As we’ve established, I’m no classical music expert, but was excited for my first ever visit to the Royal Albert Hall (surprisingly comfortable). The programme was Brahms’ 2nd piano concerto, with Emanuel Ax at the piano, and then Brahms’ 4th symphony. Both were played by the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and (82 year-old!) Bernard Haitink conducted.
I enjoyed the experience, but in terms of the music I much preferred the symphony to the concerto. To my uneducated ear, the end of the first movement of the symphony felt a little ragged – the bowing in the string section wasn’t as in unison as I would have expected. But the symphony felt a more coherent piece of music than the piano concerto and the flute and oboe soloists were excellent. But as I’ve said before, what do I know.
Oh, and really, enough with the encores already.
The concert is on iPlayer for a bit.