United Kingdom Beethoven, Beamish, Prokofiev: Janine Jansen (violin), Martin Fröst (clarinet), London Symphony Orchestra / Gianandrea Noseda (conductor). Barbican Corridor, London 20.6.2024. (JR)

Beethoven – Overture – Leonore No.3, Op.72b
Beamish – Distans – Concerto for Violin and Clarinet
Prokofiev – Symphony No.7

Gianandrea Noseda impresses many listeners along with his frenetic vitality and animated gestures on the rostrum, though some could also be distracted or really feel, as a few of the orchestral gamers little question do, that a few of the histrionics are pointless. There may be nevertheless no denying that he attracts the very best from an orchestra and yields spectacular outcomes. This was a blazing Leonore No.3 overture. The keenness was electrical, the speeds have been the quickest possible and even the wonderful string sections of the London Symphony Orchestra struggled to maintain up. It made for an exhilarating curtain-raiser. Gareth Davies, principal flute, was rightly given speedy thanks by the conductor.

Sally Beamish is a celebrated British up to date composer. She was a viola participant with the London Sinfonietta and with the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, as was her mom: this explains the chamber-like intimacy which runs by way of a lot of her works. She has Scottish roots however has additionally lived in Sweden. Distans (‘distance’ in Swedish) was written through the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown and explores concepts of connection and isolation. As many have been, Beamish was separated from a few of her family members on the time; the composition turned an expression of longing. This was the UK premiere of the work, the primary efficiency happened throughout Covid and with out an viewers, simply with cameras filming the occasion. The primary dwell efficiency needed to be postponed.

In Distans the soloists first name to one another from offstage, as if calling the cows on distant pastures. The soloists emerge from their reverse sides of the stage to greet each other centre stage with a quick dance, accompanied by the tinkling of cowbells. A second dance is impressed by the Swedish nyckelharpa, a fiddle with keys and lots of strings, Beamish reflecting these notes within the strings. The three-movement piece is fascinating all through and exudes a lot allure. Janine Jansen produced ethereal sounds and the sweetest of tone, while Swedish clarinettist Martin Fröst wowed us along with his mastery of his instrument, from its depths to its squeaky prime notes, with a lot fancy footwork as is his wont. The orchestra’s percussion part was busy all through, although I felt the bongo drum accompanying the ultimate Dutch melody a mite incongruous. The concerto ends because it started, the soloists leaving the stage in reverse instructions as they play their ultimate phrases, as if calling to one another throughout a distanced panorama. I’m assured the work will obtain many additional performances; it’s an totally charming work. The composer was in attendance and acquired very heat applause.

Noseda continues his Prokofiev symphonic cycle and introduced us the composer’s ultimate symphony, his Seventh. This isn’t one in every of Prokofiev’s extra in style works (his First, the ‘Classical’, and Fifth take delight of place there), but it surely has its moments and is properly value being heard every so often. Noseda made a cogent case for its efficiency, regardless that even essentially the most good efficiency (this one being recorded for LSO Dwell and filmed for broadcast on Marquee TV on 11 July) doesn’t persuade that it is a main work. It was composed, after Prokofiev had returned to Russia, for the Soviet Youngsters’s Radio Division and combines fairy-tale magic with a level of melancholy, maybe the composer’s nostalgia for misplaced youth. The 5 percussionists noticed loads of motion, notably the lithe glockenspiel; the composer provides saxophone, piano and harp for added color. Noseda danced his means by way of the second motion’s animated waltz: the sluggish motion has the composer surprisingly working out of memorable tunes and my consideration waned. Smiles all spherical when the ultimate motion began, a rumbustious gallop and ominous tick-tock from flute and glockenspiel.

This was a most attention-grabbing and fulfilling live performance.

John Rhodes