Review: Hallé Orchestra @ Bridgewater Hall, Manchester

11:52am Monday 13th October 2008

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The Bridgewater Hall deserves a pat on the back after upholding Manchester’s proud Mahler tradition with two fine concerts in a week.

Following Monday night’s unforgettable Mahler 3 from Iván Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra it was the turn of Sir Mark Elder and the Hallé who began their Thursday Series with the composer’s earth-shattering Resurrection symphony.

It was gratifying to see the hall packed to the rafters for this epic journey that takes the listener from the most tragic of funeral marches to an overwhelming depiction of the resurrection of the dead in which Mahler’s hundred strong orchestra is complemented by chorus and organ.

Elder made the most of the Hallé’s tremendously warm orchestral sound to give a sure-footed, intelligent performance that guided us steadily through this immense and varied musical landscape.

Some listeners may have wished the symphony’s elemental drama had been put across more urgently but there was no doubting the cumulative power of the performance and the spectacular moment in the finale when the choir rose to its feet suddenly to call out the word ‘Auferstehen’ (‘Rise again’) was genuinely thrilling.

The programmes for the Hallé’s Thursday Series look very interesting over the coming months - an appearance by the legendary Romanian pianist Radu Lupu in early November being a particular highlight – and no doubt the orchestra will reach even greater heights over the course of the series.

But no matter what the repertoire there’s something very special about the relationship between this orchestra and its audience that brings about a striking feeling of involvement and, even though Manchester has enjoyed a feast of exceptional music making recently, the high standard looks set to continue.