EIF music reviews: LA Philharmonic Beethoven 7 & Ortiz | Beethoven 6 & Adés

Los Angeles Philharmonic: Beethoven 7 & Ortiz ★★★★

Usher Hall

Call me a dinosaur, but there are times when old-fashioned programme notes are pretty vital in experiencing and enjoying a concert, and when we might even dare to disobey the International Festival’s instructions and both think and feel.

The first Scottish performance of Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz’s Revolución diamantina in the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel’s first EIF concert was a case in point. Six acts? With a detailed if inpenetrable scenario, according to the surtitles? It would have added so much meaning to know that this was a major ballet score dealing with a whole panoply of feminist scenarios.

As it was, Ortiz’s score was enormously appealing and immediate, with more than a hint of The Rite of Spring and the propulsive rhythms of early John Adams. Nonetheless, Ortiz found a thoroughly distinctive and individual voice, one that melded rhythmic utterances from the Women of the Los Angeles Master Chorale (on exceptionally crisp, committed form) with chattering and glittering orchestral percussion, and which built to towering climaxes only to dissipate again into haunting, sometimes haunted musical landscapes.

It showed off all that the LA Philharmonic has to offer too, in terms of sonic sheen, sheer power and gritty detail, and Dudamel was clearly at one with the piece’s grooves and moods in a fearsomely powerful performance.

Ortiz’s irrepressible rhythms made an illuminating pairing, too, with the unstoppable drive of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 before the interval. Its fast movements hurtled along with furious momentum, climaxes roared, and principal timpanist Joseph Pereira made his presence felt beyond any doubt.

It was joyfully noisy, urged ever onward by an incisive and demanding Dudamel – so it came as quite a shock that the LA players looked so stony-faced when standing to acknowledge the tumultuous applause. Perhaps they’ll enjoy their two remaining concerts a bit more. David Kettle

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LA Philharmonic: Beethoven 6 & Adés ★★★★

Usher Hall

Continuing their festival residency, the LA Philharmonic and conductor Gustavo Dudamel explored the emotional extremes, from the joy of a country walk to the fires of hell.

In Beethoven’s sixth ‘pastoral’ symphony the countryside was alive with bird song and cheerful peasants. The first few movements were beautifully articulated by the orchestra, especially the woodwind, but it was a bit too dreamy, the scherzo didn’t dance and Beethoven’s signature bite was missing.

But the threatening rumbling basses heralding the thunderstorm livened things up in what was overall a finely calibrated reading.

Going to the dark side was much more fun with Thomas Adés brilliant, fantastical Inferno, based on the first part of Dante’s Divine Comedy, it’s also performed as a ballet.

The 13 continuous movements began with blaring sirens announcing the gateway to hell, paved with pounding timpani and excited percussion. For the adulterers Paolo and Francesco, the orchestra conjured an endless whirlwind of alarm with agitated flutes and harp and tolling bells.

There was also plenty of humour with the sozzled gluttons in slime and the madcap comedy of thieves turned into snakes and back again. Please can we have all three parts with the ballet next time? Susan Nickalls

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