BPO – The Madness/Lightness of Being – Joanna MacGregor (piano/conductor)
Any programme that begins with Bach has my full attention, giving a free pass to Joanna MacGregor for whatever follows. As the strings of the BPO were settling into place she welcomed the capacity audience as if into her intimate salon. I might usually prefer harpsichords or organs playing Bach but MacGregor and a Steinway add a whole new layer of interpretation, yet still informed by period instrument practice. The F minor Keyboard concerto was as delightful as she had promised.
Some of what followed could be termed abuse of that lovely piano but, wait a minute, the title of this concert gives ample warning. Alfred Schnittke produced lots of music that we happily enjoy as movie soundtracks. Joanna MacGregor’s mini-lecture in harmony, the stark chords from Petrushka, the examples of Alberti bass and trills teased us into appreciating Schnittke’s music as concert pieces. Ruth Rogers (violin) gave Tango in a Madhouse the necessary sensual swagger, carefully matched with the piano. The Concerto took us to heights and depths not often sounded in the concert hall. Crash and bang came alongside some very delicate tunefulness, sounds that do not carry well over the radio or on recordings. The BPO strings clearly enjoyed the extravagant demands of the score and MacGregor was at her feral best.
After the welcome interval break I really enjoyed the nostalgic buzz of the Suite from Psycho – a golden classic. It seemed cleaner and more contained than the Schnittke. Silvestrov’s Silent Music for Strings evoked totally different sentiments – gentle, rather academic music that might have accompanied the romantic moments of a ’60s film, a bold contrast to the rest of the evening’s offerings. The four works by Astor Piazzolla merrily took the BPO strings and that long-suffering piano through their paces again, with soloists Ruth Rogers and Stephen Warner (double bass). Libertango, perhaps MacGregor’s calling card, predictably brought the house down, demanding encores that included Shostakovich’s captivating Waltz No. 2 from his Suite for Jazz Orchestra.
Andrew Connal
Brighton Corn Exchange,
16 November 2024
Rating:
J.S.Bach – Keyboard concerto in F minor BWV 1056
Alfred Schnittke – Tango in a Madhouse / Concerto for Piano and String Orchestra
Bernard Herrmann – Suite from Psycho
Valentin Silvestrov – Silent Music
Astor Piazzolla (arr. MacGregor) – Oblivion; Michelangelo; Milonga del Angel; Libertango
