Joseph Phibbs' world premiere cello concerto brought much-needed cohesion to an otherwise disjointed programme at the BBC Symphony Orchestra, courtesy of conductor Clemens Schuldt and soloist Guy Johnston.
The 40-minute work boasted five contrasting movements, each with its own distinct character. The warm-toned Aubade featured shimmering counterpoint, while the mournful Elegy presented a haunting cello threnody. The Nocturne, with its tense and agitated rhythms, was eerily accompanied by the cries of night-birds, adding to an air of unease.
Meanwhile, Johnston's solo line in Phibbs' concerto was neatly framed by Schuldt's thoughtful orchestration, which showcased rich string writing and imaginative effects on wind, brass, and percussion. The Vocalise movement brought a radiant conclusion to the work.
In contrast, Tchaikovsky's Hamlet tone poem suffered from inconsistent tempos, with Schuldt's clipped reading sometimes coming across as brusque rather than bold. Mel Bonis' Ophélie was more successfully condensed, its harp, strings, and oboe creating a haunting atmosphere. However, the performance did feel loud.
Schuldt proved his mettle when leading the suite from Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier, delivering an idiomatic interpretation with nicely swung waltz sequences. Unfortunately, his micromanaging disrupted the score's flow, and an over-reliance on volume only added to a sense of bluster.
The 40-minute work boasted five contrasting movements, each with its own distinct character. The warm-toned Aubade featured shimmering counterpoint, while the mournful Elegy presented a haunting cello threnody. The Nocturne, with its tense and agitated rhythms, was eerily accompanied by the cries of night-birds, adding to an air of unease.
Meanwhile, Johnston's solo line in Phibbs' concerto was neatly framed by Schuldt's thoughtful orchestration, which showcased rich string writing and imaginative effects on wind, brass, and percussion. The Vocalise movement brought a radiant conclusion to the work.
In contrast, Tchaikovsky's Hamlet tone poem suffered from inconsistent tempos, with Schuldt's clipped reading sometimes coming across as brusque rather than bold. Mel Bonis' Ophélie was more successfully condensed, its harp, strings, and oboe creating a haunting atmosphere. However, the performance did feel loud.
Schuldt proved his mettle when leading the suite from Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier, delivering an idiomatic interpretation with nicely swung waltz sequences. Unfortunately, his micromanaging disrupted the score's flow, and an over-reliance on volume only added to a sense of bluster.
I'm telling you, this whole thing is rigged! The music reviewer was super nice about Phibbs' cello concerto but totally roasted Schuldt for that Tchaikovsky piece 
. Like, what's the agenda here? Schuldt gets praised for Der Rosenkavalier but then torn apart for Hamlet? That doesn't add up! And have you noticed how they always pick on the conductor when there's something fishy going on? Meanwhile, Johnston's performance was flawless 
. Something fishy is going on here, mark my words 
.
like one minute he's all smooth and cool but then the next he's totally harsh and brusque 
it's kinda confusing! i mean, with Joseph Phibbs' concerto he nailed it tho, his orchestration was on point 
but when it came to Tchaikovsky's Hamlet tone poem, ugh that tempo inconsistency was so off 
also, i felt like they needed to tone down the volume a bit for Mel Bonis' Ophélie it got kinda overwhelming 
. i loved how his cello concerto had all these different moods and vibes - it was like a emotional rollercoaster! 
and yeah, the way johnston's solo stood out against the orchestra was so cool... it was like he was speaking directly to our souls 
. but sometimes, tchaikovsky's hamlet tone poem felt like it was all over the place - inconsistent tempos can be so frustrating 
. and i feel you about mel bonis' ophélie being a bit loud - sometimes less is more, right? 
definitely had its highs and lows! I mean, that Joseph Phibbs cello concerto was pure magic 
- the way Clemens Schuldt and Guy Johnston worked together was like butter for my ears (no pun intended) 
. The program had some great moments too, like the haunting Ophélie by Mel Bonis, which really showcased the orchestra's capabilities 
.
. And what's up with Schuldt being super micromanaging? Can't he just chill and let the music speak for itself? 
. And Guy Johnston's solo was insane on the cello! But what really got me was how Clemens Schuldt handled Tchaikovsky's Hamlet tone poem 
... sometimes he'd get those tempos all wonky and it felt like the whole thing would fall apart 
. On the other hand, his interpretation of Der Rosenkavalier suite was fire 
, especially that waltz sequence 
... only wish he could've kept a lid on the micromanaging 
. I mean, who needs perfect tempos when you've got music that's just so beautiful and emotional? And can we talk about how great Guy Johnston's solo sounded with Clemens Schuldt leading the orchestra? It was like they were having a conversation - one part would be quiet and introspective, then suddenly boom with energy 
. Even if some of the other pieces didn't quite come together (I'm looking at you, Tchaikovsky's Hamlet tone poem 
), it was clear that Schuldt is a conductor who knows how to bring out the best in his musicians. And hey, at least he tried something new with Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier - even if it didn't entirely work out 
), I was really surprised to see how much depth and emotion went into that piece. The bit about the night-birds in the Nocturne was honestly so creepy and beautiful... like a dark magic spell cast on my emotions 
. Anyway, gotta say, I'm definitely gonna check out more of Phibbs' work now 
the whole program had its ups & downs but i loved how each piece showed a different vibe - from warm-toned Aubade to haunting Elegy, it was like a rollercoaster ride of emotions! 
and omg that Vocalise movement tho... it felt like a breath of fresh air 
but hey, Mel Bonis' Ophélie was still super haunting and beautiful!!! 
Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier suite was cool i guess, but clemens schuldt's micromanaging kinda ruined it for me 
Clemens Schuldt did a great job too, his orchestra was so talented and together. BUT, i felt like Tchaikovsky's tone poem was kinda meh, the tempos were all over the place 
. The Aubade was so soothing and the Elegy gave me chills 
. And that Nocturne? Whoa, those night-bird sounds added an extra layer of spookiness 
and what's up with tchaikovsky's hamlet tone poem it just didn't sound right 
- Schuldt's conducting style brought out the best in that score, even if he could've kept his micromanaging hands off 
it had so many different moods and emotions, like you can hear the bird sounds in the nocturne, that was so cool 
. and schuldt did a great job with Strauss' der rosenkavalier, but sometimes i feel like he's trying too hard to be perfect 
. But hey, at least the Strauss suite was solid! 
schuldt's interpretation of strauss' der rosenkavalier was solid tho 
it's like he tapped into this dark, eerie energy. but what really got to me was the contrast between the concerto and tchaikovsky's hamlet - it's like they're two completely different vibes 