Review: BBC PROMS: RACHMANINOV’S ‘PAGANINI’ VARIATIONS, Royal Albert Hall

It was a night of cinematic imagery all round, from the colourful splashes of Oliver Knussen’s “Flourish with Fireworks” and Sergey Rachmaninov’s “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini”, to Dmitry Shostakovich’s “Symphony No. 11 in G minor, The Year 1905”. Under Thomas Søndergård’s watchful eye, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra gave a memorable performance which thrilled the audience from start to finish; the appearance of piano soloist Kirill Gerstein was the cherry on the cake, his delicacy in the Rachmaninov leaving you with no doubt that you had just witnessed something special.

“Flourish with Fireworks” was the perfect amuse-bouche for the evening, a four-minute tribute from Oliver Knussen to conductor Michael Tilson Thomas whose musical notation was inspired by the initials of conductor and his orchestra: MTT and LSO (London Symphony Orchestra). It’s easy to imagine a firework display when you hear this piece, the flashing lights and fleeting nature of each explosion beautifully transformed into a melodic masterpiece. You can also hear the influence of Tilson Thomas and Knussen’s much-admired Stravinsky in places, really cementing its status as a tribute.

Whenever you listen to Rachmaninov you end up recognising more than you might expect, the cinematic potential of his work and range of influences coming through to create experimental and innovative compositions. The “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini” is a particularly good example of the soloist working in tandem with the orchestra as a whole, and a masterclass in the hands of Gerstein and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Gerstein’s hands danced across the keys in this occasionally playful, occasionally romantic, and always dramatic piece - the lush strings enhancing the melody on the piano.

I suspect there would have been a riot in the Royal Albert Hall if Gerstein had not returned for an encore after that, and his choice of Rachmaninov’s “Mélodie, Opus 3” was the perfect way to send us into the interval. A dreamy but no less technical piece (this is Rachmaninov, after all), this showcased Gerstein’s mastery of the keys whilst keeping the audience entranced.

Shostakovich’s eleventh symphony is almost an hour long, and is split into four named movements: Palace Square, The Ninth of January, Eternal Memory, and The Alarm Bell. It has been described in the past as “a film score without a film”, and it’s not difficult to understand why. With the subtitle The Year 1905, it pays homage to the First Russian Revolution, utilising all of Shostakovich’s experience as a film composer and previous life as a silent film accompanist to create something visceral and compelling. With nearly every line you can hear his influence echo down the years to screen composers in the present day, seeking to find something shocking, transcendent and full of imagery.

The orchestra as a whole brought this magnificent piece of music to life with passion and aplomb, but the stars of the show were principal trumpeter Christopher Hart and the percussion section - particularly Louise Goodwin on the timpani, its ominous pounding a vivid reminder of the revolutionary subject of the composition. As the final alarm bells rang out, you could sense the audience were on the edge of their seats just waiting for permission to breathe again. It was electrifying to sit in the aftermath of this epic performance, with an ovation to match it.

Without doubt one of the highlights of this Proms season to date - the combination of musical offerings matched perfectly with the musicianship of the orchestra and chosen soloist, delivering a performance greater than the sum of its parts. Go back and listen to the radio broadcast immediately, then kick yourself for missing it. A sublime event.

The BBC Proms run at the Royal Albert Hall until 12 September

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