The Concertgebouworkest played its opening concert as orchestra-in-residence at the Bozar in Brussels on Friday. The music was fabulous. If only the same could have been said of the audience.
As Bernard Haitink brought his baton down on the final chord of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7, some smart alec shouted out ‘bravo’ the instant the chord was struck and completely ruined the atmosphere. Instead of being able to savour the last note resonating around the concert hall and maybe even a fraction of silence to take everything in, the moment was spoiled by someone seeming to play a game of ‘who can shout first and loudest?’
Haitink had already expressed his displeasure with the audience when between the second and third movements there had been so much coughing and talking that the Dutchman used his baton to ask for silence. And when he didn’t immediately get it, he simply put his baton down and refused to start the third movement until he had the requisite silence. When the audience (well, one of its members at any rate) interrupted the ending too, I got the distinct impression from the tightening of his shoulders, his look to the ground and only the briefest of bows towards the audience that he wasn’t too impressed either. Just my impression, and possibly coloured by own reaction, but that’s the message that came across to me.
But enough of audience etiquette (or the lack of it). I must include a note about the music too. The highlight of the concert for me was Beethoven’s piano concerto No. 3, played by Till Fellner. I hadn’t expected it to be, not knowing the concerto or the pianist, but I was completely blown away. It was like listening to a fascinating conversation between the soloist and the orchestra and between the different sections of the orchestra. I was being told a story in the most beautiful tones, colours and dynamics and found myself physically moved by the music. The Bruckner also had wonderful moments from the opening of magical strings to a mighty cymbal clash, not to mention all the fantastic lines for the cellos and French horns. But it didn’t move me in the same way as the Beethoven. That said, that may well have been down to some audience members’ behaviour.
The Concertgebouworkest’s residency at the Bozar is for three seasons. The next concert is on April 8 with a programme of Messiaen’s Les offrandes oubliées, Franck’s Symphony in D and Dutilleux’s Tout un monde lointain. After that, there will be more concerts in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons. Let’s hope the audience doesn’t let the performance down next time.
