A Waltz on the Edge: RLPO’s Dance Through Darkness and Disquiet – Philharmonic Hall Liverpool

On a wet and blustery autumnal evening, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Alpesh Chauhan, delivered a programme rich in colour, rhythm and emotional depth. Yet despite the brilliance of individual works and performances, the evening’s structure felt somewhat episodic — a sequence of vivid tableaux rather than a unified narrative. One couldn’t help but wish for a meaty Romantic symphony to provide a longer-form canvas for Chauhan’s storytelling instincts.

Chauhan himself was a compelling presence on the podium — energetic, light-footed, and physically expressive. In La Valse, he launched himself from the handrail with a heel-toe-leap flourish that mirrored the music’s swirling intensity. His command of rhythm and texture was evident throughout, and his rapport with the orchestra brought out some truly world-class playing.

The concert opened with Copland’s El Salón México, a portrait of three dance halls reflecting Mexico’s social strata. Mystical muted brass set the tone — the mutes got a thorough workout tonight, prompting idle speculation about whether tuba players have separate cases for theirs. A dark trio of bass clarinet, bassoon and contrabassoon added depth, while the driving rhythms captured the populist energy Copland so admired.

Britten’s Violin Concerto followed, with Simone Lamsma returning to Liverpool in commanding form. Her performance was not only virtuosic but deeply embodied — like a football coach kicking every ball from the technical area, she danced through the orchestral passages, living every note. Her long, sustained lines were powerful and expressive, with agile transitions from pizzicato to arco and delicate harmonics that shimmered ethereally. Some unusual orchestral textures — notably two piccolos and a tuba — created birdlike textures, and her interplay with the flute in particular was beautifully blended. The concerto’s ending, tonally ambiguous and emotionally unresolved, lingered poignantly.

Carlos Simon’s Four Black American Dances brought a fresh voice to the programme. Ring Shout pulsed with ritualistic energy, while the Waltz was graceful and lyrical, its lazy lilt evoking a reclaimed elegance. Tap! featured a busy percussion section — including a pair of whips cracking in tandem — and Holy Dance closed the set with exuberant, gospel-infused affirmation.

Ravel’s Pavane pour une infante défunte showcased poised solo work from Tim Jackson on French horn, supported by lush muted strings and woodwind solos delivered with control and finesse — all acknowledged warmly by Chauhan at the close. La Valse was the evening’s dramatic apex. Like Britten’s concerto, it echoed the trauma of war, reflecting the collapse of the Habsburg Empire with ghostly fragments and savage climaxes. Ravel may have denied any political intent, but the music told its own story — never quite beautiful, never letting us rest.

In the end, this was a performance of world-class calibre, delivered with flair and conviction. On a stormy Merseyside night, the orchestra and soloist conjured a programme that echoed the darker undercurrents of the season — turbulent, poignant, and unforgettable.

Reviewer: Mark Humphreys
Reviewed: 2nd October 2025
North West End UK Rating: