Review: BBC PROMS: PROM 58 – MÄKELÄ CONDUCTS SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE, Royal Albert Hall

“Can you tell me what it is, this capacity for emotion, this force of suffering that is wearing me out?” The focal point of Prom 58 was Hector Berlioz’s 49-minute “Episode in the Life of an Artist”, his Symphonie fantastique; written while he was still in his twenties and at the mercy of his infatuation with Harriet Smithson (who he had seen play Ophelia in Hamlet), it is a colourful and evocative tour de force. It’s also a piece that the Orchestre de Paris knows inside out.

Led by their charismatic Chief Conductor Klaus Mäkelä, the evening flew by in a swirl of melodies that brought to mind different elements of Parisian life across the nineteenth century and into the early twentieth century.

One of the most remarkable aspects of the night was the ability of the members of the orchestra to express themselves individually whilst remaining completely in sync with their fellow musicians - I don’t think I’ve seen such an animated ensemble before, it’s more often a named soloist who tends to be more expressive to stand out from the crowd. This approach from the orchestra really added to the spectacle.

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering why a conductor is needed, watching Mäkelä will answer all of your questions. He has a slightly idiosyncratic style, but if you watch closely you’ll notice that there is no movement without meaning; he guides his musicians through the composition like a beacon, and they follow him with confidence. There is an obvious practicality to his gestures, but at the same time they are incredibly artful - if the orchestra itself hadn’t been so fascinating to observe, it would have been easy to sit and watch him for the entirety of the concert.

A highlight from Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune (opening the evening’s events) was Vicens Prats’ mellifluous solo on his golden flute, giving the piece a beautiful warm feeling - it was a wonderful way to ease into the concert, with Mäkelä smoothly conducting the slightly smaller ensemble sans baton. Hearing the Orchestre de Paris’ playful performance of Stravinsky’s ballet Petrushka again left me itching to see it staged, as it’s such an interesting conceit set to memorable melodies.

The Symphonie fantastique may be approaching its 200th anniversary, but it still sounds as vibrant and passionate as ever; it also makes for a fascinating listen because of Berlioz’s innovative harnessing of different instruments - even down to having the first oboe perform to the side of the stage at the start of the third movement (“Scène aux champs”). It’s a piece that keeps both musicians and audience on their toes, indulging in a dramatic crescendo at the end of the fifth and final movement.

It is yet another Prom that deserved to be filmed for broadcast, as half of the joy of this concert was in watching conductor and orchestra at work; it was a masterclass in the art of ensemble performance, and a thoroughly enjoyable couple of hours. Un Prom extraordinaire!

The BBC Proms run at the Royal Albert Hall until 14 September

Photo credit: BBC/Chris Christodolou

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