THE last night of the LSO's three-day exploration of the Prokofiev symphonies might not have been as dynamic as the first, but nevertheless ended on a satisfying high note.
Symphony No 7, with its decisive structure and clear intent, was all th
e more powerful for its leanings towards subtlety and understatement. This gave conductor Valery Gergiev plenty of room to draw some finely nuanced contributions from the orchestra, particularly the woodwind, building up to glorious swirls of colour in the finale.
Although this was ostensibly a "youth" symphony, there was plenty of depth and complexity which was often lacking in the sixth symphony.
By contrast, this was a lumbering discourse which had the odd glimmer of inspiration but overall failed to take the listener on a meaningful emotional journey. The brooding darkness hinted at in the first movement never really emerged from the almost constant militaristic beat.
Too often eclipsed by the first violin concerto, Prokofiev's second, with its gorgeous melodies and swaggering rhythms, is a seductive work, especially in the inspirational hands of soloist Leonidas Kavakos. Some of the technical challenges in the work can be unwieldy, yet he glided over these effortlessly in this ravishing performance.
The full article contains 208 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
