BBC Philharmonic – Mahler’s ‘Titan’

You’d be hard-pressed to find a programme that is a greater expression of the titanic power of the symphony orchestra. Tonight, more is most certainly more.

From the crashing waves and rushing winds of Debussy’s ode to the might and the magic of the sea, to one of Mahler’s most perfect symphonies, this pair of works both explore hope and the healing power of nature. Between them, Belfast-born, Manchester raised Peter Moore performs the RPS Award-winning trombone concerto by Dani Howard.

Trombone concertos are a rare fixture, but Howard’s virtuosic and ravishing work is appointment listening. Between her lush and minimalist-inflected music, and Moore’s extraordinary artistry (BBC Music Magazine described Peter’s playing as ‘displaying an eloquence and nobility that one might have thought impossible except by the human voice’), this left-of centre work might just be the highlight of this extraordinary concert.

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
Elena Schwarz conductor
Peter Moore trombone

Debussy La Mer
Dani Howard Trombone Concerto
Mahler Symphony No. 1