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Royal Theatre
November 27, 2017
"The plural of anecdote is data." So said Raymond Wolfinger; although his area of study was political science, it applies to the improvement in the quality of the sound produced by the Victoria Symphony. It had been a couple of years since I last attended a Victoria Symphony concert, but on this evening I noted a high quality in the tone production, the clarity of the parts, and top-notch ensemble playing. In time I'll have enough observations to be able to call it data, but for now, my first anecdote is very positive.
I took this assignment because I wanted to have the pleasure of hearing the Elgar cello concerto other than through recordings, and although at points in the past I've heard the Victoria Symphony play the Enigma Variations and Vaughan Williams' tuba concerto, there's always delight in hearing them again. But the Nielsen that opened the evening, his Rhapsodic Overture: An Imaginary Trip to the Faroe Islands , was a surprise and a delight.
Carl Nielsen is one of those composers who get short shrift, but who never fails to impress on the rare occasion that his music crosses one's ears. I'm sure there are Nielsen aficionados out there, who own multiple copies of the same recording and copies of the scores. But I am confident that for most of the audience, the Victoria Symphony's performance served as a reminder that he was a composer worthy of greater attention. From the hushed opening to the rich colours of the vibrant folk tunes that populate the middle sections, Kluxen and the orchestra were obviously taking care with what would might be considered programmatic filler to warm up the orchestra before the big numbers.
The first of those big numbers was Elgar's cello concerto, featuring the soloist Raphael Wallfisch. This piece has become, along with the Dvořák, a staple of the cello concerto repertoire. But it's also become an opportunity for players to demonstrate how emotive they are. I haven't looked at the score, but I can't imagine the Elgar put as many rubato and dynamic markings as some recordings would suggest. So what a blessed relief it was that Wallfisch played it rather straight, with a comparatively modest degree of affectations. Instead of overdoing it, he let the music speak for itself, with a deft touch to his phrasing. Wallfisch generates a tone that is, like all top-ranked cellists who ply their craft on top-notch instruments, rich and sonorous. Anything less would be a disappointment, so I'll spare you all the cliches. But it was his musical approach that convinced me. The concerto was as good as you would have found anywhere, and the Victoria Symphony supported Wallfisch brilliantly.
The other concerto on the programme was Vaughan Williams' F Minor Concerto for bass tuba. Rather than being a quirky novelty, the concerto is a rewarding piece of music. Paul Beauchesne stepped out from the back row of the Victoria Symphony to tackle the concerto with aplomb, handling the part with dexterity; one is always surprised by the fact that a tuba can sound like this, with quick runs and leaps through the instrument's range. While the Romanza was particularly affecting, this was a delightful performance.
The concert closed with a brilliant reading of Elgar's Enigma Variations. Here's where the skills and sonorities of the Victoria Symphony really stood out. There was a precision in the playing, a unity of sound and a clarity in the parts, even in the most densely orchestrated sections, that I don't recall hearing before. The seating arrangement may have had something to do with it; first violins to the conductor's left, second violins to the right, and the violas and cellos in the middle. And Kluxen's direction no doubt played a large part. But a group of musicians doesn't suddenly get this good; the work of previous seasons under Tania Miller must surely have contributed.
Ultimately, the music benefits from this level of skill. Every one of the variations was tremendous; there was a snap to the end of R.B.T., Dorabella was appropriately light and open; and the brass in G.R.S. and the closing E.D.U. had bite. And it goes without saying that Nimrod had warmth and majesty.
If I haven't said it before on these pages, I've certainly said it in polite company: this city presents an abundance of riches for anyone who wants to hear top-notch music. The Victoria Symphony's performance of 2017-11-27 was no exception, a wonderful programme, wonderfully played by the orchestra and soloists.
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