“How rich in invention, how interesting from beginning to end, how fresh and what a beautifully connected whole,” wrote Clara Schumann in her diary about her husband’s Piano Concerto. No-one today would disagree with that but the work’s qualities were hard won. It began as a single movement “Phantasie” in 1841, and only four years later did Schumann add the Intermezzo and Finale. But it was not much played in his lifetime, despite Clara’s early advocacy. Daniil Trifonov was no less distinguished an advocate at this sold-out London Symphony Orchestra concert. He is among the most prodigiously skilled of all pianists, but Schumann’s work is not much of a virtuoso display piece. Instead, again in Clara’s words on the first movement, “the piano is interwoven with the orchestra in the most subtle way – one cannot imagine one without the other.”
Daniel Harding and Trifonov brought out exactly that quality, the soloist happy to be primus inter pares, the orchestral contributions and piano flourishes dovetailing ideally into the fabric. The woodwinds were wonderfully on song, both as a choir and in solos. Principal Oboe Fergus McCready excelled in several moments and Principal Clarinet Chris Richards’ transformation of the first movement’s opening theme into becoming its second theme (yet another subtlety) earned him first call at the end.
The Intermezzo’s brief tiptoeing was delicately etched in by Trifonov, the cello section’s lyrical passage rich in tone. The pianist energetically launched the finale, and brought the same sparkling articulation and poetic refinement to it as he showed throughout. Trifonov’s encore was a typical one, Russian orchestral music in his own arrangement, the Andante from Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty.
Mahler’s Symphony no. 7 is still the Cinderella among his cycle – even the programme called it Mahler’s “problem” symphony. This LSO performance was very well played and conducted with due regard for Mahler’s frequent (even fussy) markings – the great conductor making his work conductor-proof perhaps. Harding’s rubato occasionally seemed less persuasive than usual, with a tendency to tail away at section ends, impairing momentum, pushing on later in recompense. But Mahler’s instructions, such as nicht eilen (don’t rush), poco ritardando, and piu mosso (subito), were being properly observed (Harding used a score).
This was evident especially in the celebrated two Nachtmusik pieces and the central Scherzo marked Schattenhaft (shadowy), which were strongly characterised. The mandolin and guitar in the second Nachtmusik (fourth movement) were placed by the harps, and not always audible, as usual. And at one point in the evening there were noises off like someone crashing about in a distant kitchen, which presumably were the offstage cowbells; minor mishaps only in such a huge complex work that aims to be at moments remote and strange.
The outer movements fared best. The tenor horn rather bellowed its opening theme, but things settled down by the first tutti. Mahler’s favourite march motion was emphatic in its firm step (Allegro con fuoco), and suitably solemn when the feierlich section was reached. The brass eruptions that punctuate the work were potent, expertly directed in the timing of the build-up to climaxes. The finale, especially its coda, was all pomp and pageantry, the LSO unfurling multicoloured banners of weighty sound, the conductor hurling his cap high into the air.
