After our concert in London with Mitsuko Uchida on the 31st of January 2020, we followed Great Britain’s withdraw from the European Union that evening by the River Thames, and everywhere throughout the city. At this time many of us had the impression that for the orchestra things could change dramatically, particularly in regard to travelling to Great Britain in the future. At this time however, nobody could imagine how serious the cut would be due to the pandemic that would haunt Europe in a short time.
Now we have
truly managed to play the world premiere of George Benjamin’s Concerto for
Orchestra in London. Which organisational obstacles, which anxieties, and how
many sleepless nights are lying behind all those who took part in this project?
These thoughts were not present for me as soon as I sat down on stage of the
Royal Albert Hall – a moment when only the concert matters.
What really counted at that time was Benjamin’s music, his special relationship to our orchestra, the years of trustful collaboration with him, and lastly our acknowledgement and our gratefulness towards this new piece he had written into our hands and lips.
He must have had in mind our sound and our personality – maybe even those of individual musicians – during the time when we were not able to have direct personal contact.
At our reunion on the occasion of the pre-rehearsals in Cologne in June this year, I could see a clear sign of just how strong our connectedness was – both its resilience and how it had grown.
With these impressions in mind, I would like to reflect on the many moments of the last few months when personal encounters came up short, but when thoughts of past gatherings and shared experiences provided a breeding ground for emotionally, incomparably intense reunions.
Rehearsal photography by Martin Piechotta.
Performance images copyright BBC/Chris Christodoulou.
//
"Concerto for Orchestra" was commissioned by the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, supported by the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation, and BBC Radio 3. The Mahler Chamber Orchestra's appearance at the 2021 BBC Proms was generously supported by the Karolina Blaberg Stiftung.
COMMENTS