CBSO/Vänskä Delivers Weird Brilliance in Compelling Programme
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra's evening at Symphony Hall was a masterclass in musical storytelling, with conductor Osmo Vänskä drawing out the groundbreaking qualities in Sibelius's works. The Finnish maestro, with decades of experience under his belt, has an uncanny ability to bring these meticulous interpretations to life.
Vänskä's approach to Shostakovich's 15th symphony was particularly noteworthy, adopting a brisk and puckish approach to the up-tempo movements that belied the composer's neurotic tendencies. The percussion section had a field day, while the orchestral playing was elevated across the board. Diaphanous textures and sustained tension added depth to the Chekhovian ache of the slower movements, culminating in a ghostly death rattle and mocking laughter.
Vocal performances were also exceptional, particularly those of soprano Helena Juntunen, who brought character and emotion to Sibelius's seldom-programmed vocal works. Her rendition of Baron Magnus, a lyrical ballad about a gloomy nobleman's dalliance with a mermaid, was exquisitely characterised, with a rich and creamy soprano that commanded the audience's attention.
The Karelia Suite, meanwhile, saw the CBSO strings trade in warmth for folk-inflected harmonic pungency, underlining the work's groundbreaking qualities. Juntunen's performances were consistently compelling, drawing out every nuance of Sibelius's music.
The tone poem Luonnotar, composed in 1913, was a highlight of the evening. Vänskä drew out its weird brilliance, reveling in its innovative masterpiece rooted in the Kalevala, Finland's national epic. Juntunen shone as a pregnant nature spirit, imbuing every aspect of this work with a captivating energy.
Overall, the CBSO/Vänskä programme was a masterful exploration of musical narrative, weaving together Sibelius's mythic stories and Shostakovich's neurotic genius to create an unforgettable evening.
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra's evening at Symphony Hall was a masterclass in musical storytelling, with conductor Osmo Vänskä drawing out the groundbreaking qualities in Sibelius's works. The Finnish maestro, with decades of experience under his belt, has an uncanny ability to bring these meticulous interpretations to life.
Vänskä's approach to Shostakovich's 15th symphony was particularly noteworthy, adopting a brisk and puckish approach to the up-tempo movements that belied the composer's neurotic tendencies. The percussion section had a field day, while the orchestral playing was elevated across the board. Diaphanous textures and sustained tension added depth to the Chekhovian ache of the slower movements, culminating in a ghostly death rattle and mocking laughter.
Vocal performances were also exceptional, particularly those of soprano Helena Juntunen, who brought character and emotion to Sibelius's seldom-programmed vocal works. Her rendition of Baron Magnus, a lyrical ballad about a gloomy nobleman's dalliance with a mermaid, was exquisitely characterised, with a rich and creamy soprano that commanded the audience's attention.
The Karelia Suite, meanwhile, saw the CBSO strings trade in warmth for folk-inflected harmonic pungency, underlining the work's groundbreaking qualities. Juntunen's performances were consistently compelling, drawing out every nuance of Sibelius's music.
The tone poem Luonnotar, composed in 1913, was a highlight of the evening. Vänskä drew out its weird brilliance, reveling in its innovative masterpiece rooted in the Kalevala, Finland's national epic. Juntunen shone as a pregnant nature spirit, imbuing every aspect of this work with a captivating energy.
Overall, the CBSO/Vänskä programme was a masterful exploration of musical narrative, weaving together Sibelius's mythic stories and Shostakovich's neurotic genius to create an unforgettable evening.
i also loved how they did the karelia suite, it was like a folk dance party in the concert hall 
but what really stood out to me was that luonnotar tone poem, it was like vänskä took us on a wild journey through finnish mythology and nature 
anyway, can't wait for their next show! 
i loved how he incorporated folk elements into the Karelia Suite, it added this unique pungency that elevated the whole performance 
also, Helena Juntunen is literally my queen as Sibelius's soprano vocalist, her voice is so expressive & emotive, every time she sings u can feel the character & story 
Vänskä's Shostakovich symphony was on point too, his interpretation was like a rollercoaster ride of emotions - i'm here 4 more! 
. And Helena Juntunen was absolutely stunning as a pregnant nature spirit, her vocals just transported me to another realm 
. I love how the orchestra balanced warmth and folk-inflected harmonic pungency in the Karelia Suite - it was like they were channeling the heartbeat of Finland itself 
. Overall, I'm still reeling from that masterclass - can't wait for the CBSO's next show! 
! He really knows how to bring out the storytelling aspect of those symphonies. The way he handled Shostakovich's 15th symphony was pure magic - all that energy and humor in the quicker bits, yet still conveying the underlying anxiety and tension.
! I loved how she brought these characters to life with her amazing soprano. The whole programme felt like a masterclass in orchestration and musical narrative - it was like Vänskä had woven all these different threads together to create this incredible tapestry.
- that's some pretty innovative stuff right there! It's amazing how Vänskä was able to capture its weird brilliance and make it feel so captivating. All in all, I think this programme was just a triumph from start to finish 
I loved how the percussion section brought so much life to Shostakovich's 15th symphony, it was like they were having a party on stage 
and omo Vänskä's Luonnotar interpretation was pure magic 
that Karelia Suite though, who knew strings could sound so folk-y? 
also can we talk about how Sibelius's music just gets better with every listen?! 