It is probably the most magical sound effect of this evening in the Isarphilharmonie: Erkki-Sven Tüür’s concert for accordion and orchestra “Prophecy” begins with a cluster of the solo instrument. And very gently, as if it were a cinematic crossfade, it is taken over by the high strings of the Munich Philharmonic and further colored there. This accordion concerto is a work focused on sound transparency. Finely shaded color nuances are one of the accordion’s great strengths. In order to illuminate this appropriately, the orchestral part, which is actually large, is often very thinned out. Soloist Ksenija Sidorova can celebrate her part wonderfully on the slightly electrically amplified instrument in this way: Although there are many quiet, flat-looking passages, the details of the accordion voice are incredibly quick and delicately moved. There are also areas of exuberant virtuosity with quickly fanned out chords and lightning-fast bass lines before the accordion and orchestra link up in the powerfully moving final movement and rush towards the striking end. It is effectively composed and performed. As an encore there is a dynamically sophisticated accordion transcription of Gabriela Montero’s “Beyond Bach”.
Without the accordion, the rest of the evening’s performances seem less inspired. Conductor Paavo Järvi, together with Tüür, was once a member of the Estonian rock band “In Spe” in the 1970s. As a drummer. However, there is not much evidence of great impetus in his conducting. At the beginning of Debussy’s symphonic suite “Printemps” this isn’t a bad thing. The composition is delicately conceived and it also sounds delicate this evening. However, Sibelius’s Fifth Symphony after the break can only develop in certain areas under Järvi’s gesturally reduced, more moderately slowing than driving direction. The famous contrasting final chords are sparkling clean.