The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Karina Canellakis, brought together Bernstein, Stravinsky, and (surprisingly) Messiaen for a programme that traced a line from devotion through celebration to something darker. It was a concert emphasising precision and clarity over flamboyance, and in doing so delivered moments of great power alongside passages of more subdued effect.
The evening, however, opened with Messiaen’s Les Offrandes Oubliées. Its slow, suspended phrases created a sense of stillness that suited the Usher Hall’s acoustic, the strings weaving long arcs of sound over quiet undercurrents. While atmospheric and beautifully shaped, the piece did not grip the audience in the way the later works would. As an overture, it felt contemplative, a preparation rather than a destination. Perhaps this was the intent, but more Bernstein might have been preferable.
Indeed, Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms followed, providing a much-needed burst of energy. The rhythmic drive of the opening movement — jazz-inflected, syncopated and almost brash — provided a striking contrast to the serenity of the Messiaen. The Edinburgh Festival Chorus, celebrating its 60th anniversary, sang with exuberance and clarity, delivering the rapid phrases with assurance and bounce.
At the centre of the work, countertenor Hugh Cutting performed its most affecting moment. His solo, tender and unforced, brought a haunting lyricism to the Psalm 23 setting, floating over hushed orchestral accompaniment. It was a reminder of Bernstein’s capacity to pair devotional text with theatrical immediacy, and it drew some of the evening’s most concentrated listening judging from those around me.
“Hugh Cutting performed its most affecting moment. His solo, tender and unforced, brought a haunting lyricism to the Psalm 23 setting…”
Stravinsky’s Petrushka closed the programme in a reading notable for its restraint. Rather than lean into colour and bombast, Canellakis drew attention to the score’s inner detail. The orchestral playing was clear and exact, winds cutting through with acidic brightness, percussion taut rather than explosive. The result was hypnotic, more psychologically unsettling than celebratory.
Where some interpretations present Petrushka as a riotous spectacle, this one suggested an undercurrent of menace, with mechanical dances and brittle textures coming to the fore. The audience was drawn into a soundworld less dazzling but more haunted, as if the puppet’s tragedy was unfolding in slow motion.
Throughout the concert, the orchestra responded with agility to Canellakis’s direction. Strings were disciplined, brass incisive, and percussion carefully balanced. The chorus, too, impressed with both strength and delicacy, capable of expansive jubilance one moment and precise clarity the next.
If there was a reservation, it would be the slight imbalance between Bernstein and Stravinksy, and the curious choice of Messiaen to open proceedings. But as a whole, the concert achieved coherence: three composers exploring spirituality, ritual and the human condition from very different angles.
What lingered in the mind afterwards was not spectacle but intensity. Bernstein’s exuberance and Stravinsky’s chill left complementary impressions, framed, in part, by Messiaen’s calm devotion. It was a performance that resisted easy grandeur, opting instead for focus and psychological depth – a choice that gave this festival programme a particular character and weight.
Featured Image: BBC_SSO_Bernstein&Stravinksy_21-08-25_©Jess Shurte_004
Show Details
Venue: Venue c3-62436: Usher Hall, Lothian Road Edinburgh EH1 2EA, EH1 2EA (Google Maps)
Date(s): Thu 21 Aug
Time(s): 7:30pm (100 mins)
Price: From £22
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