Orchestre de Paris – BBC Proms

“Each of these three storytelling works unfolded with engaging narrative spark, but there were so many relishable moments within them: the flute solos in the Debussy, blooming a little more sensuous every time; the spatial effects in the open-air scenes of the Stravinsky, with some things sounding exhilaratingly close, others distant; the way in which the violins played the opening tune of the Berlioz, sweetly but without vibrato, making it sound like the beginning of a story of long ago. The most animated passages went at white-knuckle tempos, but the orchestra was up for a sprint. The timpanists were visibly having a whale of a time … After three years in charge of this orchestra, Mäkelä can trust his musicians enough to put down his arms and let them get on with it. There’s no loss of momentum when this happens, just a feeling of an elite team at work.”

The Guardian, Erica Jeal, 4 September 2024

“Given how frequently Berlioz’ Symphonie fantastique is performed, Mäkelä made this perennially popular piece sound remarkably fresh. The opening dream-like sighs from the delicious strings, with impressive sonority from the violas in particular, led to five movements of flamboyance and subtlety. The world-class woodwind section and glorious brass helped to really punch out those off-beat accents, with Mäkelä directing affairs assertively and sensitively, tempo variations stretched just enough without feeling contrived, and operating like a coiled spring, holding and releasing at critical moments.”

Bachtrack, Mark Thomas, 4 September 2024

“Having raved about what their Berlin Philharmonic counterparts can achieve in the Albert Hall, I can only say that their trenchancy and bite in the venue contributed to the originality of this interpretation … Mäkelä can make them flare up on a single tremolo, whisper a soft love-call or give us a smearily sinister sul ponticello  to intensify the Witches’ Sabbath. With all fugal writing electric, and every effect Berlioz asked for doubled in projection, this finale was the culmination of something at last truly extraordinary – an effect which had the sitters joining the Prommers on their feet almost instantly.”

The Arts Desk, David Nice, 4 September 2024

PROGRAMME:
Claude Debussy: Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune
Igor Stravinsky: Petrushka (1947 version)
Hector Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique