Tetzlaff’s colourful Shostakovich with the LPO tells a Russian story

Christian Tetzlaff’s colourful interpretation of Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1 with Cristian Macelaru and the London Philharmonic Orchestra in Essen told a very Russian story of struggle and strife.

The programme

Hot on the heels of the previous evening’s performance in the Megaron, Athens, given without the LPO’s indisposed Principal Guest Conductor Karina Canellakis, and instead led by soloist Christian Tetzlaff, it was reassuring to see the steady hands of Cristian Macelaru on the podium. Known to European audiences for his successful first year as Artistic Director of the George Enescu Festival in September 2023 (culminating in a performance of Mahler 3 with Klaus Mäkelä, British soprano Jennifer Johnston and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra), Macelaru was a natural and it looked as if his arrival was all part of the plan!

The Concerto

The first half was all about Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor, written in 1947-8 for the Russian violinist David Oistrakh. Interpreted as a striking narrative of the repression and censorship imposed on Russian society at a time when Russian artists were subject to the stringent Soviet policy of soviet realism – a complete avoidance of art for art’s sake – the concerto did not receive its premiere until 1955, a couple of years after Stalin’s death.

From the outset, Christian Tetzlaff was completely at one with the orchestra. His rich, warm yet plaintive tone was matched by the LPO, all helped by the generous and very immediate acoustics of the Philharmonie, Essen. The resonance of his modern violin (a Peter Greiner) was quite astonishing as was its huge dynamic range which reduced to a whisper in the muted section. Equally astonishing was Tetzlaff’s bow arm, especially when double-stopping. His bow, at times so close to the bridge, yet still able to create such a sonorous and intense sound.

And oh, the falling semi-tones, sometimes sliding, sometimes moving by step – yearning and full of pathos in the very best spirit of Baroque composers. Coupled with the judicious use of vibrato, his playing was sublime. For this was an interpretation dominated by colours. Colours which passed seamlessly around the orchestra. Colours which told a story. And colours which were very clever and quite beautiful.

Effortlessly matched by the playful clarinet and bassoon, the lyrical violin swept us headlong through the harsh, oppressive world of the 2^nd movement, before a shimmering tambourine, as cold as ice, cut through the texture. 

A very Russian story

If the intention was to tell a story, then Tetzlaff more than achieved his goal. There was an immediacy to his sound which kept all eyes focused on him, such was his draw. No-one moved as he climbed the heights in the cadenza time and time again with increasing urgency, as if depicting Shostakovich banging his head repeatedly against a metaphorical wall. Desolation and torment, twisting and turning, all before the timpani unlatched the door and the sunshine of the Burlesque burst forth.

Strings murmured… Pizzicatos echoed… Just mesmerizing!

The encore

But there was more. The encore, J.S. Bach’s Sarabande from Partita no. 2 in D minor BWV 1004 – a perfect antidote to the intensity of the Shostakovich finale. After all the fireworks, not a quiver from Tetzlaff’s bow arm.

A passing thought

The concert concluded with Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4. However, it was the inclusion of Mussorgsky’s Dawn of the Moscow River which jarred and seemed like a missed opportunity. European audiences, who are well acquainted with the complexities of contemporary compositions, relish the opportunity to hear new works. And what a fulfilling experience this would have been for a young British composer – the opportunity to introduce works to a whole new audience and hear it performed in some of the most revered concert halls in Europe. Another time perhaps!

This concert was reviewed at the Philharmonie, Essen on Saturday 24th February 2024

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