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Concert Reviews |
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 Index of Reviews |
Prom 44: Abado/GMYO, 20th August 2002, Albert Hall, London I was fortunate enough to experience this most exciting of performances as a Prommer. Standing within a few metres of the orchestra one could feel the energy of the young players as they brought us a diverse, yet hugely rewarding, programme of music from the early 20th Century. The Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra’s performance of Bartok’s `Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta` was notable for its varied and distinct range of colours. The mysticism of the opening was contrasted with moments of great intensity and vigour. In Ravel’s concise but immensely enjoyable Piano Concerto, I was drawn to the slow movement, played with breathtaking sensitivity by Martha Argerich. Notable here, too, were the spectacular woodwind soloists whose mournful sonority gave an additional poignancy to the music, again contrasted well with the rousing flourishes of the outer movements. Debussy’s evocative `La Mer` was, in my opinion, the highlight of the evening; played with such energy, especially at its conclusion, that one could instantly picture the waves breaking and the wind blowing. What more could one ask for in the performance of such a visual work? The orchestra, under Claudio Abbado, transported us into the composer’s world through their own visible excitement, subtlety and virtuosity. My first live experience of the BBC Proms could not have been more exhilarating. The music was performed with vibrancy and, above all, a sense of fun that was instantly appreciated by the enthusiastic audience. Tim Foxon |
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