BBC Young Musician has produced a whole galaxy of stars over the years, but 2016 was rather special. It was a neat idea then to commission a 10th-anniversary triple concerto for three of its finalists – cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, saxophonist Jess Gillam and horn player Ben Goldscheider – each of whom has gone on to a significant career. The composer of choice was Gwilym Simcock, an eclectic artist who straddles the worlds of jazz and classical music. The result was stretched to bursting with musical interest, though not without its problems.
At its best, the concerto was a riot of primary colours, with vibraphone, harp and orchestral piano – played here by Simcock himself – adding spice to the mix. The outer movements grooved, the first with a minimalist nod to Steve Reich, the finale channelling a Scottish reel. The serene central “Mesto” – the word means mournful or melancholy – was a keening lament for Simcock’s father who died during the work’s composition.
All three soloists were exemplary, from Gillam’s sassy licks to the mellow ruminations of Kanneh-Mason and Goldscheider. The fly in the ointment was the busy, heavily scored orchestrations, which tended to overwhelm both cello and horn. Gillam, playing soprano saxophone, was left to ride the swells, which she did with aplomb, though too often it seemed as if the new work had been written primarily for her. The encore, a soulful arrangement of the Largo from Bach’s Trio Sonata No 5, proved that these three instruments could indeed be balanced, just not in the concerto.
Bookending the concert were a pair of orchestral showcases. Sakari Oramo took a serious-minded approach to the Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra – Britten’s daredevil variations on Purcell’s musical earworm – and gave his players plenty of room to shine. Dvořák’s New World Symphony was high on contrasts, with conductor and orchestra hell-bent on extracting maximum interest from the musical narrative. Honeyed strings, light-footed winds and pealing brass lent weight to Oramo’s boldly beguiling interpretation while gossamer violins and an unselfconscious cor anglais rediscovered the sense of wonder in the famous Largo.
• Available on BBC Sounds until 12 October. The Proms continue until 12 September.
