Wagner/Golijov/Beethoven – Halle, Tabita Berglund, Bridgewater Hall 17/6/21

The programme was Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll, Osvaldo Golijov’s Last Round, and Beethoven 7 with Tabita Berglund conducting the Halle. I thought this was a very, very good concert. The connection between the pieces was, I guess, the progress from the meditation and stillness of the Wagner to two different manifestations of dance and movement (and of course Wagner called Beethoven 7 the ‘apotheosis of the dance’).

Perhaps the least successful item was the Wagner. I thought the opening tempo was too fast. The Halle played ravishingly at times in the piece, with a lovely idiomatic string sound, and sensitive horn and woodwind playing, but somehow it never cohered, and the piece seemed rather more episodic than I think I’ve heard it under some other conductors (eg Reginald Goodall who conducted it with the LSO in 1969 – there is a recording on Youtube). I got slightly lost at points.

The Golijov piece was excellent. I’ve heard of him as a composer but this is the first work of his I’ve listened to. The piece is a commemoration of the death of the tango composer Piazzolla, and involves two string groups playing in opposition to each other much like two tango partners. The first section is a whirling dance of death – very exciting and accessible; the second “a final, seemingly endless opening sigh”, to quote the composer. I thought this was a really interesting piece. The composer requires the orchestral players to stand so that there is also a visual impact as well as an aural one from the jagged bow strokes

The Beethoven was quite superb – one of the best performances I have heard. The tempi used were all on the fast side but, for once, Ms Berglund justified their use, and the Halle’s sound was tight, disciplined and absolutely able to cope with some hair-raising speeds, particularly in the finale, which was very exciting and almost on a par with the ne plus ultra performance of the finale of Beethoven 7 with Theodor Currentzis, who gave it as an encore with his Musica Aeterna band at the Proms in 2018. There was also some beautifully sensitive and rich playing in the slow movement. I felt that I was hearing this work afresh…..

Ms Berglund is clearly quite a force. Like ‘Mirga’ she is a powerhouse and the Halle seemed to really enjoy working with her. I hope they have a chance to work with her again soon