In these devastating times of war in the Middle East and Ukraine, and political unrest seemingly everywhere, the optimistic message that the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra brings to the world is more poignant than it has ever been. With their co-founder Daniel Barenboim at the helm, they were on fire with the joy of music-making to the delight of a very sympathetic and enthusiastic audience at the Southbank Centre.
And what better way of expressing joy than Mendelsohn’s Italian Symphony, composed in the heat of the composer's youthful creative flowering. The energetic opening movement, with it’s intricate string writing, was alert and buoyant from the start. The tempo was ideal and the orchestral balance spot on, with particularly sensitive integration from the woodwinds and brass. Barenboim conducted with minimal intervention, but one was aware that the work had been done during rehearsals and the orchestra was very clear how he wanted the performance to come across.
The tempo of the Andante con moto was also well judged, allowing for both the processional elements and the richness of the middle section to shine through. The third movement Minuet had elegance and sweep, before being hit by the whirlwind which is the Saltarello finale, proving to be a full speed virtuoso triumph.
A big contrast followed with the last of Brahms’ four symphonies, one of the great tragic works of the Romantic period. His most progressive orchestral work, it was misunderstood by many critics when it was first performed in 1885. It is now recognised as not only one of the peaks of the composer’s output and but of the whole symphonic repertoire. It is also a tricky piece to bring off. In the outer movements, there needs to be balance between grandeur and the sense of an implacable driving force. Barenboim opted for a slow tempo in these movements but managed to build up a head of steam impressively in both of their codas, something not all conductors achieve. The middle movements were beautifully detailed, the climax of the Andante moderato being wondrously balanced and rich. A particular compliment must be given to the woodwind section here, whose sensitivity and coloristic variety was outstanding. This was not a comfortable autumnal performance, but one which sought out – and found – the dark sadness of the piece.
An encore from Mendelsohn’s incidental music to A Midsummer’s Night Dream was a return to the light. As players and conductor responded to the standing ovation, one was left with the feeling that if music itself can’t solve the problems in the Middle East, then maybe the example of these musicians can truly inspire hope for a resolution.
