Page 226 - Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Coverage Book 2023-24

String Quintet in F major – Maria Włoszczowska (violin), Haruno Sato (violin),
Michael Gerrard (viola), Malcolm Crittern (viola), Gabriel Waite (cello)

Symphony No.9 – BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra / Alpesh Chauhan
(conductor)

I can imagine that the organisers of this Bruckner bonanza embarked on the
project with some apprehension, as although Bruckner has long been
established in concert programmes and festivals in Germany and Austria, he is
less frequently encountered in British schedules and is not necessarily viewed
as a draw – indeed, he is still seen by some as being of niche interest and perhaps
also still a box office risk. Likewise, while I am a devoted Brucknerian, I
momentarily debated internally whether I really wanted to leave the relatively
benign climes of Norfolk and venture on a long drive to the ‘Frozen North’ – and
believe me, it was! There was horizontal rain and sleet, howling gales and frigid
temperatures and it was just to listen to some music. A perusal of the roster of
performers over the weekend, however, convinced me that it was well worth
the investment, especially as the ticket package for the five concerts was so
reasonably priced – but nothing could have prepared me for the experience,
which was simply the best live performances of all three of Bruckner’s last great
symphonies that I have ever encountered; the weekend was a triumph and I
hope it was as great a success financially as it was artistically, so that we may
relish the prospect of future events at the Glasshouse of a similar nature.

Certainly, the concerts all looked like sell-outs; Brucknerians from all over the
country had descended upon the hall, agog at the prospect of such an embarrass
de richesses. A particularly welcome feature of every performance was the
virtually silent concentration of the audiences, as compared with the constant,
inconsiderate hacking which has become a feature of attendance in, for
example, the Royal Festival Hall. Each performance was introduced by the
amiable John Suchet in such a way as to guide novices, give old hands the
chance to disagree with some of his more sweeping statements and whet the
appetites of all.

The Glasshouse is a splendid venue: a now-famous curved glass and stainless-
steel design by Foster and Partners, staffed by warm and welcoming personnel,
offering reasonably priced refreshments and an excellent restaurant – but
above all, the main concert space is acoustically first class, being modelled on
the Musikverein. My seats and those of my companion were right at the front of
the stalls; the first row had been left empty, as being seated in them would
involve a degree of discomfort craning the neck to look up at the elevated stage.
This afforded the opportunity of close observation of the conductor and strings;