The Aldeburgh Festival has truly fired up its engines this weekend in Suffolk, delivering a mouth-watering feast of contemporary classical music that will leave you breathless! Percussionist Colin Currie took centre stage for the world premiere of Tansy Davies's show-stopping percussion concerto 'Earth Works', which was an absolute game-changer. With his feet pounding out intricate rhythms on everything from traditional drum kits to a humble dustbin, Currie embarked on a thrilling dialogue with the orchestra, weaving in and out of their soundscapes like a maestro of mayhem.
The BBC National Orchestra of Wales (BBCNOW) under the baton of conductor Kevin John Edusei provided the perfect accompaniment to Davies's new work. They tore through John Adams's 'Short Ride in a Fast Machine' with reckless abandon, followed by a heart-stopping performance of Shostakovich's Symphony No. 10 that was as brutal as it was beautiful. Despite the challenging acoustics of Snape Maltings, Edusei's masterful conducting coaxed out a blistering performance from his orchestra, ending on a note that will be remembered for years to come.
Another highlight of the festival was 'Chronicle', an enchanting a cappella song-cycle by Alex Ho and Rockey Sun Keting. Performed by Sansara, one of the UK's top choirs, this beautiful piece explored the lives of six female Chinese poets through a mesmerising blend of English folk traditions, Anglican choral music, and subtle Chinese idioms. With its haunting electronic elements, 'Chronicle' offered a serene oasis in an otherwise electric programme.
Freya Waley-Cohen's work also stole the show with her compositions receiving prominent billing at the festival. Her delightful 'Dances, Songs and Hymns for Friendship', performed by the Sacconi Quartet at Orford Church, showcased the perfect interplay between four distinct musical voices. Meanwhile, her concerto 'The Dreamer' premiered with the BBCNOW, composed specifically for her sister violinist Tamsin Waley-Cohen. This stunning piece careened wildly from rhapsodic passages to moments of ethereal simplicity, with the soloist's soaring lines occasionally overwhelmed by the orchestra – a dynamic that was as deliberate as it was awe-inspiring.
The BBCNOW and Edusei brought the curtain down on their festival appearances with a virtuosic performance of Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances. Edusei's flexible tempos coaxed out the voluptuous romance in this epic piece, while maintaining crisp rhythms that left the audience pining for more. The exhilarating finale, marked by a thunderous gong crash and a powerful rhythmic tattoo, left many musicians grinning from ear to ear – the perfect conclusion to an unforgettable series of concerts.