Alpine Symphony – Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

As the lights dim and the chatter quietens, conductor and violinist Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider takes his place at the front of the stage. The orchestra sits poised for action. The first note is played and so begins an adventurous musical journey.

The concert at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall is comprised of two halves; the first is a relatively short rendition of Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto No.1, Op.26, and the second is the more epic Alpine Symphony by Richard Strauss. Embraced by a full orchestra, Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider doubles-up on his role for the first half, participating as the solo violinist and intermittently conducting the ensemble.

Opening with delicate drama and tension, the room is quickly captivated. Seamlessly, Szeps-Znaider draws spectators into a sound bubble with him and the orchestra and every note is hypnotic.

Nobody can take their eyes off of the stage.

As the sounds ebb and flow, oscillating between light and dark, calm and calamity, the orchestra are fully lost in their playing. Mimicking the music, the violinists march up and down in unison like flowers in the wind, as they passionately keep pace. The timing is impeccable.

Everyone in the room is transported to another place.

Swaying purposefully on the stage, Szeps-Znaider works his violin with complete mastery. Cliché but true, it’s as if the violin is as much part of him as any other limb. His surrender of himself to the music provides the full package experience for the audience – the aural, the visual and the connection between those on stage and the audience are all present for the full performance.

The latter half of the concert focused on the title event, Strauss’ Alpine Symphony. Depicting a day long hike through the Swiss Alps through music, the symphony is divided into 22 sections. Each represents a different stage of the hike and various weather conditions are portrayed along the way such as a thunderstorm, snowfall and a brook.

Matching the experience of the first half, the orchestra and Szeps-Znaider do not disappoint. The timing is perfect, and you’d be forgiven for believing you are actually on a trek through the Alps!

Beginning with Nacht (night), the instruments gently work together toward the collective awakening of the next movement, sunrise. As the symphony progresses, the musicians convey a range of emotions and execute the journey up and down a mountain with precision.

The use of imagery on screen helps transport the audience. It is well-chosen and changes in time with the music transitioning between movements. Additionally, it gives a nice visual element to focus on as this piece of music involves the full orchestra more than the previous, so the screen helps to anchor the narrative. All in all, it was a faultless performance.

For future productions and performances, view Liverpool Philharmonic’s website https://www.liverpoolphil.com   

Reviewer: Ezzy LaBelle

Reviewed: 2nd February 2023

North West End UK Rating: ★★★★★