Der Cid Overture - Gouvy
Conzertstuck for 4 Horns and Orchestra - Schumann
Les Preludes - Liszt
Robert Houlihan's conducting of the National Symphony Orchestra during last Friday's lunchtime concert at the National Concert Hall was notable for its balance between control and panache.
Les Preludes is arguably Liszt's most accomplished symphonic poem. Nevertheless, like much of that composer's orchestral music, it can easily be sold short, through bombast or through a striving for more gravitas than it possesses. This performance, and that of Gouvy's Der Cid Overture, showed good judgement in several respects.
The balance of texture and precision of ensemble were rewarding. You could hear detail and also hear how Houlihan used events in one part of the orchestra as a trigger to events elsewhere. Tempos within and between sections were well-paced. In music which can easily sound episodic, these were real strengths.
This concert offered a rare and welcome opportunity to hear Schumann's Conzertstuck for four horns and orchestra. The soloists, from the NSO's horn section, were Lesley Bishop, Ian Dakin, Tom Briggs and David Atcheler. They had the unanimity and, on the whole, the security which such complicated and demanding music needs.
Schumann's idea was for a piece in which the horns were the most important members of the large orchestra, rather than four heroic soloists. That came across, although the balance was sometimes too much in the orchestra's favour. This fascinating piece showed that intelligence and focus which was a hallmark of the whole concert.
