RSNO & Alexander Malofeev, Edinburgh review: 'explosive'
The RSNO’s season-opening performance of Mahler’s Sixth Symphony came to a spectacular conclusion, while soloist Alexander Malofeev shone in Rachmaninov’s final piano concerto, writes Susan Nickalls
RSNO, Thomas Søndergård & Alexander Malofeev, Usher Hall, Edinburgh ★★★★
A triumphant double-bill of Mahler’s Sixth Symphony and Rachmaninov’s Fourth Piano Concerto from the RSNO and conductor Thomas Søndergård launched their new season in fine style.
Both composers tinkered around with their works after their premieres, Rachmaninov mainly with length and Mahler with the order of the two middle movements and the number of hammer blows of fate in the last movement. It was originally five, three and then two with the mallet and a final orchestral chord to end. The RSNO and Søndergård opted for the composers’ last published editions.
In the Mahler, this made for a spectacular finale as a large mallet was swung high to strike a wooden box, producing heart-thudding blows. This might have led to the “tragic” tag even though the rest of the symphony, especially the sweeping theme of the first movement, was more uplifting. But darkness is never far away in Mahler and the sparkling celeste and glockenspiel were underpinned by the militaristic tap of the snare drum. The orchestra teased out the finer details in the coruscating textures of the quirky andante including a moving horn solo. Mahler throws everything into his finale – even cowbells – juxtaposing impish strings with growling basses, agitated harps and the slap of marching feet.
Not often played, Rachmaninov’s final piano concerto was written after his arrival in the US as he experimented with taking his Russian romanticism into the dizzy chromaticism of the new jazz age. In his reflective approach, soloist Alexander Malofeev highlighted these inner tensions, especially in the chaotic first movement. The lush melody of the largo was more settled and then blown apart in the explosive finale where Malofeev was at last able to let his virtuosity shine in a thrilling conversation with the orchestra.
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