23/08/12 Prom 45: São Paulo Symphony Orchestra | Classical-Music.com

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Prom 45: São Paulo Symphony Orchestra A a -

By Rebecca Franks, Updated 21st August 2012

With the strains of Villa-Lobos and the samba giving London a taste of Brazil at theOlympics closing ceremony, the scene was set for a Proms first. The São PauloSymphony Orchestra made its UK debut at the Royal Albert Hall last week, with theirnew chief conductor Marin Alsop, who took over the helm of the 48-year-oldensemble earlier this year.

An American feast, with music from both North and South, the Prom opened withDvořák’s New World Symphony, a piece Alsop recorded to great acclaim in 2008with her previous ensemble, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. As then, this was adetailed, straightforward account. There was seriousness of purpose – well, this isa Symphony in that stark key of D minor – and not a hint of sentimentality. Perhapsthat was what was missing on this occasion: some warmth in the Largo, with itseloquently shaped but questionably tuned cor anglais solo, would have beenwelcome, as would more spirited abandon in the dancing rhythms. The wind wassometimes ragged. Still, the strings had a polished, silvery sound, with crisp attack;the brass was impactful.

While the first half felt disappointingly flat, it was clear from the confident, loudtimpani and brass that opened the second half that the musicians had returned tothe stage with new energy and focus. Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man waspaired with American composer Joan Towers’s less-familiar Fanfare theUncommon Woman of 1986, written for the same forces: both were performed withpanache.

And then we were into the South American section of the programme, featuringworks by Villa-Lobos and Ginastera. Not that this signaled a turn to a lively partyatmosphere along the lines of some Proms by fellow South American Orchestra, theSimón Bolívar: while both might have the exciting and purposeful mission to putthemselves on the map alongside the world's greatest orchestras, São Pauloseems to be taking a more straight-faced approach.

Villa-Lobos’s Momoprécoce conjures up the world of a children's carnival in Rio. Itsdelicate orchestral effects, with ethereal string harmonics and dark colours, seemmore akin to Ravel and Berg than the bold, vivid colours you might associate with aBrazilian festival. Moments are enchanting but, somehow, the overall impressionseems less than the sum of it parts. Nelson Freire was the distinguished pianosoloist, although from my stalls seat his masterful yet nuanced playing was sadlyoverpowered by the orchestra.

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23/08/12 Prom 45: São Paulo Symphony Orchestra | Classical-Music.com

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