Music
Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Usher Hall, Edinburgh
Euan McLaughlin
four stars
THE night opened with Beethoven's First Piano Concerto in C played by soloist Daniil Trifonov. Conductor Daniel Harding began with a great energy and this was clearly picked up by the orchestra who played with fantastic poise. You could feel the power behind them, fighting to escape from under those perfectly placed scales.
After a thrilling opening tutti, Trifonov came in with real bravado. The notes seemed to ease off his fingers and his tone sparkled at the top and sung out further down the instrument. However I felt that at times he took the music slightly too fast, losing the character of the piece and falling apart slightly with the orchestra. However I felt that the orchestra captured the character stunningly.
Next came the main event, Mahler's Ninth Symphony, a huge piece with astounding harmonies, beautifully sweet passages and huge crashes. I was captured from the very first note to the last by the magic of the piece. It wasn't till the end that I realised I had been gripping my programme the whole way through.
During the piece I closed my eyes and after sometime completely forgot that I was listening to an entire orchestra as the sounds merged and became an swirling, living thing. At times the music was so stunning that you could feel it hanging in the air, filling the usher hall with delicate whisps of sounds, floating into every space in the hall. I was left stunned and amazed by the music. The one thing I wish is that I could hear it again.
Euan McLaughlin is a student at Broughton High School and this review was submitted as part of The HeraldYoung Critics project with the Edinburgh International Festival. www.eif.co.uk
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