Bach and Schumann, CBSO, Symphony Hall. Birmingham. 4****: David Gray & Paul Gray.

Bach and Schumann, CBSO, Symphony Hall. Birmingham.

4****: David Gray & Paul Gray.

Bach – Orchestral Suite No 3

Haydn – Cello Concerto in D major

Bach – Fuga a tre soggetti

Schumann – Symphony No 2

Conductor, Richard Egarr made manifest his historically informed credentials by conducting much of the first half of the concert from the harpsichord. This brought a fresh perspective, but there were some tensions between his early music approach and a band of modern symphonic players.

In Bach’s Suite No.3 in D the brass, wind and timpani played with a focused, edgy tone; very much in keeping with what we have come to expect when baroque music is played these days. The stings on the other hand, despite sparing use of vibrato, still managed to sound more ready to play a romantic symphony by Schumann, than employing a sound more suited to the baroque.

Whilst this was pleasant in itself, the two parts of the orchestra seemed to be a little at odds with one another. Strangely, the CBSO strings gave a much more ‘authentic’ sounding performance of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons only a few months ago, so it’s not clear why they sounded so very ‘modern’ this evening. One kind of wondered if most of their attention in rehearsal had been directed towards the Schumann – the performance of which was highly ‘authentic’, exciting & revelatory.

As a whole the orchestra seemed much more in their comfort zone during Haydn’s Cello Concerto in D. This was a stylish, elegant reading that breezed along. Written as a showpiece of technical prowess for the soloist, it gave ‘cellist Laura van der Heijden ample opportunity to show her virtuosity, with precise passage work, and long lyrical lines. It might have been better had she tuned against the orchestra before the concerto began; there was a curious feeling - in the first movement at least - that her tuning was slightly ‘off’. Also, and in general, the ‘cellist seemed to struggle with intonation, especially in the higher register.

Back to Bach for the opening of the second half for an arrangement of his Fuga a Tre Soggetti for strings. The conductor gave a helpful and humorous illustrated introduction to the thematic material before the performance, which drew one in. The performance was full of beautiful playing and shaping of the intricate fugal structure.

During the final work of the evening Schumann’s Symphony No 2, orchestra and conductor seemed to find a point of perfect agreement and accord. This was a punchy, crisp, buoyant reading that put one in mind of the Age of Enlightenment’s performances of early 19th Century symphonies. The players drove through the drama and turbulence of the opening movement with precision and power. Egarr moulded the emotional narrative to great effect. A very complete and compelling realisation. Bravo.

Richard Egarr – Conductor and Harpsichord Laura van der Heijden – ‘Cello CBSO