BBC Prom 8 featured Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 2, which can be heard in the films Brief Encounter and The Seven Year Itch, as well as other well-known compositions. In the silence, a piano plays softly, and a long-forgotten melody rises to the surface to echo and reverberate once more. Jóhann Jóhannsson's atmospheric reworkings of Durham miners' songs may not appear to have much in common with Rachmaninov's well-known Piano Concerto No. 2.
However, in the hands of pianist Alexander Gavrylyuk and BBC Symphony Orchestra Principal Guest Conductor Dalia Stasevska, they become part of a deeper, darker picture; an unfolding soundscape that embraces both Tchaikovsky's soaring romantic tragedy Romeo and Juliet and the elemental sonorities of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.
The music was as enigmatic as the programme note, severe and icy, but exquisitely scored and intriguing. The BBC Singers chanted and intoned, while the orchestra hovered around the edges like a halo before taking center stage in the granite-like final movement. A perfect palate cleanser between Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky.
The BBC Singers were on a roll, soaring, emoting and dazzling. Stasevska's knowledge of the Russian language meant that Rachmaninov's pieces sounded rich, strong and full of character. The music had a steely quality, but was full of warmth and melancholy. The piano playing was magnificent, with the weighty orchestral accompaniment and the singers' choruses lending it an almost epic quality.
Stasevska's energy and fire swept me away, she was thrilling to watch and ignited the orchestra with sheer force of personality, making for a very exciting performance. She also had the musicians in the palm of her hand, they were so engrossed in her every move. Overall, BBC Prom 8 was quite the ultimate performance. When the final chords were struck, I was left breathless.
