Classical Reviews.

Byline: MAGGIE COTTON

Peter Donohoe Birmingham Conservatoire ***** was the theme of this recital and Peter Donohoe demonstrated how much musical variety can arise from plain old H2O. The water in Debussy's Image No.1, Reflet dans l'Eau, flowed smoothly, graciously and with an aristocratic air while in Ravel's Jeux d'Eauit was sparkling and effervescent with a twinkle in its aqueous eye.

In Donohoe's entertaining informal pre-recital talk he pointed out not only that Ravel's piece had been influence by Liszt's Les Jeux d'eaux a la Villa d'Este, but that Liszt's work was far from being simply a musical vignette. In the score Liszt added a quote from the Gospel of St John about the water of eternal life. Donohoe's playing expertly conveyed the shift from tone-painting to religious mysticism. Liszt's Au Bord d'un Source, in contrast, was invigoratingly fresh and bracing. The connection to Ravel's Gaspard de la Nuit is limited to the first part of the musical triptych, a portrait of the seductive Ondine, although in Donohoe's hands she emerged as a rather muscular and beefy water nymph. The swinging corpse and tolling bell in Le gibet almost palpable and in the fiendish - and fiendishly difficult - Scarbo, conjured up a suitably sinister goblin.

NORMAN STINCHCOMBE CBSO Prom Royal Albert Hall, London ***** you could certainly see Midori giving a tremendously committed performance as soloist in the Walton Violin Concerto in the CBSO Prom on Saturday, but you couldn't always hear her. After two years' absence from the Royal Albert Hall I'd forgotten how dreadful is its acoustic, and this was confirmed by the deferred television relay.

What we did hear of Midori was silky and eloquent, never sacrificing emotional truth to flashy technical virtuosity, and Andris Nelsons and the CBSO collaborated ("accompanied" is totally the wrong word to use in such a partnership) with attentiveness and colour.

What the RAH loses out to in terms of the finest acoustic in the world to Birmingham's own Symphony Hall is perhaps balanced out by the world's most attentive audience, 7000 Prommers (many of them standing throughout a lengthy programme) absolutely spellbound in concentration. Don't be put off by the Last Night Hooray Henrys.

This is an audience which knows how to listen.

And what it heard were searing accounts of two of the CBSO's Richard Strauss party-pieces, Don Juan (whose almost impossible opening notes were the first ever conducted by Nelsons to the orchestra back on that heady evening in September 2007) and the "Dance of the Seven Veils" from Salome.

But most astounding of all was the account of Prokofiev's film-derived cantata Alexander Nevsky, the CBSO Chorus projecting its impeccable Russian with such presence in this wafty acoustic, Nadezhda Serdiuk the compassionate, sorrowing mezzo soloist, and the CBSO delivering this vibrant score with verve, aplomb, and brilliant control over its massive paragraphs. And Andris Nelsons? The huge applause from an audience which has probably never had the chance to experience what a miracle he is said it all.

CHRISTOPHER MORLEY CBSO Academy Birmingham Town Hall *****loratory adventure was in store with a curious mix from the CBSO Academy: students selected from the larger youth orchestra. Stretching across centuries our imaginations were first teased by Thomas Ads's Three Studies from Couperin. The two balanced ensembles could have embraced more contrasts after the repetitious amiable 'walking music' which began this intriguing work.

Marimba and bass flute were interesting inclusions with notable solo parts for all winds. A final 'Soul in Torment' possibly needed more life experience to convey the true sentiment of the music however.

Schubert's sketches for a final symphony were the motivation for Berio's Rendering for Orchestra (1989). Foursquare tonic dominants heralded a breezy first movement which eventually shifted into hazy interwoven fragments helped by a twinkling celeste.

Deep concentration was evident throughout creating neat coherent string playing, fine brass chorales, and splendid solos throughout woodwinds. An interminably long slow movement led eventually to a tediously repetitious Allegro. One wondered where Schubert was in much of this - hopefully he would have approved. A fine performance nevertheless, admirably created by CBSO Associate Conductor Michael Seal.

Stravinsky's delightful Pulcinella ballet sparkled with wit and imagination: 18 varied movements to tease the mind, based on music by Pergolesi (1710-1736) Three singers replaced ballet dancers but often the Italian text was unintelligible, not helped by the occasionally over enthusiastic orchestra positioned in front of the soloists.

Tenor Matthew Sandy needs more fluent phrasing and connection with his audience, whereas bass Keel Watson communicated well. Soprano Wendy Dawn Thompson conveyed love interest with clarity and conviction.

This is lively accessible music with plenty of rhythms and melodies to tease the mind and memory. All in all a thought-provoking concert.

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Title Annotation:	Features
Publication:	The Birmingham Post (England)
Date:	Aug 4, 2011
Words:	783
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Topics:	Concerts