Berliner Philharmoniker: Elgar & Tchaikovsky
Usher Hall, Edinburgh, 29/8/26
Berliner Philharmoniker, Kirill Petrenko (conductor)
My final report from this year’s Edinburgh International Festival covers the concert of the night of 29th August, when the iconic Berliner Philharmoniker under their Chief Conductor Kirill Petrenko presented a programme of just two celebrated works: Elgar’s ‘Enigma Variations’ and Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony, as the first of a two-concert residency. Predictably, the Usher Hall was packed, including the Organ Gallery.
Immediately caught to perfection was the languid, dispassionate quality in Elgar’s original theme, hinting nothing at the wonderful transformations that it will undergo in the 14 variations, each of which is an ingenious pen portrait, sometimes whimsically but always affectionately, alluding to one of his friends. The tenderness with a surge of warmth in the first variation replaced the diffidence with Elgar’s deep devotion to his wife Alice. By the fourth variation we alighted on a forceful character full of vim, vigour and self-confidence, brilliantly drawn by Elgar and, shall we say, a person whose company I would be unlikely to crave. By contrast, the gravitas, with a lighter side, in the fifth variation feels like a really fine human being, while praise of the lovely Ysobel was sung lovingly by the violas in the sixth variation. Variation 7, ‘Troyte’, is always a thrill, with the same energy as variation 4, but with charisma and, as we say in Ireland, “great craic”. Fabulous playing from the swirling strings and winds and the striding brass. The sweet amiable personality of Winifred shone in variation 8, with radiant playing from the 8 basses and the winds again. The nobility, stoicism and resilience that every Englishman would love to assume the world sees as the national character (no comment from this Irishman) was spellbindingly wrought in the best ‘Nimrod’ I’ve heard yet, perfectly hushed pianissimo rising to a mighty climax, receding to gentle repose. Stunning. The sweetly lilting gentle Dorabella was a delight. Variation 11, depicting not the human but his over-excitable bulldog tumbling into the River Wye, then swimming to where he can emerge barking triumphantly, was fabulous. Bruno Delepelaire’s cello solo in variation 12 was delicious. Variation 13’s genial opening was overtaken by ominous anxious music ironically quoting Mendelssohn’s ‘Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage’ and hinting at a ship proceeding cautiously in hazardous foggy conditions. Thin hard sticks on the timpani roll built the tension. Chillingly as good as I’ve heard. Finally variation 14, Elgar himself, was a glorious self-portrait with links to Alice and Nimrod and, I always feel and felt again, knocks the socks off Strauss’ ‘Ein Heldenleben’ and certainly gets to the point a lot quicker. Best ‘Enigma’ ever? I reckon so.
Tchaikovsky’s Fourth is my favourite of the 6, as I think it represents his best craftsmanship in the symphonic form. So, hopefully without excessive stereotyping, I would suggest that it is the most ripe of the 6 for a German reading. The ominous horns-and-trumpets fanfare set the gripping ambience perfectly for the fateful narrative to unfold. The nervously unsettled metre of the first theme on the strings involved the listener in the unfolding drama. The second theme suggested a nonchalant stroll in the woods, with birdsong high in the branches. But the pace quickened and delivered us into the fateful fanfare again. Kirill Petrenko’s realisation of the build-up of feverish pace and tension in the development up to climactic nigh-panic was superb. The modified recapitulation was darker, more troubled and more fatalistic, the grim coda hastening to its doom. A lovely cantabile melancholy oboe opened the second movement with a mood of stoic acceptance, but it had its moments of anxiety too. The magical skipping pizzicato of the scherzo was a delight, as were the contrasting Russian dances for winds and brass in the Trio. Super. The triumphant mood of the finale, striding ebullient main theme with folktune second theme, becoming increasingly anxious until the fateful fanfare returns, halted with a crash. Perhaps all is lost? But the coda, with the first theme of the finale and a quotation from the Scherzo, rebuilt to a helter-skelter triumph. Fabulous.
Weblink:https://www.eif.co.uk/events/berliner-philharmoniker-elgar-tchaikovsky