A tale of two orchestras: virtuosity versus hit-or-miss

0 American sibling piano duo Christina and Michelle Naughton

ised, high-voltage account of Saint-saëns’ Carnival of the Animals, but not before the RSNO and its impressively homogenous Junior Chorus unveiled Gary Carpenter’s specially commissioned Ghost Songs, the simply conceived modality of its vocal writing neatly counterpointed by the unnerving underlay of the orchestration.

Over in Glasgow, the SSO’S Thursday programme also featured French repertoire – always a good test of an orchestra’s state of health – but fell short in consistency.

The most convincing performances arrived in the second half, where the sweetscented nuances of Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, heightened by the exquisitely nuanced flute playing of Charlotte Ashton, were

followed by the same composer’s La Mer and the closest we got to genuine synergy, Dausgaard finally managing to establish common ground with his orchestra, which responded with greater glowing purpose than at the start of the evening.

Then we had heard Debussy’s three colourful Nocturnes, complete with the Royal Conservatoire Voices. Nuages lacked density and fluidity, Fêtes took too long to come to the boil and the necessary mystical ebb and flow deserted Sirénes. The 86-yearold pianist Joaquín Achúcarro made a valiant show of Ravel’s Concerto for the Left Hand, marred only by hesitant moments – indeed one where Dausgaard appeared to be conducting fresh air. KENNETH WALTON