BBC symphonic orchestra’s passionate tributes to Isabella
 Presently, I am just one in a crowd of about 15000 at the Royal
Albert Hall in the magical stillness where even a pin drop could be
heard. None of its grandeur has changed where this regal, royal monument
erected to Britain’s much loved, Prince Albert, centuries ago and here I
am after eight years with its golden glow upon me. The capacity of its
crowd is amazing besides the thousands standing in the well of the
theatre. Are the Brits so passionate about classical music? I never
thought so before.
Tonight’s performance of Isabella along with other scores are
essentially handpicked and conducted by one of the lead conductors of
the BBC Symphonic Orchestra.
Like in a trance, I was drawn from my humble village in Marawila to
the lusty wondrous world of the Royal Albert Hall in Kensington, London
for the debut revival of poet Keat’s tormented, passionate poem of 18181
verses, Isabella, also known as the Pot of Basil turned into a
spectacular symphony played tonight, sweeping the Brits of their feet in
a tornado.
There is no reason to believe otherwise that Bridge has studied
Liszt’s symphonic poem to effect his score and as well as Tchaikovsky’s
Romeo and Juliet suite. There is also a trace of Richard Strauss’s
essays in the genre but that both not mean to say Bridge’s whole score
of Isabella orchestrated on others’ melodies.
 |
|
The beautiful and mysterious Isabella
from Keat's Symphonic poem that has inspired painters and
composers alike. This painting by American artist, John
White Anderson shows Isabella and her Pot of Basil with the
head of her murdered lover, Lorenzo. |
The poignant portion in which Bridge highlight Lorenzo’s and
Isabella’s themes into orchestral outpouring reveals the mature handling
of the score when Lorenzo is murdered and his appearance at Isabella’s
bedside using string tremolandos to create an atmosphere of drama and
move over to muted trumpet.
I find it so difficult to comprehend what is happening under the
magnetic baton of David Robson, the iconic conductor of the BBC
Symphonic Orchestra who appear to be star-struck and in tremors.
The massive orchestra with its giant size golden harps and all other
instruments including the historic Hammond organ on a elevated pedestal
overlooking all players, were each and all were singularly picked and
addressed by the crisp and sharp Davidson.
David Robertson
BBC Symphonic Orchestra’s principal conductor is one of Brit’s most
sought after and a prestigious wielder of the Baton and the recipient of
many awards and honours. This Autumn, he takes on the St. Louise
Symphony as the Music Director for the eight consecutive years as well
as his annual appearance at the New York’s Carnegie Hall. He has been
with BBC since 2005.
Frank Bridge (1879-1941)
Tonight’s composer, is known as one of the best-equipped musicians in
20th century Britain. Bridge is a skilled conductor, violinist and
violist. At the beginning he was essentially conservative. Many of his
best known scores are for the piano. After rising to be Brit’s one of
the sensational composers, he died in 1941 but his music was revived
much later.
Keats’ Isabella
One of the most terrifying and tragic stories, bared in 1818
passionate verses, Isabella also known as Pot of Basil is about a highly
strung girl deeply in love and whose life was shrouded in privacy, not
exposed to the outside world and in the care of her protective two
brothers who were rich merchants. When the stunning, beautiful Isabella
was ripe for marriage, they sought the best among young aristocrats. But
Isabella would have nothing of it and turned down all suitors much to
the agitation of her brothers. When they discovered that Isabella was
deeply in love with Lorenzo, an employee working for them, became
furious and sought to put an end to the affair. Secretly, they murdered
Lorenzo without her knowledge.
Isabella knew something was wrong when Lorenzo failed to contact her
and became desperate. Lorenzo appeared as an apparition and revealed
what happened to her and where he was buried. Isabella waited until her
brothers were out of her way and went in search of the grave. With her
bare hands, she dug the grave, severed his head from the body and packed
it into a pot and hid it away from her brothers. She would look into it
in the silence of the night until her brothers grew suspicious. Isabella
also known as the Pot of Basil is for this reason.
The pot was taken away by the brothers and destroyed for good. When
Isabella found Lorenzo’s head gone, she pined away to death.
This highly explosive Keats tragedy was turned into an equally
explosive score.
Bridge’s Isabella
Frank Bridge who composed and completed Isabella in 1907 was his best
score. He debuted this tragic-composition the same year at the Queen’s
Hall Prom Concert with Sir Henry Wood as the conductor which was the
biggest success after many modest attempts. Bridge himself conducted for
its first broadcast by the BBC Orchestra and it remained unheard until
its revival in 1977 in an amateur performance.
Bridge divided this symphonic score to four parts as a constructed
work. It may have been difficult to cope and keep pace with Keats and
not lose the balance of the tale.
Part 1 – The score opens vividly and portrays a sense of sadness and
horror of the love tragedy set to pick up momentum step by step reaching
crescendo at its height, then dying down.
Part 2 – A simple melody suggesting a ‘Fair-Idabel’ but diatonic
Part 3 – Reflecting manliness and of bold character in Lorenzo with
sacrifice at end.
Part 4 – The murderous brothers whose bizare killing picks up the tempo,
chilling, loud and horrendous. All these four parts have been treated in
a variety of contraputal ways to illustrate what Keats had in his mind
when he wrote this emotion-charged poem.
Trapped with an emotional story, Bridge extricates himself to rise
from its entanglement and transform the theme into a long imploring
minor-key lament on strings. |
