PROMS: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra - Royal Albert Hall / Radio 3
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Bruckner's revision of his First Symphony some 25 years after its composition is generally regarded as the most damaging of his many insecure post-compositional tinkerings and reworkings. Yet after hearing this version used in what was the symphony's Prom premiere by Riccardo Chailly and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, one was still astounded at its originality of musical incident and heaven-storming architecture.
The nobly sonorous textures characteristic of this orchestra were ideally suited to the work's monumental statements, as indeed was the al fresco acoustic of the auditorium, and Bruckner's vast structural spans were splendidly raised aloft by Chailly. If the rewritten first movement is typical in its blurring through elaborated orchestration of the composer's original granitic outlines, it still articulates a searing vision, as indeed does the finale, despite inappropriate attempts to break up the music's natural flow after the manner of the later symphonies.
Prior to this majestic performance we heard an equally impressive account of Beethoven's Fourth Piano Concerto. Maria Joao Pires brought an astonishing dynamic and timbral range to bear, achieving a touching inwardness and a ringing jubilation. Her playing revealed the greatest reserves of power, but it was the power of lyric incandescence, not heroic domination.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments