Proms 2016, Berlin PO/Rattle, review: An elegiac reading full of unexpected, revelatory insights | London Evening Standard

Proms 2016, Berlin PO/Rattle, review: An elegiac reading full of unexpected, revelatory insightsSimon Rattle's approach is different to that of his Berlin Philarmonic predecessors – and often revelatoryEvening Standard Arts In Association WithRevelatory: Rattle created a space for his superb players to listen intently to one anotherChris Christodoulou/BBC

Review at a glance

Simon Rattle’s legendary predecessors at the Berlin Philharmonic, Furtwängler and Karajan, laid down their great Brahms interpretations as oracular pronouncements. Rattle’s approach is very different: in the Second Symphony in D major he created a space for his superb players, listening intently to each other, to produce with him an elegiac reading full of unexpected, indeed revelatory insights.

It was particularly notable for its extraordinarily tender intimacy, but the many sotto voce confidences always signalled pivotal structural moments too. The slow movement was achingly beautiful, though here again sonority and structure went hand in hand.

The op. 46 set of Dvorak’s Slavonic Dances evoked the high jinks of a Viennese New Year’s Eve concert in the fast passages (but frenzied rather than lilting) and almost sinful succulence in the slow ones. Here, counter-melodies were highlighted with exceptional woodwind solos.

Julian Anderson’s Incantesimi features five musical strands – one a cor anglais solo (played with silky eloquence by Dominik Wollenweber) – orbiting ingeniously round each other. The title can mean ‘spells’ or ‘incantations’ and there was a palpable air of mystery, with a hint of menace that erupted powerfully at the climax.

In a week in which the Proms has hosted four female conductors, it was truly shocking to see that of the 18 wind and brass players (in the Brahms) only one was a woman.

The BBC Proms (bbc.co.uk/proms) continue until Sept 10