June 5th 2005
Philip Glass Cello Concerto
UK Premiere, Julian Lloyd Webber, The Dome, Brighton
When you think how many uningratiating new works are given high-profile premieres in London, it is both a surprise and a sadness that Philip Glass’s Cello Concerto had to wait several years for its first UK outing, at the Brighton Festival last week.
Julian Lloyd Webber introduced the attractive piece in Peking in October 2001 and, apart from a performance in New Zealand, this is the first opportunity he has had to repeat it live. Maybe it’s because Glass is an unashamed melodist, or that he is regarded by some these days as just a film composer.
Whatever, such an accomplished work should not have to struggle for a hearing, especially since, although accessible, it is never facile. Indeed, it is very difficult to perform, making extreme demands on the soloist who plays almost throughout its 30-minute duration.
The first movement begins with a tricky extended cadenza, lasting about three minutes, which sets the mood for the earnest ruminations to come.
The 14-minute slow movement is the core of the work, with some attractive, long-breathed melodies that continually draw the listener into the heart of the argument. The finale is more obviously extrovert, with notable writing for the brass. Lloyd Webber’s technique was fully equal to the work’s many challenges, but what emerged best from a well applauded performance at The Dome, with the BBC Symphony Orchestra under David Charles Abell, was the quality of his musicianship. He played throughout with a chamber-music-like intensity, ensuring the cello was always part of the orchestral tapestry without losing any of the detail of Glass’s complex solo writing. Julian has recorded this concerto with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic on an Orange Mountain CD, a label owned by the composer, and it’s well worth getting.
David Mellor
