BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

Taking Mahler’s Symphony No.1 in D major as the starting point for its Composer Roots project, the BBC SSO and conductor Thomas Dausgaard explored the Jewish musical tradition in this varied programme. Getting things off to a boisterous start, the orchestra unfurled a whirlwind of crazy tunes that rollercoaster through Bernstein’s overture to his comic operetta Candide.

The mood was more subdued in Ernest Bloch Schelomo: Rhapsodie Hébraïque for cello and orchestra, part of his Jewish Cycle. Soloist Jian Wang evoked the intense lyrical voice of King Solomon with his beautifully calibrated phrasing and rich mellow tone. A fascinating, but rarely heard voice in the concert hall, Bloch’s dramatic style hints at Korngold’s film scores to come.

Paul Moylan and his Klezmer ensemble She’koyokh, set the scene for Mahler’s symphony with Klez’mahler, their lively reworking of some of the work’s melodies. As the group played themselves offstage, the fading wail of the clarinet beautifully segued into the eeriness of the long note of A which opens the four-movement symphony. It then goes on to celebrate the beauty of nature, with hunting fanfares from the horns and skipping strings in a joyful landler. The orchestra didn’t quite capture the sinister children’s round Frère Jacques, transported into the minor key, but rallied to deliver thrilling finale.