BBC Proms. Bruch violin concerto no.1

Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen

Conductor: Omer Meir Wellber

 

Franz Joseph Haydn – Symphonie No. 44 ‘Trauer’ (Mourning)

Omer Meir Wellbar - Harpsichord

The proms begins with the Haydn symphony No. 44, part of his Sturm und Drang (Storm and Stress) compositions.

Allegro con brio: The storm is upon us with an energetic playing of the violins, fast and excitable. There are moments of calm but again the violins thunder in the storm-tossed sea of music, finally we come to end of the mayhem.

2 Menuetto – Allegretto and 3 Adagio: Lovely melodic strings hint at a settled and easier journey through to an adagio of swaying violins with gentle tones and tenderness.

4 Finale: Presto. Explosive violins counterpoint with the rest of the orchestra in a duel of speed climbing to an eventual crescendo of crashing waves. The conductor conducts the whole symphony, in animated fashion, will playing the Harpsichord as well. An amazing feat of dexterity.

Max Bruch Violin Concerto No.1

Daniel Lozakovich – Violin Soloist

Max Bruch most famous composition, probably the pinnacle of his excellence. Allegro moderato:   Daniel Lozakovichs sweet and sensual playing takes the opening movement and elevates it with a dreamlike quality. The orchestra expands the mood with a lush background and the solo violin taking steps upwards. Adagio: There is a melody of gentleness in Daniels violin, whose high notes trill like a bird’s song high above in the sky. The orchestra swells the quite mood of peace and makes way for the violin to soar then pass into the quietness of the auditorium. Finale Allegro energico There is a lively interplay between the orchestra and the solo violin. Daniels bowing precise and with detail lays the undulating melody clear to hear. A joyous bouncing swirling ending to the final movement.                    

After thunderous applause Daniel Lozakovich delights us with playing a lovely second movement of Henryk Wieniawski Violin Concerto No.2 as an encore.

Robert Schumann – Symphony No.4

Ziemlich Langsam: The woodwind announces the start to the violin’s faster tempo, driving along in a lively rhythm.  Woodwind supplement the grandeur of the bouncing score in a quick swaying sound moving around the auditorium reaching all corners. It is upbeat and joyful to the end.

Romanze: A lilting rather wistful movement played by the whole orchestra with gentle tones. There are intermittent strident statements from the violins but these relapse into more sombre passages of music.

Scherzo and Finale: Slowly then a lively upbeat tone sweeps us along in a triumphant playful urgency. The sound is then a quick running dance for the orchestra high stepping towards the closing explosive finale.

 

Another great night of classical music at the Royal Albert Hall. 

Mike Aburrow