Casually dressed in an open neck shirt and brown suede shoes, Klaus Mäkelä, chief conductor designate of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, joined the stage for the first of three events, an ‘In Conversation’ with Anja Renczikowski. Confirming the RCO’s famed fondness for touring, Mäkelä shared how a previous concert with the Orchestre de Paris had allowed him to understand the very different acoustics of the Philharmonie Essen. After spending so much time in the Concertgebouw where they sometimes struggle to hear each other, how would the RCO musicians adapt to a stage where you can hear absolutely everything?
The programme…
Klaus Mäkelä’s pre-concert conversation with Anja Renczikowski
Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht, Op. 4
Schoenberg’s late Romantic work, Verklärte Nacht, (“Transfigured Night”) was originally written in 1899 for string sextet. Tonight’s concert featured the later version for string orchestra which Schoenberg himself conducted in Amsterdam in 1920. This version poses a very different challenge: how to maintain tight ensemble (when numerous people are playing each part) especially on a stage where you can hear everything?
Mäkelä immediately conjured the magic. The opening whisper belied not even a hint of ensuing turbulence between the man and pregnant woman in Richard Dehmel’s poem on which the work is based. Every swell, marcato marking and accent combined to create something very colourful and theatrical. The variety in Mäkelä’s gesture was a visual feast. Coupled with an ocean of facial expressions or the occasional tilt of the head, he almost danced on the podium.
Richard Dehmel’s poem Verklärte Nacht
Heavily influenced by the tonal and contrapuntal complexity of late Beethoven quartets, and the resonant orchestral sound of Bruckner and Mahler, Verklärte Nacht contains some of the most challenging and emotionally satisfying viola writing in the repertoire. Schoenberg’s two viola parts reach parts of the viola few other composers dare to tread, and how magnificent they were!
Joy abounded as fragments passed around seamlessly: perfectly still open G-string violins, luscious cello melodies, and resonant double basses who provided the weighty rebuke. All with impeccable ensemble and intonation. Schoenberg’s writing is so exposed, any wobble is obvious to all. Magic persisted with evocative solos from leader, Vesko Eschkenazy and principal cellist, Tatjana Vassiljeva-Monnier. The clouds literally lifted as billowing violins and violas melted into oblivion.
Mäkelä’s magical Mahler
This creation of colour continued with Mahler’s First Symphony. However, the historical associations in tonight’s programme should not be overlooked.
Not only did Mahler conduct the Dutch premiere with the RCO in October 1903, but in rehearsals, he often made changes to the score, adding expressive details still seen in their parts today. This week, specially commissioned parts crafted by RCO violinist Michael Waterman, bringing together all these handwritten changes, are in use for the first time.
Furthermore, the pairing of this symphony with Verklärte Nacht has just occurred twice before in the RCO’s history: in 1921 with William Mengelberg conducting, and again in 1934 with Bruno Walter. Both these facts will not have gone unnoticed by Mäkelä, a conductor acutely aware of his own place in history.
If the first half was all about the strings, the second was most definitely about the wind and brass. A misty, magical dawn tiptoed in. All was still, until jaunty clarinets shattered the slumber. Off-stage trumpets positioned beautifully were on fire. Sounds of nature burst forth from every angle: barking clarinets, whooping horns and piercing piccolos. Each phrase, something new. Anticipation exploded in a glorious climax.
The archive evidence
The foot-stomping Ländler had a real swagger, entrancing us with horn and clarinet bells aloft, and carnal bassoons at the very limits of their register. In complete contrast, the Frère Jacques theme of the funeral march, first played by a wistful double bass followed by an all-consuming tuba, filled every crevice of the hall. At times the narrative did meander, but dark, menacing trombones, creating a quite unique sound canvas, restored the calm. Emotions ran high as Mäkelä unleashed the full might of the brass in the Finale. Nine horns, and an extra trumpet and trombone ripped through the hall. The only thing left was for the violins to soar to heavens.
Saturday’s concert was a true celebration of a very special group of musicians whose ability to thrill and entrance is equalled by their ability to meet the many and varied demands of a constant stream of conductors. Their hunger to find new means of expression is infectious. The normally restrained German audience leapt to their feet in rapturous applause.
What a wonderful start to the career of the young Academy members joining the orchestra for their first orchestral tour!
Musical item No. 3 of the evening.
Two movements from Schubert’s Quintet C major, Op. 163, D. 956 with Mäkelä now playing the cello.
Further listening
Click on the link below to go to one of my favourite recordings of Mahler 1 recorded live at the Lucerne Festival in 2009 with Claudio Abbado. If you look closely, not only can you see Sir Simon Rattle in the audience, but you can also spy a young Dutch trombonist who just happens to be the principal trombone of the RCO and played in Saturday night’s concert, Jörgen van Rijen
Read more from Clare
This concert was reviewed at the Philharmonie Essen on Saturday 21st September 2024
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