The last part of the RSNO's European foray, a concert in Paris, was a triumph for an orchestra at the top of its game

Published on Tuesday 9 February 2010 18:04

'MAGNIFIQUE" was the overwhelming response to the Royal Scottish National Orchestra's triumphant debut at the historic Théatre des Champs-Elysées in Paris on Monday night.

• Stephane Deneve takes the applause at the end of Monday's concert in Paris

In the presence of First Minister Alex Salmond and other Scottish and French dignitaries, the RSNO's stunning performance quickly relegated the defeat of Scotland's rugby team by France last weekend to a dim and distant memory.

For the orchestra's French music director, Stphane Denve, this was also a special occasion: despite living and working in Paris for 20 years, this was the first time he'd raised his baton on the stage of one of Paris's most prestigious venues.

It was under the glass dome of this beautiful Art Deco theatre that riots broke out following the premiere of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring as part of Diaghilev's Ballets Russes season in 1913.

Just a stone's throw from the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Elyses itself, the theatre is also within a mile of two of the churches where Gabriel Faur was organist for many years.

So it was appropriate that the orchestra chose the French composer's Pellas et Mlisande Suite Op 80 to open the concert.

The ravishing string textures and delicate flute and harp passages in the famous Sicilienne movement travelled with crystal clarity in the superb acoustics.

This also meant that the orchestra's barely-there pianissimos, which are becoming a trademark of Denve's interpretations, travelled to every corner of the auditorium.

Sibelius's Violin Concerto is one of the most difficult in the repertoire, both from the point of view of the virtuosic demands it makes on the soloist and for its rather unconventional structure.

However, American violinist Hilary Hahn's finely nuanced performance was utterly convincing as she tuned into the inner heartbeat of the music as well as Sibelius's great love of the instrument.

Hahn's technical agility was matched by a warm and clear tone and Denve got the orchestral balance absolutely right, allowing her voice to shine through. This was particularly engaging in the slow movement with its fine interplay between soloist and individual instruments.

Most impressively, Hahn tapped into the quirky rhythm that underpins the finale, which so many soloists struggle with, superbly highlighting the dance elements and making for a thrilling climax to the concerto.

The audience were rewarded with two encores of solo Bach that confirms Hahn's status as one of the most exciting violinists currently on the music scene.

Dvorak's Symphony No 8 Op 88 (B163) in G major takes the listener on a diverse and slightly curious journey.

The work is anchored around the mellow sound of the cello and bass sections that begin and end the work.

In between, the composer delivers a rustic pastoral landscape full of sparkling woodwind interlude before launching into a militaristic style finale, which is like a Bohemian version of the Wild West. It made for a crowd-pleasing finish and it was to Dvorak again that Denve turned for the first encore, Slavonic Dance Op 72 No 1.

• Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond with the RSNO's Musical Director Stephane Deneve after Monday's concert in Paris

However, it was the finale encore, a medley of Scottish tunes that make up the Eightsome Reel, that had the First Minister and his party leading the standing ovation for the orchestra.

The 2,000-strong audience included representatives of Total, a major sponsor of the orchestra since 2007, and a strong Scottish contingent including the Friends of the RSNO and Lady Gibson, the widow of its former conductor Sir Alexander Gibson.

This was fitting given that Sir Alexander was the first conductor to take the orchestra on tour, as well as into the recording studio.

At the reception afterwards, the First Minister expressed his enjoyment of the whole evening. He admitted that this was the first time he'd heard the RSNO since Denve became music director five years ago, although he used to listen to the orchestra in the days when his cousin played the trumpet in what was then the Scottish National Orchestra.

In his speech, he quipped that having wondered what else the "wizard" Denve might have up his sleeve "for extra magic", he wondered whether the reels might not be followed by the complete works of Robert Burns.

Salmond also pointed out that the Auld Alliance was still strong, adding that the respect and friendship between the two nations went beyond politics and economics and that culture, too, had a part to play.

For Denve and the RSNO, who are currently at the top of their game, this tour to Europe's most prestigious venues – partly financed by the government's touring fund – is quite a coup, and has raised their profile substantially.

&#149 The RSNO's European tour concludes with concerts in Vienna tonight and Belgrade tomorrow night. For more details, log on to: www.rsno.org.uk