Archive for NSOI

Weber & Brahms at the National Concert Hall

Posted in Music with tags , , , , , , , , on April 25, 2026 by telescoper

It had been a month since my last visit to the National Concert Hall in Dublin, as I have had many distractions recently, so I was pleased to find the time yesterday evening to go again. The walk through Dublin was very pleasant in the fine weather, with lots of people outside the bars and pubs having a drink and enjoying the sunshine.

National Symphony Orchestra Ireland was conducted for the occasion by Peter Whelan for a concert of two pieces by Johannes Brahms either side of the Clarinet Concerto No. 1 by Carl Maria von Weber. When I first started writing this blog years ago, I mentioned that I didn’t really get why people think Brahms is so good. It’s not that I actively dislike Brahms, it’s just that I don’t find that he moves me as much as many other composers and so many people rave about him that I think I must be missing something. Anyway, I have persevered and now enjoy at least some of his music.

The Variations on a Theme by Joseph Haydn was written in 1873, when Brahms was three years before wrote his First Symphony. Interestingly it’s not clear whether the theme concerned was actually due to Haydn at all, but whoever supplied the raw material, this is one of the first compositions by anyone that featured a set of variations for a full orchestra. I had never heard this work before found it generally enjoyable, pedestrian in places, but with some excellent sections. There are 8 variations, bookended by the Introduction of the Theme and a Finale 7th variation is very lyrical and romantic, others are more upbeat and light-hearted.

After that introduction the Orchstra was joined on stage by Portuguese clarinetist Carlos Ferreira for the Clarinet Concerto No. 1 by Carl Maria von Weber. This is one of only two works by this composed that I’ve ever heard – the other being the Opera Oberon (which, incidentally has its original libretto in English) – and I have a couple of recordings on CD. It’s a very popular element of the clarinet repertoire and I’ve heard the last movement – a sprightly and tuneful Rondo – played on its own quite a few times on the radio. This piece was written in 1811 and you could say it provides an early Romantic contrast with the late Romantic style of Brahms. You can hear the influence of Mozart in it, and it has a slow-fast-slow three movement structure very reminiscent of the classical period.

I really enjoyed the playing of Carlos Ferreira. I especially liked the tone he produced and his ability to project even when apparently playing rather softly. The audience liked it too, and he got a standing ovation at the end (and did an encore).

After the wine break interval came the main course in the form of the Symphony No. 4 in E Minor by Johannes Brahms. This is of course a very familiar work, but that there’s always something new to find in it. and the 4th Symphony is a very fine work, which is now up among my favourite symphonies. There’s a great deal of interest in every moment from the simple phrase that introduces the first movement to the last movement, which is in three sections and which owes a lot to Bach and is almost a symphony in itself. It was performed beautifully last night by NSOI under the direction of Peter Whelan.

It was still quite warm in Dublin when I walked to Pearse Station to get the train back to Maynooth. The train filled up at Drumcondra with Shelbourne supporters on their way home from a match at Tolka Park, so it was much busier than usual but there wasn’t any trouble at all.

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Adams, Rachmaninov & Stravinsky at the National Concert Hall

Posted in Music with tags , , , , , , , , , , on March 14, 2026 by telescoper

Yesterday evening found me once again at the National Concert Hall in Dublin for a programme of music played by National Symphony Orchestra Ireland, this time conducted by Principal Conductor Designate, Alexander Shelley, who takes over fully for the 2026/7 season. He took the opportunity afforded by the break between the first two numbers needed to bring the piano onstage, to introduce himself to the audience which made a pleasant change from having to watch in silence as all the chairs and desks were moved around.

The programme began with the exuvberant Short Ride in a Fast Machine by American composer John Adams which – believe it or not – was written forty years ago, in 1986. It is an exuberant piece based on interrelated rhythmic figures which is great fun to listen to and an ideal warm-up exercise for the orchestra.

The piano having been hauled into position, it was time to welcome Canadian pianist Jaeden Izik-Dzurko (who has Hungarian and Ukrainian ancestry) for the Piano Concerto No. 3 by Sergei Rachmaninov. When the soloist walked on stage I was struck by how young he looked. He is, in fact, 27 but looks younger. Still, I’ve reached an age when most people look very young. Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 3 is a monster of a piece – very long for a piano concerto – and also very difficult, with some fierce cadenzas. For all its reputation as a finger-breaker, it does have some lovely melodies in it. Rachmaninov himself realized he had created bit of a beast and cut some of the toughest bits for early performances, but nowadays we tend to hear the whole original score, as we did last night. I thought Jaeden Izik-Dzurko not only coped admirably with its technical demands but also conveyed its lyrical aspects very tenderly. It was a very impressive performance. The audience at the NCH obviously agreed. A standing ovation greeted him at the end, though he looked almost embarrassed by such an effusive reaction.

After the interval wine break we had a concert performance the complete score for Igor Stravinsky’s ballet The Firebird. This is a thrilling piece, involving a huge orchestra, numbering about a hundred musicians, and stunning orchestration.  The Firebird is a tour de force: intricate but vividly coloured, full of excitement and colour and NSOI played it with great passion and aplomb. A really brilliant performance.

There was an electronic sign above the orchestra for The Firebird explaining what would be going on in the ballet as the various sections of the music were played. I found that an unwelcome and slightly annoying distraction, but it didn’t detract significantly from the performance. There was thunderous applause at the end of the concert but, it being quite a long concert, I couldn’t stay for all the ovations as I had to leave to catch the train home.

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