On Wednesday 7 June the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra's Journeys of Discovery series with Music Director Vasily Petrenko came to a close in Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall with two pieces on the theme of Conflict, from the scale of the interpersonal to the immeasurable tragedies of war, in Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.1 and Shostakovich's Symphony No.8. Joining the Orchestra was Japanese pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii, who had performed with us for a tour across his home country in May to a resounding reception.
Read on to see more photos from the evening.
Opening the concert was Nobuyuki Tsujii's performance of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.1. Famously rejected by the composer's close friend and pianist Nikolai Rubinstein upon first hearing it, it was championed by conductor Hans von Bülow and became celebrated as the sensation it is known as today. Incorporating Ukrainian folk songs and moments of pure melodic majesty, it eventually won over Rubinstein, who conducted the Russian premiere in 1875.
"A combination of phenomenal technique and commitment to its labile temperament produced very exciting results. In the long first movement, the clarity of Tsujii's finger-work and his weight of tone shone through the thick orchestral textures. His approach to the beautiful central movement was touchingly simple and direct and, in the finale, it was back to technical wizardry." Bachtrack
After receiving multiple standing ovations, Nobuyuki played Nikolai Kapustin's Concert etude, Op.40 No.8 for the encore.
The second half of the concert was Shostakovich's Symphony No.8. The second of Shostakovich's trilogy of 'war' symphonies, the Eighth was written in the summer of 1943 in the midst of the Second World War, and the composer later commented: 'Everyone feared everyone else, and the sorrow oppressed and suffocated us. It suffocated me too. I had to write about it. I had to write a Requiem for all those who died, who had suffered. I had to describe the horrible extermination machine and express protest against it. The Seventh and Eighth Symphonies are my Requiems.'
"Petrenko didn’t hold back in his interpretation. The central climax of the first movement is one of the composer's most visceral moments and here, in the confines of the Royal Festival Hall acoustics, it was an overwhelming experience." Bachtrack
Nobuyuki Tsujii's "Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.1"
I listened ? My heart was washed with a wonderful performance ✨ #RoyalFestivalHall pic.twitter.com/24kFhuo1Sa— Mochi?? (@Mochi_0314) June 7, 2023
7(Wed)/June/23
Nobu & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra?
It was a wonderful concert pic.twitter.com/mCiqQ5fDyx— Aya Burbanks (@Ayaya53310477) June 7, 2023
I saw this performance last night, literally breathtaking, my heart was racing, 4 standing ovations for Nobuyuki Tsujii
— BetteDaviseyes ?? ?? (@donnabestlondon) June 8, 2023
We'd like to thank our audiences for your support in our Journeys of Discovery series in 2022–23.
In 2023–24 our journey with Music Director Vasily Petrenko continues with our Icons Rediscovered series taking place in Southbank Centre and the Royal Albert Hall. We hope to see you again soon.
Journeys of Discovery might be over, but there's still much more music to discover - find our specially-curated playlists of music that connects to the repertoire for each concert within the series.