Santtu and Sol Gabetta bring a wonderful connectivity and sense of fun with the Philharmonia Orchestra
Orchestral concerts are often exciting and the high standard of the Philharmonia is a treat – they did not disappoint at the opening concert for the season: Santtu and Sol Gabetta.
Santtu-Matias Rouvali has been conducting the Philharmonia since 2021 and from the performance it is evident that there is a special relationship between the conductor and the orchestra. Santtu practically danced as he brought the scores to life with the instruments. The power and passion with which he conducted was inspiring to the audience and captured the music beautifully.
A standout for me at this performance was how invested the orchestra were. All of the performers looked to be really enjoying themselves, with immense passion for their playing. There was a huge sense of connectivity between all of the sections, as well as the to the conductor and it shone through in the energy that was brought to the pieces.
The Brahms was a lovely opener to show this energy. Whilst the expectations are high for an orchestra like the Philharmonia, the level of precision and synchronicity, not just in their playing but their movements and their mood was fantastic to watch.
The star of the show was the Elgar with cellist Sol Gabetta. It was a beautiful piece to watch and Sol’s approach to the performance was entrancing. Replicating conductor Santtu, Sol had dance like quality to her playing. She embodied the piece in a vibrant and fierce way. The emotive sections of the piece were more internalised, but carrying through the boldness of her playing. It was particularly enjoyable the way she approached the question and answer sections with an element of sass, but again being totally connected with the rest of the orchestra, particularly the cello section. A very sweet encore showed the tribute to the cello section and the compatibility between Sol and her fellow cellists.
Dvořák’s symphony ‘From the New World’ after the interval was a shift away from the intensity of the Elgar. The beautiful serenading moments of the flutes with a sharp, punctuated response from the violins was a particular highlight in this piece. The way Santtu planted his feet in preparation for the big moments was a testament to his energy in his conducting. The entire piece showed off the breadth of the orchestra from the complexity of the flutes to the embracing sounds of the brass. It was an excellent choice for the second half.
The programme was well balanced programme, perfectly showcasing the brilliance of the performers, but huge credit should go to Santtu for the way that he can bring the orchestra together and the fun that they all appear to be having playing with each other.
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