London’s classical music scene was set ablaze as the renowned Orchestre symphonique de Montréal took the stage at the Barbican Hall. Under the baton of their charismatic Venezuelan conductor, Rafael Payare, the ensemble delivered a performance that left the audience in awe of their exceptional musicianship and infectious passion.
A Night Of Musical Contrasts
The evening began with Jeder Baum spricht, a contemporary piece by Iranian-Canadian composer Iman Habibi. The orchestra brought the composition to life, seamlessly transitioning between the urgent, driving string passages and the more contemplative moments featuring enchanting woodwind textures. Habibi’s work, though brief, served as a stunning prelude to the canonical works that followed.
Perianes Shines In Beethoven
Spanish pianist Javier Perianes took center stage for Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1. From the opening bars, Payare elicited a velvety, subdued sound from the strings, providing the perfect backdrop for Perianes’ understated yet masterful playing. The soloist’s approach was refreshingly straightforward, eschewing excessive embellishment in favor of letting the music speak for itself.
Perianes’ performance was a testament to the power of simplicity. His unaffected playing allowed Beethoven’s genius to shine through.
– An audience member
The concerto’s faster passages crackled with energy, as Perianes and Payare seemed to urge each other forward. Though occasionally teetering on the edge of recklessness, their interpretation was undeniably thrilling. As an encore, Perianes treated the audience to Grieg’s Notturno, a welcome moment of tranquility amidst the evening’s high-octane performances.
Berlioz’s Fantastical Symphony
The second half of the program was devoted entirely to Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique. Payare, conducting from memory, seemed to inhabit the music, his balletic movements guiding the orchestra through the work’s myriad moods and colors. The strings once again demonstrated their ability to produce a lush, enveloping sound, particularly in the symphony’s iconic idée fixe theme.
Throughout the performance, Payare made several intriguing choices, such as repositioning the lead trumpeter to sit with the harpists during the second movement’s waltz. This unconventional seating arrangement highlighted the interplay between the two parts, adding a glittering sheen to the overall texture.
The final two movements were a tour de force, with the orchestra reveling in Berlioz’s nightmarish visions. The tolling bells, thunderous bass drum, and resplendent brass chorale in the “Witches’ Sabbath” finale were particularly spine-tingling, a twisted take on religious imagery that left the audience breathless.
A Triumphant Encore
As if the evening hadn’t been electrifying enough, Payare and the orchestra returned for an encore: the “Marche Hongroise” from Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust. This rousing march provided a more lighthearted contrast to the Symphonie Fantastique, showcasing the ensemble’s versatility and sending the audience home with a spring in their step.
The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal’s London appearance was a testament to their status as one of the world’s premier orchestras. With Payare at the helm, they demonstrated an uncanny ability to bring even the most familiar works to vivid, pulsating life. As they continue their international tour, one can only imagine the heights they will scale and the audiences they will thrill.