Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

Leeds Town Hall

Saturday 7th October 2017

Olivier Messiaen composed his eighty minute-long Turangalila-Symphonie between 1946 and 1948 as a hymn to joy, time, movement, rhythm, life and death. The immense work is effectively a piano concerto and is cast in two parts of five movements each. Messiaen's declaration that "the whole work is a song of love" has striking resonance in the fifth movement - a frenetic dance of joy and an evocation of lovemaking unmatched in classical music. The vast orchestral forces include twelve percussionists and the ondes martenot - an early electronic instrument whose eerie wailing glissandi permeates the Turangalila. Listening to this exotic, colourful, amazing, life enhancing music in the concert hall is an enriching total performance experience.

It is one of the most iconic works of the 20th century though you wouldn't have thought so from the rows of empty seats for this concert. Turangalila invariably sells out at the BBC Proms. So why not at Leeds Town Hall?? I have never forgotten the only other performance in this Hall, on 4th April 1998, with the Orchestra of Opera North conducted by Elgar Howarth, pianist Paul Crossley and Jeanne Loriod - Messiaen's sister-in-law - at the keyboard of the emblematic ondes martenot.

Last Saturday evening, their renowned present day counterparts - pianist Steven Osborne and ondes martenot exponent Cynthia Millar - were on stage with the ninety musicians of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Conductor Kirill Karabits illuminated the architectural detail and myriad colours. Orchestral textures were carefully balanced with Osborne's volcanic solo piano and the siren tones of the ondes martenot. The shimmering colours were mesmeric and Karabits' range of dynamics astounding. The final F sharp major chord built up for an eternity to a joyous, shattering, kaleidoscopic climax like a burst of fireworks. What the audience lacked in numbers was certainly compensated for by their ecstatic cheers and bravos at the end of a stupendous performance.

The evening's curtain raiser, Bizet's charming Symphony in C, was imbued by Karabits and his Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra with all the wit, sparkle and sinewy energy that one could have wished for.

Geoffrey Mogridge