Royal Scottish National Orchestra: Perth Concert Hall

Feb 19 2008

ROMANTIC Valentine’s Classics was the programme for the RSNO’s concert in Perth Concert Hall, with a selection of popular romantic pieces from the classics, ballet and the movies.

Paul Watkins, who is carving a distinguished career as a conductor as well as a cellist, directed a polished performance by the RSNO of evergreen love themes and melodies that was an ideal St Valentine’s gift.

Beginning with the world of ballet we heard a robust account of Delibes Prelude and Mazurka from Coppelia, a lively opener that, as Paul Watkins said in his opening remarks, was full of the joy and pleasure of love.

The pain and anguish of love was portrayed in a heartfelt account of Nina Rota’s theme from Zeffirelli’s film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. The strings of the RSNO played with passion and the lush score was vividly brought to life, despite Watkins reference to Simon Bates’ Radio 2 show that featured the theme incessantly in ‘Our Tune.’

The main work in the concert was a performance of Chopin’s Second Piano Concerto, played by the German pianist Markus Groh. This was a virtuoso performance that captured the youthfulness of the work as well as its wonderfully romantic melodies. Groh played with power and imagination that displayed his fluent style in the lovely slow movement and his virtuoso technique in the lively outer movements.

The long introduction was played with sensitivity by the RSNO before the soloist entered in flamboyant style. Groh demonstrated his powerful playing and flair in the intricate and difficult figurations of the opening movement and the changes of sentiment from the more tempestuous first subject to the lyrical second.

The Larghetto is the emotional heart of the work with its unending lyricism and beautiful melodies that fully unleash Chopin’s romantic spirit. Groh played with tenderness and sensitivity and completely captured the true essence of this beautiful movement. The central quasi-cadenza section with the piano playing over string tremolo and bass pizzicato was particularly moving, as was the return of the main melody with lovely bassoon accompaniment.

The final Allegro vivace was played with verve with both soloist and orchestra totally as one as they captured the mazurka-style rhythm and jubilant mood. This was a splendidly mature performance from Markus Groh that was fully matched by Paul Watkins and the RSNO.

The second half of the concert returned to the world of ballet beginning with two of Tchaikovsky’s most famous scores; Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty and then concentrated on film themes from romantic epics. John Barry’s score for Out of Africa conjures the vast landscape of the continent and was followed by Laura’s Theme from Maurice Jarre’s Dr Zhiavgo, which Watkins described as sounding like a lost Mahler slow movement in RSNO hands, and finally Henry Mancini’s Moon River from Breakfast at Tiffany’s. All played with the RSNO’s seductive sound!

However, the piece that gained most applause was a dramatic and scintillating account of Cinderella’s Waltz and Midnight from Prokifiev’s ballet Cinderella. This was a splendid display of orchestral playing with the vibrant waltz and grotesque imagery of the midnight bells fully and fateful captured with vivid playing from the RSNO.

Finally, the world of classics, ballet (ice dancing) and film (Dudley Moore and Bo Derek’s film ‘10’) were combined in a ravishing performance of Ravel’s Bolero. Here, from the pianissimo of the solo side drum and flute at the beginning, through excellent solos from the woodwind section, soprano and tenor saxophones and trombone, to the thunderous crescendo at the end, Paul Watkins and the members of the RSNO gave a wonderful display that certainly earned a ‘10’ in my book and brought this Valentine’ s concert to a perfect conclusion.

Peter Rutterford