Classical Music,  Reviews

Prom 1, Elgar “The Kingdom. Royal Albert Hall

Back in the Royal Albert Hall for the unveiling of Proms 2014 and speaking personally adjustments need to be made – the heat, for one, but also the acoustical amplitude. As Elgar rolled out the magisterial themes for The Kingdom in its glorious Prelude my auditory memory was recalling Andrew Davis’ recent airings of the other two Elgar oratorios in the more unforgiving but excitingly immediate acoustic of the Barbican: impactful as opposed to open and all-enveloping. The warmth of the BBC Symphony Orchestra strings in rosy alliance with burnished horns was at once inviting – and adjustments would be made because the accommodating Victorian splendour of the Albert Hall is where pieces of this period and complexion can really work their mystical magic.

The combined BBC National Chorus of Wales and BBC Symphony Chorus were rich and lucid and articulate with those moments where the sopranos hurl out notes above the stave creating a thrilling corona of sound in “O ye priests!” and the fabulous Pentecost sequence – a musical fresco if ever there was one – where no one but Elgar could have aurally imagined the word “glorified” with such trumpet-topped radiance. And at the other end of the sound spectrum there were those deep organ-buttressed pedals and woozy cascades of string basses and tuba “In Solomon’s Porch”. Elgar was such a vivid painter of words with images like “He, Who walketh upon the wings of the wind” and “He, Whose ministers are flaming fire” drew a visionary response. Andrew Davis has a nose for such moments and equally for those of inward mysticism – like the hushed string benediction prefacing Peter’s “Repent, and be baptised.”

The high voices shone among the soloists – soprano Erin Wall and tenor Andrew Staples both outstanding – but it was in this department that regretfully the evening biggest flaw was to be found. I am a huge fan of Christopher Purves: as a stage animal of astonishing versatility he rises to most dramatic challenges with consistency and aplomb. But here, in a role – that of Peter – which frankly requires a much more youthful (and commanding) vocal presence he was sorely stretched to the point where even his feeling for words became secondary to shaky vocals. I’ve a feeling all was not well and it could be that some kind of ailment was troubling him – but he didn’t instill confidence and was far from what was required to carry the Pentecost sequence to its inexorable climax.

Andrew Staples, by contrast, was the ideal blend of sweet lyricism and tenorial heft and Erin Wall rose to her great scena “The sun goeth down” (much relief when it did), a voice, like Staples, with both the purity and the reach to stir and glorify.

Sir Andrew Davis conducts the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Chorus, the BBC National Chorus of Wales and soloists in Elgar’s The Kingdom

 As Prom openings go, it wasn’t perfect – but it was (indeed always is) auspicious.

image: Sir Andrew Davis conducts the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Chorus, the BBC National Chorus of Wales and soloists in Elgar’s The Kingdom
Copyright: BBC/Chris Christodoulou

One Comment

  • Trevor Yorke

    I couldn’t agree more with Edward Seckerson. The heat in the Royal Hall was unbearable, especially where we were forced to sit up in the gods. Forced? After logging on two minutes after the tickets went on sale it was some seven hours later that I was given the opportunity to buy my seats, by which time there were only upper circle tickets left – it said. So how come my wife counted more than seventy empty good seats, even from our restricted view?
    I also share Mr Secketson’s view of the acoustics of the RAH. The muddy, remote sound did not do justice to Sir Andrew Davis’s preparation of this wonderful score. The combined choirs however were faultless. Their ensemble perfect. ‘The sun goeth down’ was sublime and always leads one to regret Elgar never composed an opera.
    It’s true an auspicious if not perfect start to the Proms season. Let’s hope the weather at least cools down.