Symphonic Dances - Nov 2009

Thank you to John Hendry for this review of our final concert of 2009

Programme planning is a nightmare and one shouldn’t let personal prejudices influence a review: – or is a review just that; comment on an event?

In prospect the best music on the programme was Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, and approaching the concert I was really surprised that it was in the “Overture” position. The excerpts chosen did give us hints and reminders of this dramatic, luminous and moving score, the middle section of the night’s dance was delightfully played, contrasting with the raw arrogance of the brass in ‘the famous bit’. The rich legato required for Romeo and Juliet was warmly worked and the overtly neo-classical minuet wittily played. However the cuts and re-ordering did leave me feeling it had become a ‘best bits of’ medley.

Debussy’s Danses Sacrée and Profane worked really well in a near capacity STAG theatre – the balance between solo harp and strings was finely judged, a lush but clean string sound surrounding the clarity and technical brilliance of the harp playing. So often harpists let the mechanical business with the pedals get in the way, here the music spoke through, it was an atmosphere of charming chamber music well played. Sally Pryce really put herself at the centre of the music making in a thoroughly convincing manner. [The pre-Raphaelite hair and striking red dress were an un-looked for bonus]

The first half concluded with Bernstein’s West Side Story Dances, again a judiciously abbreviated version, and I thought strings and wind really got into the show style with verve and enthusiasm, both in the strongly jazz influenced Jets/Sharks music and in the ballad style of ‘Somewhere’. Darrell Davison got a sleepy Sunday afternoon audience finger clicking and Mambo-ing in spite of themselves – strangely it was the brass and percussion who came across as a bit reluctant home counties in this piece, perhaps they’d had too good a lunch.!?

The Bacchanale from Samson after the [dry!] interval is one of those pieces that elicit the reaction … oh this. Great fun, energetic, with some lyrical turns, all very neatly delivered – really got the audience listening.

Of course the Rachmaninov Dances had to come at the end – it’s fiercely difficult for one thing and really is symphonic music. I’m sure Rachmaninov didn’t have the energy for another full symphony so he slipped this in as a coda to his life’s work. Once I’d twigged this was the symphony in the programme I enjoyed it so much more than in previous performances, and that seemed to be the way Davison and the SSO intended it to be heard. Those waiting for a string of waltzes and polkas were always going to be disappointed; this had real gravitas and intellectual bite. There were small moments of unease in ensemble but the argument was carried through with compelling musicianship and considerable virtuosity. Every orchestral section has huge challenges to overcome in this piece; dexterity, velocity, concentration, stamina; abilities are tested particularly in the many changes of mood, direction and tonality. The SSO were hugely successful as the audience reaction testified.

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