The Northern Sinfonia, The Sage Gateshead

The Northern Sinfonia, The Sage Gateshead The Northern Sinfonia’s latest concert at The Sage Gateshead saw the coupling of the eclectic music of contemporary composer Colin Matthews with two firm favourites from the early Romantic era. In his programme notes for his 1994 composition . . . through the glass, Matthews concedes he is at a loss to know how to do more than let the music speak for itself. For some in the smaller than usual audience his 16-minute piece was incomprehensible. But musical director Thomas Zehetmair did a fine job articulating its essence, in a cogent performance that fired up dormant synapses of the receptive listeners. There was no incomprehension with Brahm’s Piano Concerto No 1 in D minor; fronted by the American pianist Robert Biss whose command of the piece was complete. Zehetmair lovingly laid out the lengthy orchestral introduction, before Biss launched into some of the most memorable passages of music. An early reviewer noted acerbically, “for more then three quarters of an hour one must endure this rooting and rummaging, this straining and tugging tearing and patching of phrases”. His impressions may be have different had he heard Biss who made every phrase tell, as he built up the tension with emphatic direction. The adagio with its tinkling notes that almost seemed to detach themselves from the piece was quite heavenly, while the cadenzas left the heart racing. Backing from the sinfonia was perfectly meshed and entirely sympathetic. The evening ended with Schumman’s Symphony No 3 “Rhenish”; inspired by the dramatic beauty of Cologne’s cathedral. Zehetmair, whose recording of Schumann’ string quartets with his eponymous ensemble won international plaudits, enjoys a special affinity to the composer. The sinfonia, which completed a full cycle of Schumann’s symphonies with Zehetmair just over two years ago, gave a superlative performance of the work.