The Israel Philharmonic are currently on tour in Europe with their chief conductor Lahav Shani. With increased police presence in the streets keeping three very vocal protests at bay and increased security inside the concert hall, Wednesday night’s concert in Cologne’s Philharmonie starring Israeli-American pianist Yefim Bronfman focused minds.
The programme
The concerto
The programme opened with Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 “The Emperor”. In this very intimate setting, and even in the more bravura passages, Bronfman’s velvet-like touch was always at the fore. However in the Adagio, his delicate scales and ornaments were momentarily interrupted by vocal protests from the balcony. Bronfman raised an eyebrow, but after lots of booing from the audience, protesters were swiftly ejected. As the piano edged towards the transition, a glow descended and calm was restored. Helped by rich, resonant strings, the piano found the Rondo’s fury. But it was not until the encore that Bronfman seemed to really relax. Schumann’s Arabesque in C, Op. 18, a not insubstantial work, captivated soloist and audience alike.
A further interruption as the audience left their seats for the interval was met with a strong police response and protesters were ejected at pace.
The symphony
An energetic and vigorous account of Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony followed. Urgent double basses added to the drama while fulsome violins oozed Russian romanticism. Joining the ranks this evening for the famous Andante solo, Rotterdam Philharmonic’s principal horn, David Fernández Alonso. Perhaps not as impassioned as one might expect, but after passing the mantle to the cello and oboe, first-half tensions melted away. Expressive woodwind solos and thunderous climaxes followed. The Israel Philharmonic pleaded with every fibre of their being. And with no protective plastic screens in place, the might of the heavy brass lay bare before dwindling away to a clarinet’s whisper for the tenderest of endings.
Moving swiftly between movements seemed a curious choice as the music struggled to settle or even, for one mood to finish before summoning another. Nevertheless, the Finale proceeded apace, perhaps a little too fast for the violins who initially wobbled. Tchaikovsky’s dark and vengeful trombones vied with blazing trumpets swaying left and right, as the timpani marched ever forward. Even the woodwind tried to compete. The Philharmonic’s commitment, never in doubt.
Returning to the stage, Elgar’s Nimrod reverberated around the hall. A night to remember.
This concert was reviewed at the Cologne Philharmonie on Wednesday 5th November, 2025
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