OUTSTANDING Beethoven, astonishing Ravel brought Kirill Karabits season with the BSO to a close, and what a way to finish.
Ronald Brautigam performed Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.5 with particular insight, gained from period performances on fortepiano, fielding great clarity and a ready resistance to stoking the Steinway for maximum power. The opening tempo was electrifying with Karabits unleashing a compelling accompaniment.
The Adagio was even more of a contrast; reserved, relaxed, softly graded with a lovely transition to the finale. Brautigam’s galloping exuberance matched by Karabits fine-tuned BSO was superb.
Daphnis and Chloe, a Ravelian masterpiece, is painted on a vast canvas, the colours kaleidoscopic, the mood mesmerising. Longus’ Greek pastoral revolves around the two lovers becoming separated, with Chloe being abducted by pirates and eventually freed by the God Pan.
The orchestral prowess required was breathtaking with many taxing solos almost on the lines of a concerto for orchestra with chorus. And the Bournemouth Symphony Chorus unquestionably gave their orchestral colleagues everything to play for; with a huge dynamic range the sense of power was overwhelming. Karabits brought every artistic device to full flowering in a performance that will be spoken of with awe for a long time.
Hear it on BBC Radio 3 on 13th May.
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