Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No.2, CBSO, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, 12 October, 2023.

3***: David Gray & Paul Gray.

Coleridge-Taylor – Ballade for Orchestra

Rachmaninoff – Piano Concerto No. 2

Wagner (arr. Gourlay) – Parsifal Suite

Highly regarded during his lifetime, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor went quite out of fashion for a while but now seems to be enjoying a revival of interest. On the evidence of his Ballade for Orchestra, with which the CBSO started this afternoon’s concert, the renewed attention is overdue.

Commissioned for the Three Choirs Festival in 1898, on the recommendation of none other than Edward Elgar, this is a well -orchestrated, well-structured work with some nice thematic linkage running through to create a nicely unified whole. An opening earworm of a motif transforms organically into a closely related ‘big tune’ that surges to a climax before the work cycles back to the opening. A pleasing and engaging work given a colourful and energised performance.

The second work of the afternoon, Rachmaninoff’s well known and much-loved Piano Concerto No. 2 was marred by serious balance issues throughout between orchestra and soloist. The piano was barely audible through most of the outer movements. This was not the fault of the orchestra overplaying; there is only an extent to which an orchestra of this size can hold back. The problem lay with a seriously underpowered performance from pianist, Jeneba Kanneh-Mason.

What one could hear indicated that this was a well-articulated and technically highly proficient interpretation, but one that eschewed any hint of risk or extremity. The result was quite bland and lacking in character, although there was some pleasingly fluid and lyrical playing in the Adagio.

Kanneh-Mason’s touch and approach may have worked well in a Classical concerto, but in a work of this dynamic and emotional scale she seemed a bit out of her depth. Perhaps she may grow into it in time.

The rather lacklustre contribution from the piano highlighted some brilliant playing from the CBSO and gorgeous solo work from all the orchestral players concerned. What a wonderfully orchestrated piece this is!

The concert concluded with orchestral music from Wagner’s Parsifal organised into an orchestral suite by conductor, Andrew Gourlay. Although the work lacked a clear overarching shape, Wagner’s orchestral mastery shone through some majestic and authoritative playing. Gourley, conducting without score, kept everything tight and nicely shaped. A rousing conclusion.

Andrew Gourlay – Conductor Janeba Kanneh-Mason - Piano