink's long view was backed up by a wealth of detail on the smaller scale. The first movement's march, after the arresting opening figure, had an extra kick to it and the wind section, in particular, seemed far more alive to the possibilities of the score. The performance revelled in the objective demands of some of the dry-as-dust solo passages – William Buchman's po-faced bassoon was particularly fine in this regard – and the massed violins conjured up rich walls of sound or pared their tone down for the numb, meandering counterpoint of the Moderato con moto. The brass too were more or less back to their usual resilient selves, the work of principal trombone, Jay Friedman, particularly worthy of mention.
Ultimately it was Haitink's firm grasp on the work's structure and unwavering musical integrity that gave this performance stature. He might not be the conductor to wring every last drop of horror or despair from this darkest of symphonies but the implacable sureness of his pacing made for a Shostakovich Four that will not be forgotten in a hurry.
By Hugo Shirley
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