RSNO & Ludovic Morlot, Usher Hall, Edinburgh ***

This was an unashamed line-up of popular romantic classics superbly played by the RSNO, but with the music not quite managing to rouse the passion it should have done, certainly in the first half.

There is no greater love story told in music than Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde and the Prelude and Liebestod captures the essence of his groundbreaking opera – in fact, it was premiered before the opera was completed. Liebestod, which means “love-death”, gives an indication of how high the stakes are, yet conductor Ludovic Morlot seemed to pull back from the urgency and desire that propels this piece. The long crescendo that builds up to the climax was nicely paced but ultimately this angular reading, especially in the stiff phrasing, fell flat.

Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor is another repertoire favourite and Roman Rabinovich held his own in this playful cat and mouse game between soloist and orchestra. There wasn’t much opportunity for the pianist to bring his own voice to this piece as he was too busy delivering relentless cascades of notes on the keyboard. However, in the shimmering slow movement Rabinovich enlivened these skirmishes with the orchestra by jazzing up the scale passages.

Prokofiev originally wrote Romeo and Juliet as a ballet but it’s the selections from his orchestral suite that are most often performed. The Dance of the Knights is the most recognisable movement – better known as the theme tune to TV show The Apprentice. But Prokofiev’s suite is packed with exquisite music.

The orchestra brilliantly conveyed the tragedy of this drama from the innocent sweetness of the pizzicato strings which introduce the lovers, through the stabbing brass and woodwind passages in the fight scenes to the exquisite string threnody which brings this tragic love story to such a moving end.

Music review: RSNO & Ludovic Morlot, Usher Hall, Edinburgh