Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra: Picture Perfect at Colston Hall - Bristol Review

Posted on: 2017-05-18

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"Sorry, tonight's concert is sold out." So said the assistant to the now-disappointed woman as I stood at the box office of the Colston Hall to pick up my tickets.


That her initial enthusiasm was met by the inevitable bad news - and her resultant glum expression - made me somewhat downbeat that her plans to sit through an evening of iconic Russian orchestral music had been thwarted; that the concert was completely sold out did, however, make my heart soar. The city's appetite for classical music is clearly, reassuringly healthy. 

 

And as the bustling, jostling music lovers found their seats, the air was already filled with a palpable buzz and excitable electricity before the players of the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra even took to the stage and conductor Yuri Simonov raised his baton to usher in the first note of what would turn out to be an unforgettable evening.

 

Kicking off the all-Russian programme was Shostakovich's bright and breezy Festive Overture. Written to commemorate the 37th anniversary of the October Revolution and composed in an astonishing three days, this was a 6-minute wild ride of orchestral brilliance; punchy, playful, plucky, feisty yet full of irrepressible cheekiness and mirth and a few memorable musical inventions thrown in for good measure. As a curtain-raiser it was a deliriously entertaining tour de force; a gutsy, barnstorming start.

 

Pianist Freddy Kempf's ivory tinkling throughout the performance of Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 3 - in perfect tandem with the orchestra - was nothing short of stunning. Technically impeccable and with fingers that danced across the keys with such vigorous, whirling alacrity that they almost became an unfathomable blur, the concerto may be regarded as one of the most technically challenging piano pieces in the classical repertoire, but Kempf - as all great artists do - made it look both eye-poppingly impressive and effortlessly easy. An electrifying three-movement composition in the Romantic tradition, it was a beautifully rendered, utterly ravish interpretation and a breathtaking performance. 

 

A 20-minute interval and one pint later, the now galvanised, throbbing multitudes reassembled for the second half which was, for me - and despite the absolutely incredible first half - the highlight of the night. But then again, Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition has always one been one of my favourite classical works. Taking up the entire second half, this 40-minute musical colossus was originally composed as a set of ten pieces for piano based on a series of drawings and watercolours by artist Viktor Hartmann. 

 

Ravel's thrilling orchestration of the piece has become the most definitive and oft-performed, filling each movement - from the initial, recognisable trumpet Promenade theme through to the delightfully quirky Ballad of the Unhatched Chicks and the dark, brooding Catacombs - it's filled with striking musical motifs, witty invention and often unconventional, exotic instrumentation. It was a powerhouse version of the composition, giving particular sections the chance to shine whilst demonstrating the consummate, awe-inspiring musicianship of the orchestra as a whole. Unsurprisingly, it brought the house down.

 

The Moscow Philharmonic's visit to the city was an irrefutable triumph, with the musicians clearly reveling in the music of their homeland and it bringing the very best out of them, unquestionably at the top of their game, while Yuri Simonov's expressive conducting reflected his passion for and immersion in the music. Stunning performances of Russian masters by a world-class orchestra and two hours of sublime musical perfection. 

5/5



Article by:

Jamie Caddick

Jamie is a writer, blogger, journalist, critic, film fan, soundtrack nerd and all-round Bristolian good egg.  He loves the music of Philip Glass, the art of Salvador Dali, the writings of Charles Bukowksi and Hunter S Thompson, the irreverence of Harry Hill, and the timeless, straw-chomping exuberance of The Wurzels.  You can sometimes find him railing against a surging tide of passing cyclists, or gorging himself senseless on the Oriental delights of a Cosmos all-you-can-eat buffet.