The recent BBC Symphony Orchestra concert at Phibbs featured an uneven programme with varying degrees of success. While some pieces had their moments, others fell flat due to a lack of cohesion.
One highlight of the evening was Joseph Phibbs's world premiere cello concerto, which brought a welcome sense of musical unity to the proceedings. The five-movement work showcased Johnston's expressive solo line in a beautifully framed context, with Clemens Schuldt's expert guidance from the BBC Symphony Orchestra bringing out the rich textures and colours that make this piece so compelling.
In contrast, other works on the programme struggled to find their footing. Tchaikovsky's tone poem Hamlet was perhaps the most jarring, with Schuldt's clipped reading feeling more like a breathless exercise in pacing than a nuanced exploration of the music itself. On the other hand, Mel Bonis's Ophélie was a more effective and intimate portrayal of its heroine, thanks to Schuldt's subtle guidance that brought out the delicate nuances of this late-Romantic masterpiece.
Schuldt also showed his mettle with a spirited interpretation of a suite from Richard Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier. His idiomatic approach brought out the waltz sequences nicely, but unfortunately, the overall effect was marred by his tendency to micromanage, which resulted in a sense of disjointedness and volume that felt overly bombastic. Despite this, the BBC Symphony Orchestra proved themselves to be excellent musicians throughout the evening.
Ultimately, while not all of the works on the programme were successful, Phibbs's concerto proved to be a welcome highlight that brought a much-needed sense of cohesion to an otherwise uneven concert.
One highlight of the evening was Joseph Phibbs's world premiere cello concerto, which brought a welcome sense of musical unity to the proceedings. The five-movement work showcased Johnston's expressive solo line in a beautifully framed context, with Clemens Schuldt's expert guidance from the BBC Symphony Orchestra bringing out the rich textures and colours that make this piece so compelling.
In contrast, other works on the programme struggled to find their footing. Tchaikovsky's tone poem Hamlet was perhaps the most jarring, with Schuldt's clipped reading feeling more like a breathless exercise in pacing than a nuanced exploration of the music itself. On the other hand, Mel Bonis's Ophélie was a more effective and intimate portrayal of its heroine, thanks to Schuldt's subtle guidance that brought out the delicate nuances of this late-Romantic masterpiece.
Schuldt also showed his mettle with a spirited interpretation of a suite from Richard Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier. His idiomatic approach brought out the waltz sequences nicely, but unfortunately, the overall effect was marred by his tendency to micromanage, which resulted in a sense of disjointedness and volume that felt overly bombastic. Despite this, the BBC Symphony Orchestra proved themselves to be excellent musicians throughout the evening.
Ultimately, while not all of the works on the programme were successful, Phibbs's concerto proved to be a welcome highlight that brought a much-needed sense of cohesion to an otherwise uneven concert.
it was like a breath of fresh air in the middle of all those other pieces! johnston's solo line is insane 
and schuldt's guidance with the orchestra brought out the best in it. even though tchaikovsky's hamlet was kinda meh 
, mel bonis's ophélie was so beautiful and intimate 
. and richard strauss's suite was like a fun party 
but yeah, schuldt could've kept his micromanaging to himself 
still, the bbc symphony orchestra did an amazing job overall 
. It's cool that it brought some musical unity to the evening but at the same time, it was also super long and dragged on for ages 
. And I'm not a big fan of Tchaikovsky's music anyway, so I wasn't too fussed about the tone poem 
. But hey, at least Mel Bonis's Ophélie was alright, and that conductor did a great job with it 
. It just felt like there were some big chunks of mediocre music in between those good bits 
.
but omg tchaikovs hamlet tone poem was SO awkward i felt like i was watching a breathless music video instead of actual music 
and mel bonis' ophelie was like the complete opposite - super intimate and nuanced 
but what really got me was johnny phibs micromanaging during richard strauss's suite 
it made the whole thing feel kinda disjointed but overall i gotta say the bbc symphony orchestra is still one of my fave ensembles 
. But, honestly, some of those other pieces felt like they were trying way too hard to impress 
. And don't even get me started on that Hamlet tone poem - it was like they took all the emotions and just kind of...phoned it in 
. Give credit where credit is due tho, Clemens Schuldt's got some solid skills as a conductor 
. The Strauss suite was actually pretty cool too 
.
. Clemens Schuldt's expertise really shone through, especially in Mel Bonis's Ophélie, which was so beautifully nuanced and intimate 
.
. Tchaikovsky's Hamlet tone poem was like a awkward attempt at being dramatic - it felt more like a music theory experiment gone wrong 
. And I'm not sure what Schuldt did there... micromanaging is one thing, but when you're trying to convey the beauty of late-Romantic music, sometimes less is more 
.
. And that Phibbs concerto? Game. Changer. 
. Tchaikovsky's tone poem felt like it was trying too hard to be dramatic, whereas Mel Bonis's Ophélie was just so beautiful and intimate... I loved how subtle Clemens Schuldt's guidance was in bringing out the nuances of that piece 
... I mean, it's good that he wants the best for the orchestra, but when you're micromanaging, it can make the whole thing feel kinda forced. And yeah, the Phibbs concerto was def one of the highlights of the night - that cello line just sang! 
! Johnston's piece had all these cool moments where you're like "wait, what just happened?!" 
. I mean, I get it, the conductor was trying to push them in different directions, but sometimes less is more, you know? 
i mean, i love a good waltz as much as the next person but schuldt's Strauss suite felt more like it was trying to be something it's not 
. And I think Schuldt did a great job with Mel Bonis's Ophélie, it was really intimate and emotional. 
the way johnston's solo line came out in that 5 movement piece was like poetry 2 me n schuldt's conductor skills r top notch!