Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France/Daniel Harding, with Renaud Capuçon

Éric Tanguy
Ballade [world premiere]

Chausson
Poème, Op.25

Elgar
Variations on an Original Theme (Enigma), Op. 36

Renaud Capuçon (violin)

Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France
Daniel Harding

Proceedings began with Éric Tanguy (born 1968), a multi-award-winning composer with a growing catalogue of recordings. His latest work, Ballade, written “in memoriam Nicholas Angelich”, is scored for a medium-sized orchestra with numerous opportunities for a percussionist to keep fit. Commissioned by Radio France, the work was conceived as a companion for Chausson’s Poème and provides further evidence of Tanguy’s busy and periodically engaging manner. The profusion of tightly knit ideas and density of instrumental writing resulted more often in a sense of angst and confrontation, its overheated 15-minute span tamed by some expressive playing from Capuçon whose flawless technique impressed in rhapsodic flights of fancy and tender rumination, most notably in the cadenza, the third of the four linked sections. The Ballade culminates in a feverish duet between soloist and orchestra leader (here Nathan Mierdl), thereafter tensions largely subsiding to bring an uneasy calm for trumpet and vibraphone.

There followed a persuasive account of Chausson’s Poème (1896, with hints of Bruch and Wagner) dedicated to Eugène Ysaÿe. Eloquent, dignified expression was at the forefront of Capuçon’s rendition, each sweet-toned phrase shaped with affection, and the orchestra marvellously supportive with Harding bringing out inner detail and cumulative interest.

And so to a blistering performance of Elgar’s Enigma Variations, with Harding drawing out each of the “friends pictured within” with exemplary care and well-judged tempos. The orchestra responded with tremendous energy (a life-affirming finale, complete with the ad lib organ part) and exceptional sensitivity from beguiling soloists (a wonderfully intimate cello in ‘BGN’). If ‘Nimrod’ didn’t quite moisten the eye, a sense of involvement was never in doubt. It will be interesting to see how this orchestra develops when its present music director Mikko Franck is succeeded by Jaap van Zweden.