Page 189 - Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Coverage Book 2023-24

he drew the listener in. Conventionally paced, Li displayed a range of bold and bright
primary colours; subtlety and gradation of light and shade were noticeable but very much in
their infancy. Petrenko followed his soloist sympathetically; in the first movement there were
a couple of occasions when the orchestra overpowered Li, but this was soon rectified and
the RLPO became the ideal accompanists.

Each of his phrases in the first movement had individuality, but transitions from one to the
other lacked a little in subtlety. In the central Canzonetta, Li’s musicality was at its most
communicative, capturing the melancholy mood, making this a song without words. What
stood out in the finale was Li's tone on his 1737 Guarneri. On the lowest G string, the tone
was simply beautiful and the range and speeds of vibrato were highly expressive. The
staggering technical skill of this young person is remarkable.

After the interval came the epic journey that depicts the events in St Petersburg in 1905 in
Shostakovich’s Eleventh Symphony. Petrenko's recording of this work, with this orchestra,
has already set a high bar, but actually experiencing it live, with the deep insights Petrenko
has for the work, plus the RLPO's set of ‘Forever Bells’, intensified the musical impact.

The Palace Square opening movement opened with an innocence, as if the story was being
told before our eyes and ears. Petrenko did something remarkable, making dissonances
sound like consonances and resolution feel like tension as he carefully unfolded this almost
cinematic symphony. In the second movement, subtitled The 9th of January, the range of
dynamics and articulation was incredibly nuanced, but without sounding fussy. Time stood
still in the third movement (Eternal Memory) as Petrenko captured the pathos. The recap of
the opening in the Tocsin finale was done with heartbreaking agony and sensitivity. The
church bells brought their own authenticity, adding substantial impact to the closing bars
and resonating after the orchestra had fallen silent. This was a phenomenal performance
with a communicative might that was both musically and emotionally draining.

There is much to be said for the model of overture–concerto–symphony in creating a great
programme which, in part, contributed hugely to the success of the evening. However, the
bond the RLPO musicians have with Petrenko ensures they always give him 110%, as they
did here once again.