The Royal Scottish National Orchestra's recently appointed Principal Guest Conductor Patrick Hahn was joined in the Upper Circle Gallery by the Orchestra's 2024/25 Concert Season Artist in Residence Randall Goosby for the pre-concert talk. But first we were given a brief overview of the concert by Principal Flute Katherine Bryan. Hahn and Goosby gave us a fascinating discussion - Hahn with an admirable gravitas and Goosby bursting with intelligent energy. We learned about emotion frequently found in second or slower movements and that we should see that not only the Principals play solo in the New World Symphony.
After a few words of welcome from her first violin desk by Ursula Heidecker Allen, the opening work was pure jazz with the trumpets to the fore. Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker Suite was transformed by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn in an arrangement by Jeff Tyzik. Lovers of jazz would have been in their element in what must have been the choice of Conductor Patrick Hahn, himself a jazz pianist.
American Randall Goosby was full of confidence for Samuel Barber's Violin Concerto. And, as predicted, its second movement was full of emotion to be followed by the final highly energetic movement. He had predicted an encore of his own composing but chose Jet Blues - to much applause.
There was no doubt the Orchestra was enjoying playing Dvorák's Symphony No 9 From the New World under Patrick Hahn's baton, and the audience agreed. It was good, for instance, to have watched when flautist Oliver Roberts had his moments of glory whilst Katherine Bryan's flute was at rest. Maybe the cookies the conductor is said to have baked for his players at the start of the week augurs well. We look forward to much more conducting with Patrick Hahn.
Event: Friday 6th December 2024 at 7.30pm