The Hallé boldly prefaced two of the most familiar pieces in the orchestral repertoire with a little-known modern work for electronics and orchestra. American composer Christopher Cerrone’s programme note alarmingly referenced noise more than music. Was this going to be a harsh piece of experimentation that we were obliged to sit though in order to enjoy our Mozart and Tchaikovsky? Roderick Cox’s brief introduction was much more alluring. He invited us to let go of expectations of melody and rhythms but to expect a collage of sounds. We might think of relaxing into the music as in a wonderful yoga class; we should take a deep breath and perhaps close our eyes.
Cox conducted the world premiere of The Insects Became Magnetic in Los Angeles in 2018 and clearly knows how to help listeners into the work as well as to marshal a large orchestra. Listening to The Insects was indeed a wonderful experience. It began with electronics plus bowed vibraphones creating a mysterious but beautiful sound which was enhanced when the stings and then the rest of the orchestra joined in. They created gorgeous waves of sounds which felt deeply relaxing – definitely music and not noise. At 12 minutes it was, if anything, too short. I left wanting more.
A pause to rearrange the stage gave the audience the opportunity to adjust its ears to more familiar sounds. The Hallé was joined by last year’s winner of the Terence Judd – Hallé Award, Giorgi Gigashvili, for Mozart’s Piano Concerto no. 21 in C major, which may be familiar but always delights. This was a very thoughtful performance. The substantial orchestral exposition made a bright cheerful opening; Cox brought a pleasing warmth to the orchestral sound, rather more expansive than in many performances of Mozart. Gigashvili entered as if joining a conversation.
The balance between orchestra and soloist was just right, Gigashvili demonstrating both energy and restraint as the moment required. He enchanted the Manchester audience with his dreamy rendition of the famous long melody of the central movement. The seriousness of the Andante gave way to a lively finale in which both soloist and orchestra shared the honours. I was not convinced by Gigashvili’s cadenzas, which strayed a long way from the 18th century, but they communicated a great sense of fun in a very entertaining performance.
After the interval, the Hallé and Cox returned for a powerful performance one of the great Romantic symphonies, Tchaikovsky’s Fourth. The opening “Fate” motif rang out sonorously from the horns. Cox managed the tension and release in the first movement to create a gripping narrative. The sinuous oboe tune which ushered in the second movement brought a more wistful atmosphere but Cox maintained the tension. The pizzicato strings of the Scherzo entertained and the way the melodies were passed from one section to another was delightful. The finale brought back more tension, culminating in a return of the “Fate” theme in a shattering conclusion, Cox bringing out all the emotion of this most heartfelt of symphonies.
