Rimsky-Korsakov / Rachmaninoff / Dvořák (Live)

Here’s a chance to witness the incredible range of colour that the Vienna Philharmonic is able to conjure. There’s Rimsky-Korsakov’s sunny and sultry evocation of Spain, in contrast with the brooding slate and pearly greys of Rachmaninoff’s Isle of the Dead (Die Toteninsel), reflecting the black and white reproduction of Böcklin’s painting that initially inspired the composer. And, finally, there’s the granite grandeur of Dvořák’s superb but still under-appreciated Symphony No. 7. Conductor Lorenzo Viotti was a percussionist with the VPO while pursuing his studies as a conductor. Suitably, for this live concert, he programmes Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio espagnol, a superb showcase for all manner of percussion instruments. Viotti also finds plenty of mystery and suspense in the work’s “Scena e canto gitano”, in which the orchestra’s lead violinist takes turns in the spotlight with woodwind and harp soloists. Rachmaninoff’s Isle of the Dead, however, has quite a different atmosphere. The way it not only reaches its famously menacing climax but also a glowing and impassioned statement afterwards lends this performance real distinction. Dvořák’s Symphony No. 7, composed 1885, shares an affinity with Isle of the Dead with its allusion early on to the “Dies irae” theme that Rachmaninoff uses so prominently. The Czech composer also comes very close to the noble style of his mentor, Brahms, yet Viotti and the VPO also reveal Dvořák’s expert way with colours, including some gloriously radiant horn playing.