[ad_1]
United Kingdom BBC Proms 2025 [2] – Coult, Mahler: Allan Clayton (tenor), BBC Philharmonic Orchestra / John Storgårds (conductor), Royal Albert Hall, London, 21.7.2025. (JR)
Tom Coult – Monologues for the Curious (BBC fee, world premiere)
Mahler – Symphony No. 7
British composer Tom Coult, born in London in 1988, was Composer-in-Association with the BBC Philharmonic from 2021 to 2014; the BBC commissioned a piece from him for this 12 months’s Proms. His new work, with the intriguing title Monologues for the Curious, is just not a lot a song-cycle as a set of 4 dramatic monologues, with the tenor adopting completely different characters for every. Coult has created his personal texts out of current supply materials, on this case varied ghost tales by M. R. James, the English grasp of the supernatural story.
In the primary monologue, the tenor recounts an erotically charged encounter with two males utilizing dashing strings and oscillating winds on the outset, warped brass thereafter, together with the extremely uncommon use of two melodicas (a hand-held reed instrument with a keyboard) – which sadly proved just about inaudible. Allan Clayton was his normal spectacular self, his agency tenor voice carrying proper throughout the massive Royal Albert Hall, diction clear as a bell. The second monologue began in anguish however ended with a short climax and repeated tapping – only. The third monologue was one thing of a scherzo, its opening line ‘I have a kindness for owls’ had the viewers laughing, as did the fixed charming use – by each the soloist and one of many percussionists – of harmonicas by means of accompaniment. ‘Letitia left me for Brighton’ was the title of the ultimate tune, darkish and desolate, with added saxophone and cowbells, Clayton resorting ceaselessly to magnificent head voice for the very prime notes. The work proved an ideal prologue to the Mahler and went down a storm with the viewers – together with this critic. The piece was fascinating all through, very accessible, and most entertaining.
Mahler’s Seventh Symphony has, ever since its composition, fairly been thought to be the ugly duckling of Mahler’s symphonies however because the many years roll on, audiences are warming to the fragmentary work. It is fairly disjointed, with Bruckner-like stops and begins, and an air of banality to the outer actions, and oddity for the 2 interior Nachtmusik (Night Music) actions. It wants a conductor with conviction to deliver it off, and the BBC Philharmonic’s chief conductor John Storgårds was the person for the job, forging the bitty work right into a convincing complete, not smoothing over any of the dissonances. He carried out it together with his orchestra in Manchester a couple of years earlier than Covid, and now was his likelihood to indicate it off on the BBC Proms.
All Mahler symphonies are very nicely suited to the cavernous acoustic of the Royal Albert Hall, permitting us to listen to each element, and thrill to the climaxes. Full marks to the flawless tenor horn, to the athletic timpanist, to the principal trumpet and all of the French horns. In the interior actions we noticed and heard the huge array of cowbells unfold throughout the again of the stage; we additionally (simply) heard the guitar and mandolin, a pity that visually they get hid behind the violins and harps. I believe they want their very own podium. The orchestra performed their hearts out, following Storgårds’s needs and masterly management at each flip, the occasional lip faults doing no injury to the general expertise – a convincing, satisfying and enthralling efficiency of a nonetheless considerably uncared for, inscrutable and infrequently misunderstood symphony.
We now look ahead with keen anticipation to extra Mahler on the Proms – performances of his Second, Third and Fifth symphonies and Das klagende Lied.
John Rhodes
Featured Image: John Storgårds conducts the BBC Philharmonic © BBC/ Mark Allan