Triomphale: a Berlioz–Messiaen battle of the decibels at St Paul's

The LSO, Guildhall School and Music Academy brass in the nave of St Paul's Cathedral

Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra outside St Paul's Cathedral

The LSO plays Messiaen under the dome of St Paul's Cathedral

Simon Rattle conducts the LSO, Guildhall School and Music Academy musicians

Peter Moore and the LSO

By Mark Pullinger, 24 June 2022

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“all utterly bonkers but guaranteed to leave the audience grinning in delight”

Reviewed at St Paul's Cathedral, London on 23 June 2022

Berlioz, Grande symphonie funèbre et triomphale, Op.15 H 80: Marche funèbre

Messiaen, Messe de la Pentecôte, for solo organ (Communion & Sortie)

Messiaen, Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum, for orchestra

Messiaen, Apparition de l'Église éternelle, for solo organ

Berlioz, Grande symphonie funèbre et triomphale, Op.15 H 80

Sir Simon Rattle, Conductor

Simon Johnson, Organ

Musicians from the Guildhall School, Various instruments

Musicians from Music Academy, Various instruments

London Symphony Orchestra

A dream of a Gerontius from Pappano, the LSO and Chorus

Roy Westbrook, 21st April

Giving their 27th performance of the oratorio, the London Symphony Chorus excel as angelic angels and demonic demons.

****1

Pappano and the LSO: a thrilling collision between heaven and hell

Charlotte Gardner, 16th April

Vilde Frang joins Sir Antonio Pappano and the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican for transcendent Korngold alongside darker fare.

****1

Han Kang’s The White Book takes on a compelling new life

Peter Quantrill, 5th March

At the Barbican, Laura Bowler's new work for Barbara Hannigan translates Han Kang's novel into a soundscape of icy stillness

****1

A curious evening from Noseda, Kopatchinskaja and the LSO

Mark Valencia, 26th February

Good, bad, but never ugly, a curious evening unfolds at the Barbican, inspired at times, ill-judged in places.

***11

Borodin steps into the symphonic limelight: Noseda and the LSO

Mark Pullinger, 15th February

Seong-Jin Cho continues his Artist Portrait series with the LSO by performing Chopin's poetic Second Piano Concerto.

****1

Rattle and the LSO sell a travel package to Hungary and Spain

Roy Westbrook, 18th January

Opening her LSO Artist Portrait series, Patricia Kopatchinskaja plays Béla Bartók’s Second Violin Concerto before Rattle and the LSO whisk the audience to Falla’s Andalusia.

****1

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Mark Pullinger

Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.

Triomphale: Berlioz and Messiaen in a battle of the decibels at St Paul's