Review

Not all performances are successful. It’s important to say that this performance would have fine had it not have been for some uncomfortable distractions. There is nothing wrong per se with an off-night – it is a measure of the humanity in art after all.

Repeat listens of this performance on different sound systems confirms that this was an uncomfortable experience for listener, orchestra and quite possibly the soloist too. In variation eight in particular there were repeated instances when the solo line and ensemble noticeably slipped out of sync. At the beginning of the subsequent variation the speed didn’t seem agreed upon between conductor and soloist and when it was, the overall ensemble was threatened by rushed piano responses to trumpet cues, making this feel a decidedly rocky ride for all concerned. Most tellingly, in the final two ‘throwaway’ notes that conclude the work, piano, pizzicato strings and horn were consistently misaligned resulting in notes ricocheting across the stage and radio mix.

The pianist brought a distinctive narrative strategy to the work, demonstrating an evident desire to make fuller use of the rubato in Rachmaninov’s score to expand the work into something that felt more like a concerto. In quieter more wistful variations, there was an interesting Debussy-like feel to decorative flourishes. This tenacious editorial approach sometimes meant the pauses either outstayed their welcome or weren’t long enough for a pivot into different material. There was a feeling however that the consequence of things being pulled about to the extent that they were was that the through-line languished a bit, making the contrasting material feel overworked rather than earned and appreciated. Bombastic bravura saw clarity slacken a little creating a sometimes muddy sound, the work’s usual fire and rhythmic intensity sadly lacking.

This is the jeopardy musicians face in live performance, and a timely reminder of what a lot of us take for granted in the genre. What’s important to underline here is that it seems unlikely it was down to one individual but a mix of different factors. One wonders whether there had been sufficient rehearsal.