Brahms Symphony No 4 & Academic Festival Overture
Mozart Violin Concerto No 5 in A, K219
Philharmonia/Mackerras Royal Festival Hall 5 April 2005

Sir CHARLES MACKERRAS, coming up to 80 this year, is vigorous striding across the platform and untiring upon the podium.

Brahms' Academic Festival Overture can sound glutinous and pompous, but he reminded us it is about student life; more youthful than many a performance.

In Mozart's Violin Concerto No 5 we recalled that it was Mackerras who brought period thinking to the operas; appoggiaturas at Sadlers' Wells many decades ago. I enjoyed the light orchestral playing but found soloist James Ehnes's playing beautiful, indeed a shade too beautiful, if you know what I mean.

Mackerras provided a lengthy note about Brahms interpretation, citing Fritz Steinbach on the need for constant flux in the tempo. His Brahms 4 was flexible (he conducts without baton) and had tonal balance that made you sit up. Not overloaded with emotion, it was musically involving and kept you listening intently and thinking. Mackerras didn't overdo this with the Philharmonia, and we were able to enjoy the characterful trumpets, the unobtrusive triangle in the scherzo, just right (I wonder what Mackerras would do with the irritating triangle in Liszt's 1st piano concerto?) and a mellifluous flute to bring warmth into the strongly propelled final passacaglia.

An inspiriting evening.

Next concert in this series: 10 April 3 p.m.
Pict: Clive Barda