Prom 8: Britten, Lutosławski & Thomas Adès

In a previous issue of BBC music magazine they had an interview with Thomas Ades about the commissioning and premier of his work 'Totentanz', so I wanted to hear this particular Prom. The concert also featured two 20th Century pieces, Britten's 'Sinfonia da Requiem' and Lutoslawski's Cello concerto. Again, I wasn't able to listen to it live, but it was repeated on BBC Four this evening.

Lutoslawski's Cello concerto begins with the cello playing a series of open string D's very nonchalantly, followed by a long solo opening passage where the cello seems to rattle off a series of bespoke musical ideas, almost like a series of individual thoughts. A loud trumpet fanfare interjects, followed by a muted fanfare before more and more of the orchestra enter. Overall it was too dissonant for my liking; it felt more like a collection of notes rather than any really assembled harmonies. The musical ideas were also too sporadic for my liking; I never got the sense of any development of musical ideas, it was just one idea and sound after another. That being said, the range of sounds that Lutoslawski creating from the orchestra was very impressive; lots of instrumental techniques were required. At one point I thought a child was screaming outside only to realise it was the strings! Paul Watkins, the cello soloist, really expressed himself through his playing and his face, though the latter was somewhat off putting!

'Totentanz', meaning 'dance of death', depicts the idea that, regardless of rank, all humans are united by death. The music opens with very dissonant chords before the baritone, representing death, invites all humans to join in the dance of death. He is accompanied by three piccolos, whip, piano and strings in a high, dissonant, ghastly sounding figure, no doubt to strike fear into the listener. The mezzo-soprano represents all humans, and sings in response to each of death's statements. The music that accompanies the mezzo is less dissonant, sounding more familiar and easier on the ear, which makes it more relate-able. I get the impression Ades tries to create an unearthly sound to death's music while humanities pleading is more humane. Although not as sporadic as the Lutoslawski, I still found it very difficult to listen too. Like Lutoslawski is able to create a vast range of sounds from the orchestra, and even the vocal lines; the mezzo part in particular covered an enormous range. Although called 'dance of death' at no point did it feel like a dance, unlike Saint-Saens's piece by the same name.