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Description: Daniel Barenboim conducts Ligeti's Atmospheres, Enescu's Romanian Rhapsody No 1, and works by Bartok and Kodaly.
In the first of their two Proms, on Monday night, the Vienna Philharmonic occupied the heartlands of the Viennese repertoire with symphonies by Schubert and Bruckner.
Last night they moved forward chronologically to investigate a different aspect of the Austro- Hungarian imperial tradition.
The programme, consisting of three Hungarians - Bartok, Ligeti and Kodaly, with a Romanian Rhapsody by Enescu thrown in for good measure - played to certain strengths of this exceptional orchestra without quite convincing that this is a repertoire they were born to play.
Bartok's Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta opened with barely audible wisps of melody emerging out of the mists of remembrance. That and the final return to a pianissimo unison were more effectively realised than the emotional peak at the centre of the great arch.
The two fast movements were similarly delivered efficiently enough under Daniel Barenboim's direction, but fatally lacked the edgy quality that true articulation can bring. Nor was ensemble flawless.
The orchestra's crushed velvet sonority was also brought to bear on Ligeti's Atmospheres rather beautifully, with rustling strings and richly complex clustered textures. It was difficult to feel that this was realising the essential soundworld of Ligeti, however.
With Kodaly's Dances of Galanta, the players were able to connect directly with the central European tradition in terms of the lilting gypsy rhythms and the rich brew of sonority. Surging to a footstamping, thigh-slapping whirl of a dance in the finale, they seemed most at home here.
Enescu's Romanian Rhapsody No1 in A major again played to their strengths. Barenboim held it on a tight rein rhythmicall, but the effect was to enhance the sense of folkish virtuosity.
By the final section of the Rhapsody, with its infectiously swaying movement, several Promenaders were inevitably limbering up for the frolics of the Last Night.
• Information: www.bbc. co.uk/proms, 020 7589 8212.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
